The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-09-24
WILL Be TRIED FOR
THEIR LIVES
Four Capita Cases III Wake
Superior Court.
Judge Undertakes Charge 10 the Grand Jury
Lorenzo Morris 10 BE- Tried thursday.
Negro Murderer on Friday.

The Superior Court convened here yes
terday morning for two weeks session
for criminal cases.
Judge e. w. Undertake, of Louis
burg, who is presiding, charged the grand
jury first upon the meaning and sancity
of the oath they take, and then very ex-
haustively and clearly upon the definition
and nature of crime.
One case was disposed of yesterday a
number of submissions were made, and
rart of the evidence taken in another
case.
The grand jury returned a true bill
against the negro Mansel Robertson for
the murder of Loomis Debnam, another
negro, in Marks Creek township, on the
night of September 9Th. The trial is set
for Friday morning.
y true bill was also found against the
young white man Lorenzo Morris, charg-
cd with killing old Mrs. White in New
Light township. This case will be tried
Thursday morning.
1t will be remembered that Morris ac-
cused Lonnie Davis of paying him to
commit the murder. The jury has not
yet returned bill against Davis, but
there is every probability that he, too,
will be tried for murder.
There is negro to be tried at this ses-
sion for a criminal assault upon negro
woman.
Accordingly four men are to be tried
for their lives during these two weeks.
The case disposed of yesterday was
that against w. A. Farrell, and A. F.
Maroon. for assault upon A. c. Massey.
The verdict was not guilty. The defend
ants We're represented by Col. T. NJ. Ar
go and Mr.. S. G.. Ryan. For the State
col. j c. L. Harris appeared with Solic-
itor Armistead Jones.
During the trial of this case Judge
sTimberlalle was compelled to order the
sheriff to lock up one of the States wit
ncsscS, a negro named Will Hinton, who
was drunk and raised a disturbance.
The case of Mrs. Nettie Jones, who is
charged with striking Mrs. Horton with
an axe, was taken up and the testimony
&C defendants witnesses was completed.
The parties are from near Rolesville.
Mrs. Jones is represented by Col. Argo
ANA Mr. Ryan; Mr.. r. N. Simms and
Solicitor Jones are the prosecuting at
tcrneys
The grand jury is composed of the fol-
lowing: Lynn Wilder, foreman; l.. l..
puub, Geo j. Maroon, M. S. Chandler,
J. A. King, A. B. Lynn, IT,, M. O'Neill,
J. J. Edwards. w. r. Horton, w. r.
Rowland ]. c. MCGEE, G. u. Todd, T. II.
Holt j. T.. House. w. C. Dunn, ]. NJ.
Broadwen w. ]. Mitchell and Sam
Moody
Judge Timberlake, in addressing the
c.ard Jury on the subject of the oath
they took, began as follows:
The most concise, clearest most forci-
bic and pointed statement of your
duties and how you should perform them
is obtained in the oath which you have
Just taken; and yet l hazard nothing
when l say that not one of you can re-
Icat the substance, much less its Ian
gUage. | mean no reflection on your in
tcllgencc by that statement. | doubt il
there is a person within the hearing OF
my voice who can do better, lawyer or
layman.
The little attention paid TO the adj
rninistration of oaths by the persons adj
m1istering them, the persons taking
them and by-standers listening is pain
FIJI indeed. l know of nothing more SOL
emn than the taking of an oath. calling
Goa 10 witness the oDllgdtlon we are
assuming and there should be no levity
INDUCED in, or inattention, by anybody in
whose presence this solemn ceremony
takes place
Regarding the nature of crime, Judge
TimbcPlake said in part "All these def
riti0ns (of crime) while different in Ian
guagc, are the same in substance. and
all OF them emphasize and make promi
ncnt the idea that, in order that wrong
or neglect of legal duty shall become
a crime the wrong or neglect of legal
duty must be of such character that
the interests of the public are involved
in it, and not merely that of an individ- |
ual No better illustration of this idea
can be found than that of a nuisance. |
Anything that affects the public health. |
morals, comfort and general welfare of