The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1904-09-28
COURT.
Judge c. G. Dautzler of oraIg-eburg Presiding :

We have attended upon the courts
for q number of wears. but never in all
of our experience have we ever wit
messed more pathetic case than one
tried last Monday, did we have the
time and space, we think there IS
enough material in the case to write
several columns, and weave: Il story
which would be heart-melting and also
be an object lesson to the ,oyS now
growing up. Here was :; 70 unS man
named Willie Smith of fair int diligence
with 4 bright handsome boy Is wears OF
age the son of Smiths sister, 4 I'D whose
father was L railroad engineer that
met his death in l collision: t le little
fellows name is Harry Palm: er. both
hailed from Augusta, and claim ed TO be
mill operatives, and both have mothers
living in Augusta. These two. uncle
and nephew, left Augusta in Sc. irch OF
work, first going to Columbia, finding
the mills crowded, they went to sum
ter. that mill was shut down. the Y then
pulled out out tramping for 0 Orange
burg. At Rimini the little feliow
broke into the depot, as he ays IN
search of food, finding none, he picked
up some clothing belonging 10 the
agent; the elder one bad gone to sleep
on the platform and waking up ne
missed the boy, called out for Mi n. anu
was answered from within, Smit h got
up. went into the waiting room, looked
into the window and finding the hoy IN
side ordered him to come out: When
the boy came he had N his hanos the
bundle OF clothes, Smith asked w.1at ne
was going to do with them, and he sad
Il am going to trade them on for
food Smith grabbed the bundle ana
threw it back in the room. and made
the boy come out. This in effect Is the
story of these two tramps, and their
story impressed US and many Others as
being true, while there are others who
believe the elder has made ascape-goat
of the boy and the story was a piece OF
shrewdness to clear Smith and secure u
light sentence for little Palmer who
pleaded guilty. The jury must have
been impressed with Smiths denleanor
as they found him mot guilty" Sollc-
itor Wilson, believing the boy victim
of the man, appealed to the Judge to
make his sentence as light as possloie.
The Judge in passing sentence. told the
little fellow that he would send him to
the State Reformatory and II be be-
hayed himself he would recommend
Communication of the sentence from
one year to a shorter time. The little
fellow received his sentence with very
little emotion, not that he did not real
ize it's meaning, for he is remarkably
intelligent for his years. After SEN
tence was pronounced upon little Pal
mer, Smith broke down and wept bit
terly
John Gaillard, colored, was tried on
the charge of bigamy. and when asked
if he was guilty said Il am guilty OF
marrving the first woman, and if l
married the other was drunk The
jury found him guilty and he was SEN
fenced to two years of the gang
Lee Walker, the convict who Killed
Selwyn Briggs, fellow convict on the
changing was arraigned. but before the
arraignment, the Solicitor called the
courts attention to Walkers being a
convict serving 4 ten year sentence.
The court ruled the prisoner could be
put on trial, and appointed J. a. Wen
berg to defend the prisoner. Mr.. Weln-
berg asked until Thursday to look into
the case.
Yesterday morning the case against
Simeon NJ. Youmans was called and
considerable difficulty vas experienced
in getting jury on account of opinions
being formed. The entire venire was
exhausted after seven jurors were
sworn in, and the court ordered new
venire drawn from the FIVE mile box.
To get the additional five jurors, the
court took recess until the afternoon
hour.
When court resumed its afternoon
session, the grand jury made the fol-
lowing presentment: