The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1905-07-26
NELSON at THE Bar.
TRUE BILL RETURNED AND HE
PLEADS NOT GUILTY.
The Court Appointed L. D. Jennings
Esq, to Defend the Prisoner-The
Solicitor Was Assisted by Marion
Noise, Esq.
From the Daily Item, July 19

From the Daily Item, July 10.
When the hour of 10 o'clock ar
rived this morning Judge: Purdy sus-
pended the: business of the Court of
Common Pleas, the case Of Cain VS..
the Atlantic. Coast Line Railroad
Company being on trial, and had the
grand jury called. Thirteen mem
bers responded to their names.
Solicitor Wilson, who arrived in
the city from Manning last night, had
in readiness the bill Of indictment,
charging Jesse Nelson with an as
sault with intent to ravish, and it was
/; turned over to the grand jury after
Judge Purdy had made a very brief
charge. He defined the duty Of the
grand jury in the premises, saying
| that all they had to do was to exam
inc the witnesses for the state to as
certain if the facts sustained. the in
dictment. If the evidence indicated
| a probability of the guilt Of the ac-
cused a. ..true bilr'' should be return
ed; but If the evidence was not suf-.
fcient to make out a case, their duty
would be to return "no bill"
The grand jury had the case un-
der consideration about a half hour;
during which time the young lady
upon whom the attempted assault
was made, the little girl, who was
with her at the time, and three men,
We're examined. Returning to the
court room the grand jury returned
:: true bill and was then discharged.
The prisoner Jesse Nelson, was
brought into court by the regular
deputy and without and extra guard.
At the request of Judge Purdy
Mark Reynolds, Esq, acted as coun-
sell for the defendant while he was
being arranged. Nelson was placed
in the dock, the Indictment was read
by Clerk Of Court Parrot, and he
entered a plea of not guilty to the
scharge. When questioned by Mr..
Reynolds he stated that he had no
witness and was ready to go to trial.
Judge Purdy announced that it
would be necessary to conclude the
trial Of the Common Please case
which had been temporarily suspend
ed before the trial Of Nelson could be
commenced. This case would be con-
cluded this afternoon and he would
set the trial Of Nelson for 10 o'clock
tomorrow morning. Witnesses and
jurors were requested to be on hand
promptly at 10 o'clock, Judge Purdy
also directed Sheriff Epperson to mott
fly Olivia Nelson, Of Manning, the
mother Of the prisoner, that her son
would be placed on trial tomorrow, so
that she may be present if she so
elects.
During the proceedings the Court
House was crowded, the audience be-
ing composed Of almost as many ne
groes as whites The crowd was
quiet and orderly and there was no
semblance of excitement.
During the trial tomorrow Judge
Purdy will very properly exclude the
public from the Court House, only the
court officials, jurors and witnesses
and others necessady to the conduct
of the trial being permitted to be
present.
Jim Taylor, the negro who was ar
rested as a suspicious character be-
fore Nelson was captured, and who
was sent to Columbia Sunday night
was brohght back this morning. Al
ter court convened and the true bill
had been found against Nelson, Judge
Purdy directed Sheriff. Epper5on to
release Taylor, there being no crarges
against him.