The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1905-03-01
Court Proceedings.


When we went to press last
Wednesday the court was engaged
in the trial of W. NJ. Hartley, of
Monetta, under the charge of a.
sault and battery with intent to kill.
Solicitor Zimmerman wss assisted by
j Wm ThurmoDd, E6rd &; Dreher
and E. L Asbill. For the defence
G. T. Graham. P. H. Nelson, ". e..
Sharpe, A. D Martin. The trial lasted
two days and every conceivable point
was closely contested. The jury
reduced the crime by verdict of
assault and battery of high and
aggravated nature. When Judge
Izlar called up the defendant for
sentence, Messrs Nelson and Sharpe
addressed the Judge asking for a
small money fine, as Mr. Hartley
was poor man. Mr.. Thurmond
and the Solicitor opposed the request.
The sentence of the court was FIVE
years in the penitentiary or 5000
Mr.. Hartley promptly paid the fine
and thus the matter ended.
George Bolsnd was up for house
breaking and larceny and upon his
plea OF guilty only received six
months. He broke in the smoke
house of George '. K!eckley and
stole some meat.
Following came the trial of Roland
Lowman charged with the murder of
Henry Earle Harman, both being
about the age of l3 years. Mr.. A.
D Msrtin assisted the Solicitor and
Meesrs. Ei'd & Dreher and Wingard
g. Shealy represented the defendant
The plea was accidental killing and
the jury so decided by their verdict
OF rot guilty.
The case of the State against
Douglas Sightler and Wigfall Sight
ler, charged with the murder of Carl
Lucas at CASTOR in November last,
came up Friday, MIR. Sharpe ap-
peared for the defendants. The
younger boy, Wigfall. being under
the age of Six years, the case, ss to
him, was mol pressed The other boy
is going on eight years old and the
deceased was nine, and all were
school boys at the Sandy Run school,
being taught by Miss Dora Craft.
The verdict was not guilty.
Arthur White, colored, came up
on the charge of assault and attempt
to rape Estelle Reynolds, colored,
was convicted and sentenced to six
months on the gang.
Lev, Hill, colored. OF Atlanta. Ga :,
and who cent from there to his son
in Jail here, some saws and files with
which to escape, was convicted OF
aiding the escape Of prisoner and
given one year.
The court adjourned until Monday
with one prisoner in jill, although
there was plenty time on Saturday
morning to try the case. The Solici-
tor announced that the attorney for
the defendant was away and that he
would try the case early Monday
morning.
When Monday morning came Mr..
Sturkie appeared for the negro and
objected to the trial, because the
criminal court could not exist more
titan one week. Judge lzlar held.
that be was correct aud continued
the case Since then the defendant
has been baiIed by Judge Bradford
and once more the jul is empty.
There vas considerable work be-
fo,e the crimiusl court and it appears
that about half of this is carried
over to next term, which under the
new law, does not meet until the
second Monday in August, now slz
mouths eff
Among the cases carried over are
tw" for murder; two for bastardy;
tn. for assault and battery with
intent to kill: two for carrying con.
cealed weapons and two appeals.
all on the docket.
The Civil Court opeped at the re-
guiar hour on Monday morning, but