The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-10-01
Star Chamber Proceed
ings in Granville Co.
MANGUM DISCHARGED
Case Heard On Habeas Corpus Before
Judge Hoke Yesterday. Defendant
Adjudged to be in Contempt
and Fined for Refusing to Be-
come an lnf0rmer.
come an lnfOrmer.

| An interesting and unusual case Was
heard before Associate Justice Hoke
on a writ of habeas corpus yesterday
morning. Justice of the Peace i'll
Granville county had issued a general
subpoena without warrant or COM
plant commanding Irwin w. ManSum
of oxford. and others. to come before
him and testify in regard to any Of
lenses which they might have known
to have been committed in North Car
Dina. Nothing was said about gamb-
ling, gaming apparatus, nor intoXl-
eating liquors..
When Mr. Mangum was called ,he
said that if he should be shown any
complaint or warrant il the case, or
told who was on trial and for what
offense, he would then testify to any
thing he might know. He was told
that what he asked was none of his
business. and he replied that he would
net be sworn and become common
informer. Thereupon the Justice of
the Peace adjudged him to be in con-
tempt of court. and fined him 800,
and ordered that he be committed I'M
til the fine end costs were paid. The
inquiry was conducted behind locker
DOORS and the witnesses were not
only sworn to tell all they knew, but
were also called back and sworn not
to tell what they had sworn. Judge
Hoke decided that the Justice of the
Peace was without authority to issue
the process without stating a specific
charge and Mangum was ordered to
be discharged.
A statement of the case. and the
law involved. is as follows:
A Justice of the Peace of Granville
county issued what might be termed
blanket subpoena directed to the
Sheriff of Granville county, commando
ing him to summon a number of per-
sons to appear before him to be eX-
amined on oath touching any inform1-
ton they had concerning certain GRIM
ial offenses without specifically defin-
ing what offences.
Irwin w Mangum was one of the
witnesses subDoenaed. and declined
to answer the questions propounded
by the Justice upon the ground that
I the process in the case did not 1ndi-
cate any specific offense, and that he
declined to become a common in
former He was adjudged, to be in
contempt and ordered to pay fine
, of 500, and that be be committed to
the Sheriff of Granville county until
the fine and cost be paid
The writ of habeas corpus was is
ued by Associate Justice Hoke, and
was returnable before him yesterday
morning at 1890. Upon hearing the
! petition Judge Hoke adjudged that the
process was void, in that it did not in
dictate the Specific criminal oifense.
and that tho Justice of the Peace was
without authority to issue that pro
cess. Judge Hoke, however held that
had the process charged the keeping
of gaming tables or the illegal sale of
Intoxicating liquors. the process would
have been sufficient under the special
statutes relating to these offenses
without charging their violation by
any particular person
The petitioner Mangum. was there
fore discharged.
1t seems that under the statutes
passed for the purpose of suppress
ing gaming and the illegal sale of in
toXicating liquors that Justice of
the Peace is authorized to issue sub
poena for any witnesses whom he has
reason to believe possesses any infor-
nation in regard to these offcnSeS and
to require the witnesses to answer