Fort Mill times. [volume] (Fort Mill, S.C.) 1892-current, 1907-03-14
Governments Charges fall
Down Completely
no LAW HAS BEEN VIOLATED
Counsel for the United States Throws
Up the Sponge in tho Prosecution
Of the Charlotte Mill Men Charged
With q Violation of the Statutes
Fcrbidd.ng Importation OF Alien
Labor.

Greensboro, n. c., Special-Nevef
has there been a more impressive
scene in Judge Boyd's court than
was enacted at 6 o'clock Thursday
evening when counsel for the gov
ernment III the penalty suits against
the Charlotte mill men, Edward A
Smith and Sumner B. Sargent, ask
ed the court to instruct the Jury to
bring in n verdict IN the defendants
favor in the ease On trial, and to
make entries of g nonsuit in the
other cases and mol pros in the case
for conspiracy. Thus suddenly and
unexpectedly was brought to q close
a case that has attracted the atten-
tion of the cotton manufacturers in
every section of the United States,
after nearly two weeks has been spent
In the trial
After the day had been spent in
examining a number of witnesses,
for the government, court adjourned
several for the defendants and few
at a 80 O'Clock Thursday afternoon
At 6 O'Clock counsel for the govern
ment Informed the judge that after
conference they had agreed to sub
init to verdict in favor of the de-
PENDANTS and asked TINT court be con-
vened for this purpose. The jury, de-
fedants and defendants counsel were
accordingly summoned and Few
minutes later the court was opened.
Assistant Attorney General Cooley,
whose frank and candid manner has
won for him the friendship of every
one who has met him since coming to
Greensboro, spoke for the govern
ment. In few words he told the
court that the counsel had held n
conference and decided that the
course they were taking was the prop
er thing to do. He expressed the opin-
aon that the government was not en-
titled to recover and asked that his
honor instruct the jury to find in the
defendants favor. Mr.. Cooley's re-
marks we're very timely and express
sive of the feelings he entertained.
judge Boyd Complimentary.
Judge H8oyd spoke briefly. He said
that he thought that the government
had taken the proper course in the
matter. 1T was their duty as public
officers TO investigate the immigra-
tion of the laborcrs and to bring the
suits if they thought the circumstan-
ees warranted such action. but that
they displayed the true spirit in the
course they took He complimented
the attorneys appearing in the case
and expressed his approval of the
manner In which the case had been
brought to an end. The Judge in
structed that the following be en-
tered as the verdict of the Jury:
"The jury finds for the defendants
and for verdict say that the plain
tiff is not entitled to recover upon
any OF the cause of the action alleg-
ed in the complaint"
District Attorney Holton then an
nounced that he would take mol pros
in the other case. in which Edward
a. Smith, Sumner B. Sargent. E. C.
Dwelle and Thomas M. Costello are
the defendants, the government suing
for $4,000 as penalties for the al
legged violations of the immigration
law in importing alien labor. He al
so took mol pros in the case against
the four men, charging them with
conspiracy to violate the immigration
laws. Judge Boyd instructed that the
proper entries be made.