The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1907-03-14
Governments Charges Fail
Down Completely
NO LAW HAS BEEN VIOLATED
Counsel for the United States Throws
Up the Sponge in the Prosecution
Of the Charlotte Mill Men Charged
With a Violation of the Statutes
Forbidding Importation of Alien
Labor.

Greensboro, n. c., Speeial.-Neve,
has there been more impressive
scene III Judge Boyd's court than
was enacted at 6 O'Clock Thursday
evening when counsel FOR the gov
eminent IN the penalty saits against
the Charlotte mil men, Edward A.
Smith and Summer B. Sargent, ask
ed the court to instruct the jury to
bring in a verdict in the defendants
favor IN the ease on trial, and to
make entries of a nonsuit in the
other cases and a mol pros in the case
for conspiracy. Thus suddenly and
unexpectedly Vas brought to close
a case that Has attracted the atten-
ton Of the cotton manufacturers in
every section Of the United States,
after nearly two weeks has been spent
III 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 4 80 O'Clock Thursday afternoon.
At u 0 clock counsel for the govern
ment Informed the judge that after
conference they had agreed to SUBJ
nIit to verdict in favor of the de-
PENDANTS and asked that court be con-
vened for this purpose. The jury, de-
fedants and defendants counsel were
accordingly summoned and a few
minutes liter the court was opened.
Assistant Attorney General Cooley,
whose frank and candid manner has
won for him the friendship of every
ore who has met him since coming to
Greensboro, spoke for the govern
ment. In few words he told the
court that the connsel had held a
conference and decided that the
course they were taking was the prop.
sr thing to do. He expressed the opin-
ion 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 were very timely and express
slve OF the feelings he entertained.
Judge Boyd Complimentary.
Judge Boyd 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-
ton of the labOreTs and to bring the
suits If they thought the circumstan-
ces 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 a verdict say that The plain
tiff is not entitled to recover apon
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 NJ. Costello are
the defendants, the government suing
Tor $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.