The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1908-01-08
COURT CONVENED
MONDAY MORNING
Judge Gage Of Sixth Dis
tlict is Presiding.
TRIAL OF j. &. JERRY
This Case Has Been Set for Thursday.
Quite Number of Minor Cases
Disposed OF.

The converting here Monday of the
winter term of General Sessions and
Common Pleas Court, combined with
January salesday, an important event
in Laurens within itself, attracted to
the city very large crowd.
The Court was called at 10 o'clock,
with Judge G. w. Gage on the bench.
Solicitor Cooper, Stenographer Aull and
the rest of the court officials at their
posts.
The grand jury was organized by the
appointment of Mr. V. A. White Of
Owings as foreman. In his charge to
this body the court especially stressed
the Importance of letting criminals feel
the strong arm of the law in this coun-
ty. There was, he said, apparently lit
tie regard for the lives of the citizens,
not only in this county, but throughout
South Carolina, and the law was out
ragged almost daily by the man with the
pistol or some other deadly weapon.
The grand jury got down to business
at once and number of true bills were
returned during the day. Several cases
OF minor character were disposed of
and altogether an unusually good days
work was accomplished.
A negro boy, Jim Anderson, aged IL,
pleaded guilty to the charge of assault
and battery with intent to kill and car,
rying concealed weapons, and was sent
to the State reformatory for term Of
seven years. Charged with stealing "a
bale of cotton in Youngs township, Bob
Foster, colored, pleaded guilty to the
indictment and received sentence of
two years on the chaingang. A re-
markable circumstance in connection
with Fosters case is the fact that he
did not sell the stolen cotton outright
but, following the custom of many of
his neighbors, he stored it in the cotton
warehouse at Woodruff and secured
cash advancement on the cotton.
Another negro cotton thief was also
sent up Monday, Artimus Kigore. being
convicted of stealing two bales from the
McCnntocks of Ora just before the hol-
ldays. He gotta sentence of three years.
Three or four other negroes were held
as confederates in this theft but thew
were released.
The case of most Importance for this
term is that of the State VS.. John G..
Jerry, the young German farmer w no
IS charged with numbering his brother,
Frank jerry few months ago near
Madden. The trial of Jerry is set for
Thursday.
Alonzo Parker, colored, whose case
was brought over from the last term.
was convicted Monday of assault and
battery, with intent to kill, and given
sentence of three years. Ike Irbv
and Allen MITCHELL both colored, were
found guilty of the same offense and
received sentence of eighteen months
each on the changing.
Yesterday afternoon the court was
engaged with the trial Of Cleve Ellison.
colored, charged with the murder of
another negro by the name of Ned An
derson, the killing having occurred a
few months ago on Mr.. T. r.. Simpsons
place. Ellison is defended by Rchey g.
Richey.
During the forenoon Reed Downs.
colored, was put on trial, charged with
housebreaking and larceny. Just before
the case was called Downs stated to
the solicitor that he would plead guilty,
and went so far as to sign the special
plea prepared by the solicitor How
ever, when the case was called up.
Downs said he had changed his mind,
and, without an attorney, went to trial
and was acquitted.