The Semi-weekly leader. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1905-1941, 1908-11-18
THE CIRCUIT COURT.
THE REGULAR NOVEMBER TERM OPEN
ED LAST MONDAY.
Juries EmpaneIed and the Criminal
Docket Taken Up.
The Court Congratulates the County
on the Falling off of Grave Crimes
Points Of the judges Charge.

convened Monday morning at 3
o'clock, Judge M. H. Wilkinson
pr esiding. District Attorney
Wall, Stenographer Cruise, Circuit
Clerk Oliver and Sheriff Greer were
all in their places ready for busi-
ness. When the grand jury was
empaneled and the roll of all coun-
ty and county district officers call
ed, every one answered to his
name except Assessor j. C. Cosna-
han, and he came in just a few
minutes later, and after the Judge
had ordered a fine of $40 for alb
sence entered up against him.
The following names were drawn
and empaneled as grand jurors:
w. E. Lowell, w. M. Taylor, G. B.
Rawlins, w. T. Bowling, G. L.
Burgess, w. ]. Berry, L. H. Rus
sell, C. H. Stanley, L. G.. Dunlap,
Floyd Lambert, J. H. Rawls, Mar
tin Delaughter, W. R. Gotten, S. j.
McFadden, j. J. Leggett, j. M.
Sutton. w. L. Erwin, L. R. Oliver,
S. ]. Wooley, w. j. Rawls.
j. H. Rawls, of District No. 3,
was appointed as foreman and S.
B. Redus, Of Brookhaven, bailiff.
In beginning his charge Judge
Wilkinson congratulated the grand
jury on the falling off shown in the
graver crimes in the county during
the last six months and the progress
made in better law observance.
He declared, however, in this con-
nection that several reports of as
saults with intent to kill had come
to him, and one of these had occur
red only the evening before Sun
day evening within a few miles of
Brookhaven. In this case the
offender was alleged to have ridden
up to a house on the road in the
country while under the influence
of liquor. called out man in the
house and made a violent assault
on him with pistol, without the
least justifable provocation, and
the jury was specially charged to
investigate this case at once, and
if the facts were as alleged. 1t
has since been learned that the par
ty referred to by the Court as
making this assault was Dave Pos
ey, who was released from the PEN
itentary last fall while serving
25 year sentence for manslaughter,
on a conditional pardon, the chief
condition being that the pardon
was to be null and void if Posey
should ever again be guilty of US
ing intoxicating liquor.
The usual admonition was given
to the jury in reference to the un-
lawful sale of liquors and gam
bling. The jury was enjoined to
specially look after the sale of
liquor by persons travelling on
railroad trains in the county. To
give away or sell tobacco or cigar
cites to minors under 18 years of
age, without the consent of parents
or guardians, was declared to be in
express violation of the statute,
and the jury was charged accord
ingly. The Judge instructed the
jury that a man could not even give
a chew of tobacco or cigarette to a
minor without violating this law.
The jury was also reminded of
the law against cruelty to animals
and told to act if cases Of cruel neg
lect or treatment of animals come
within their knowledge.
The vagrant law was given in
charge and the jury told that there
were under this law IA kinds of
people who had no right to run at
large in the State of Mississippi.
The jury was also told to take
knowledge of the condition of the
public roads. The Board of Super
visors are primarily responsible for
the condition Of the public roads,
and if the roads are not what they
ought to be, the jury ought to To-
cate the responsibility and if the
facts warrant. indict.
Instructions were given to care
fully examine the books and ac-
counts of the county officers and see
that they are properly kept and all
public moneys properly accounted
for.
The jury was instructed to exam
inc and investigate the County
Farm, and see whether or not it
is being properly conducted and
managed.
Finally, special charge was given
to examine the county jail and see
what is the cause of the frequent
escapes from the county bastile
1t seemed to the Court from what
he had seen in the papers and heard
otherwise, that it was sort Of
joke to put a prisoner in this Jail
to keep him, il he wished to leave,
and the Judge said he wanted the
jury to carefully examine into the
matter and find out and report
whether the trouble was in the Jail
or the jailer.
The two petit juries for the week
were empaneled as follows:
Jury No. /. T. G. Atwood, r.
Al. Larkin, Jas. w. Smith, NJ. G.
Baggett, j. r. Powers, T. E.
Smith. e. W Touchstone, Fl. A.
Bigner, H. II. White, j. B. Wooley,
John Richie.
No 2.Jim Thompson, Chas.