The Columbus weekly dispatch., 1908-05-28
JUDGE C0CHRAN'S
FINAL TERM ENDS
LAST LOCAL COURT TERM OVER
WHICH WE'LL KNOWN JURIST
WILL PRESIDE TERMINATED
WEDNESDAY.
Business OF Term Was Concluded
Soon After Final Report OF
Grand Jury Came in, and
Adjournment Followed.

The May term of circuit court
came to an end last Wednesday, ad-
journment having taken place soon
after the final report of the grand
jury was handed in. In fact, the
business Of the term had been prac-
ticalIy completed, and Judge Cochran
was only waiting for the inquisitoriaI
body to conclude its labors to declare
court adjourned.
The court term which has just
as it marked the final appearance in
Columbus Of Judge r. F. Cochran as
Judge Of the Tenth circuit court dis
trict. Hon Jno. L. Buckley, of En-
terprise, has been appointed to sue
ceed Judge Cochran. and will preside
over the next term, which convenes
in September. Judge Buckley is
splendid man and an able jurist, and
viii make the district an ideal Judge.
The fnal day Of the term was de-
voted largely to the motion docket,
and only two State cases were dis.
posed of. These were the cases of
VIII Webb and Aleck Latham, who
were indicted by the grand jury on
the charge OF retailing. Both entered
pleas OF guilty, and were fined $500
each.
In the case of Maggie Fites, who
seeks to secure $4,000 from the Bell
Lumber and Manufacturing Company
for the death of her son, Clifton Nc
Daniel, a motion for new trial was
oyerruled, and plaintiff allowed
ninety days in which to file bill Of
exceptions. In the suits OF F. M. ia
cob VS.. c. r. Smith, executor of the
estate Of r. J. Smith, ana Carrie Sta
pies VS.. The Standard Stove Works,
motions for new trials We're over
ruled, AMI defendants allowed ninety
days in which to file bills Of excep- !
tions.
The report OF the grand jury is as
follows
To Hon. R F. Cochran, Judge:
The grand jury, fmpaneled at this,
the May term, 1908, beg to submit
this their report:
We have examined 40 witnesses |
and found bills. You viii notice
that the number OF witnesses exam |
ined is largely out of proportion to |
the number OF bills found as COM
pared probably with your former |
term of this court. The reason for
this discrepancy is, that we were able
to find but one character of crime
that impressed US as on the increase
and our idea WAS to stop it as far as
possible right now.
This crime was the selling in a
small way of whisky. principally BY
negroes. in very nearly every district
IN the county. Many witnesses sum-
moned knew nothing; many probably /
knew. but we could get nothing out
of them. Some days we worked hard
and accomplished but little. and
finally succeeded IN dnding 4 bills for
this violation of the law. Parties
who patronize this particular class of
law breakers as rule have little re-
gard for the truth, so you can see
/
people should congratulate them
selves on the present condition of the
county, with the exception of a little
whisky selling we are as free of crime
Of every character as any county in
this or any other state we believe.
This can be stopped. If the Mayor
will stir up his policemen, the JUS
tices of the Peace, their constables
and the people interest themselves
and assist these officers, we would
in very short time have very little
if any whisky sold in this county. ]
Grand iuries are not in session long
enough to effectually root them out.
Tax Collectors Onice.-It is inn :
possible to go through the mass of
ngures that confronts you here in the |
short time we had. Everything
though in this Office indicates system
and efficiency.
Chancery Clerks Office.-The vault
In this office for the care of our rec
ord books is too small; very nearly /
every shelf is now filed. We respect :
fully call the attention Of our Honor ]
able Board of Supervisors to this fact /,
and hope they will soon have the {
vault enlarged, that our valuable {
records may be properly cared for and /
preserved. II
The Jail.-We inspected the Jail /
and found the plumbing undergoing ]