The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1909-01-14
COURT MEETS.
JANUARY TERM OF GENERAL
SESSION CoNVENES.
Judge Wilson'S Charge to the Grand

Judge Wilson'S Charge to the Grand
Jury and the Gases Tried Up to
Wednesday.
The Court of General Sessions
convened last Monday morning, with
Judge Wilson presiding. After the
routine business had been attended
to. which took until about eleven
O'Clock. the Judge delivered his
charge to the Grand Jury, which
had been organized by the election
of Mr.. w. C. Crum as foreman.
Judge Wilson said that it being the
first of the year and there being
twelve new members on the Grand
Jury it would be necessary for MIN
to make his charge longer than II
would necessarily be at other ses-
SlOnS OF the court.
First of all he called the attention
of the jury to the great Importance
of the duties of its members, say
ing that they had even greater pow
er than the presiding judge HIM
self, because it was for them to say
who should be brought before the
court for trial and should not. He
said that while the jury should be
careful that no innocent man was
inconvenience, it should be very
careful that no guilty man escaped.
To this end they should thoroughly
and impartially investigate all cas-
es brought to their attention by the
proper authorities for investigation.
After the Judge had fully and
lucidly explained to the members of
the jury how cases were brought to
their attention ordinarily. he told
them that they had the power to
make Investigations on their own
initiative and bring indictments
against law breakers without ad-
hereing to the ordinary or regular
form of law. This. the Judge said,
was one Of the duties of the Grand
Jury if it became necessary for them
to do it.
The oath usually taken by
Grand Jurors was then read to the
members of the jury and carefully
and fully explained by Judge VIII
SON. He called their attention to
the fact that all Investigations con-
Quoted by them should be kept Sc
cret, and that hll information
brought out before them should be
strictly guarded and divulged to no
one except the proper officers of the
court. 1t was very important to
the administration Of justice that
this be done.
The Judge said the investigation
of the different Offices of uhe. coun-
ty officials should be made regularly
and thoroughly. The State, he said,
was remarkably free from anything
like corruption among its officials,
and that he had called the attention
Of the Grand Jury to the matter, not
because he thought there was any
thing wrong in this county. for he
did not, but in order that the law
should be carried out and the diff
ferent offices examined in justice to
the officials who held them.
The indictments were then hand
ed the Grand Jury after being fully
explained by the judge, and the jury
retired. The hours of court was
fixed by the Judge is from half-past
nine o'clock in the morning to half
past one o'clock in the afternoon,
and from three o'clock in the after
noon until some convenient hour in
the evening.
Gases Tried. -
Ellis Foures, charged with larceny
from the person. The defendant
plead guilty and was sentenced to
serve four years at hard labor on
the public works of the county or in
the penitentiary.
Peter Samuels plead guilty to bur-
glary and larceny and was sentenc-
ed to six years in the penitentiary
at hard labor or on the public works
of the county.
Newton Muldrow was convicted
of forgery, and sentenced to the
penitentiary or the public works of
the county for five years at hard
labor and pay e1e of oCe dollar.
JEFF Paulling, charged with dis
posing Of property under lien, was
tried in his absence and convicted.
Jas. Fields, Solomon Hipps. Jeff
McMichael and Henry Lewis, charg-
ed with grand larceny, were put on
trial. Lewis plead guilty, Hipps was
acquitted and the other two were
convicted.
Annie Jones, violation of dispen-
sary, tried in her absence and found
guilty.
William Rivers, charged with as
sault and battery with intent to
kill; plead guilty of assault and bat
terry of high and aggravated ma
ture. Sentenced to eighteen months
imprisonment or pay fine of $500.