The Starkville news. (Starkville, Miss.) 1902-1960, 1909-05-07
CIRCUIT CouRT.

Circuit Court convened Monday with
Hon. j. III. Mitchell. Judge presiding,
and Hon. G. II. Strange, district attor-
ney, together with the other officers.
Judge Mitchell. delivered an, able and
forceful charge aud created quite a fav-
orable impression. He IS young man
and seems cautious, yet firm
Mr.. Strange. Is a young man and like
the Judge has a record to make as a
prosecuting attorney. ''
As a whole, we believe that we have
about the best grand and petit juries
that the Comfy has had for many years.
We don't mean to say that thew have
attained to that degree OF perfection,
for perfection has never been attained
by man upon this earth, but composed
of men of varied experiences of every
path of life.
The grand jury returned into court
Tuesday morning q true bill of murder
against Messrs. Dixie and Al Edwards
for the killing of DR.. A. f. Richardson
at Sturgis last December,
Besides the States attorney. he is
assisted by able attorneys of the local
bar, Messrs. Carroll & Magruder and
Bell a Daniels and the defendants rep
resented also by Genl. Wiley N. Nash
of the local bar and Messrs. Daniels &
Adams of the AckermaE bar. All are
able lawyers and nothing will be left
undone for the interest of either side.
This Is one of the most Interesting and
important cases that has ever come be-
fore court in Oktibbeha couaty. All
parties to the unfortunate circum sta Ices
are prominent families and sympathy
goes out from the people for them.
Up to this writing the case has pro-
gressed to the stage of motion made
by attorneys for the defendants, that
they cannot with safety go to trial on
account of absent witnesses, who are
material in their behalf. Should the
State admit the. statement of facts set
up in the showing, we see no reason for
continuance.
On the other hand the prosecution
might go to the extent to admit that the
absent witnesses would swear to the
facts set up and discredit the witnesses.
We, personally, from our little. obserya-
tion, are of the opinion that the court
will proceed to trial with the case.
There is such a thing as being too fast
and too slow and this is one o. the cases
to be disposed of
We distinctly wish it to be understood
OHdb VIC Dbl e III VI UuC io "
its course without respect to persons.
The Judge in several cases where the
defendants plead guilty to carrying
weapons, being the first offense, was
Intent as considered by him, a fine of
one hundred dollars and thirty days
confinement in the county bastile were
imposed. This ought to break up the
pernicious habit and il the court were a
little hard in some cases 1t were better
than to have been too lax.
We understand that the grand jury is
doing the best work that can be done,
that is indicting everv Illicit vender of
''lcker." This Illicit sale is the source
of ninety per cent of all crime. Stop IL
and murder, purjury and all other crime
will cease. There is plenty of work for
the grand jury along these lines, it is
said in general way. If they be prom
inent and common tne. grand jury should
have no trouble in ferreting them out
Too many misdemeanors, it is said, are
overlooked. 1t is a mistake, in our op-
inion, to refer them back to the respect
i've Justices of the Peace. There is too
much disregard for the dignity of the
law. The country needs education in
law.