The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1909-10-05
TRIAL OF BLACK
SUDDENLY ENDED
MISTRIAL ORDERED IN SECOND
DISPENSARY CASE.
Jury Was Observation-Disclosures
Found It's Way into Hotel Room
Occupied By Jurors.
News and Courier.

Occupied By Jurors.
News and Courier.
Columbia, Oct. l.-Because a copy
Of the local morning newspaper found
It's way into IT," room Of the Jury
and Was read By the jurors, and also
because of conversation between one
OF the jurors and his employee last
night, the Black case has resulted in
a mistrial. This unexpected culmi.
nation Of the sensational "graft"
case came in the Court Of Sessions
this morning, after Judge Memming-
er had examined every member Of the
jury as to the newspaper incident an1
as to the conversation that Juror J.
D. Perry had last evening from the
window Of his room at the local no
tel, where the jury had been confined
since the opening Of the trial.
How the paper of September 30
came into the room was established
by the statement Of one Of the jurors
that newsboy passing early yester-
day morning had thrown the paper
up into one Of the rooms where the
jurors were kept. But who paid for
the paper could not be ascertained by
Judge Memminger.
In dismissing the jury Judge Mem
minger stated that he did so because
a serious indiscretion had been COM
mitted, but an examination into the
matter had not led him to believe that
there was any corruption. The posi-
tion taken by Judge Memminger was
that if verdict Of guilty should have
been rendered, under the circum-
stances. a new trial could be secured.
On the other hand, if there should be
a verdict Of not guilty the State
would have no redress.
How Cat Got Out of the Bag.
Il was only because Of the arrest
Of c. NJ. Dorm, Perry's employee, and
young Abney Keith last night that
the whole affair was brought to light.
When Judge Memminger called in
the deputy and the young men under
arrest and questioned them there was
no intimation that the presence Of
the newspaper in the room would play
any part in the matter in hand. In
fact. the first statement as to the
newspaper came from one Of the jul
Tors. and then the new incident took
the lead with the conversation in the
background.
j When Judge Memminger came into
the Court room, having been officially
informed Of the arrests made last
night, he called to the witness stand
Deputy Sheriff Frank Grimsley, who
told what he knew of the CONVERSE
ton between Perry and Dorm.
II saw two men about 9:3O o'clock
last night standing under the window
Of the hotel room. One Of the men
had his hands up to his mouth. I had
just got there and couldn't under
stand what he was saying. One of the
men was talking back to him from
the window. I didn't see any other
jurors"
Mr.. Grimsley said Dorm was doing
the talking and that he never heard
Young Keith say a word.
; Dorm Tells Of Conversation.
Dorm was called to the stand and
told what passed between himself and
Juror Perry. "We passed few
words regarding business, said Dorm.
He asked me how I Was fixed on
meat. I told him had had TWO
beeves killed. He told me then to
deposit all money had and take de-
poSit slip and keep it. y
Dorm said he didn't think il was
any harm to talk to the juror. He
has been in Columbia only a short
time and was from Sumter county.
He said that nobody had talked to
him about the jury. He told Of
meeting the elevator boy. young
Keith. and of walking down the street,
and in passing the hotel Perry waved
at him. he said. Then followed the
conversation.
He outlined the nature Of the con-
versation and held out that it was
solely upon business connected with
the meat market that Perry runs.
Perry Questioned
j. D. Perry, member Of the jury,