The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1909-05-08
COURT PROCEEDINGS
GENERAL SESSIONS is STILL DO.
ING BUSHELS.
A Very Busy Session. Negro
Man Sent Up for Life-Win Be
in Session Next Week.

Thursday morning the case of
Charlie Davis, for bastardy, was cal
led. The State put up the girl and
her parents as witnesses. The de-
Tense also, placed several witnesses
on the stand. The verdict was gull
ty, and Davis was sentenced to pay
fine of s25 a year for twelve years
in support of the child. DR.. L. K.
Sturkie represented the defendant.
Jacob Summers, colored, was next
tried for the murder of his wife,
Mary Summers, on February "a. DR..
J. r. Carter was the first witness.
He only gave his opinion and testi-
mony concerning the medical atten-
ton he rendered Mary Summers be-
fore her death. Eli Summers, the
father of the prisoner, and Eugene
Summers, his half-brother, testified
to exactly the same thing, which
showed conclusively that Summers
had killed his wife. In fact, he ad-
mitted that himself, but said he was
afraid of his wife, knowing she was
a woman who was certain to do what
she had promised, and she had prom
ised to kill him. No other reason
could be got from him for killing
her. His father and half-brother
was passing the house in two Wag-
ons, one ahead of the other, when
Mary suddenly ran out and scram-
blad into the wagon with the old
man, who she told to drive on and
not to stop, as Jake would Kill her.
Then her husband came running up
with an axe in his hand. He jump
ed into the wagon and struck Mary
on the head with the axe, knocking
her out on the ground. He then
jumped out and while she was ly-
ing on the ground he hit her again
on the head, as you would a hog.
Then he put up the axe, got his mule
and rode off to give himself into
custody, which he did. The defense
nut up a number Of witnesses IN
their effort to show that Jacob sum
mers was Of unsound mind and not
(gesponsyble for his actions. The
Njury did not leave their seats, Tor
the Solicitor and the attorneys Tor
the defense, Messrs. Wolfe and Ber-
~. agreed on a verdict of murder
with a recommendation to mercy.
That was all his lawyers tried to DO
for him anyway-to save his life.
He>was sentenced to the penitentiary
Of the balance of his natural llfe.
Wash Richardson had a sealed
verdict read to him of being guilty
of violating the dispensary law, and
sentenced to pay s125 or four months
on the public works. Wash hao
been tried in his absence, through no
fault of his. His attorney had ad-
xised him to go home, thinking the
court would not reach his case that
day, but the sudden termination OF
the Shuler case changed that.
Charlie lCreach plead guilty of
housebreaking and larceny, and was
sentenced to two years.
Patrick Whaley, colored, was in
dicted for assault and battery with
intent to kill one Ned Oliver, also
colored. This case was called
Wednesday, but was continued to
Thursday morning. This reporter
did not hear all of the evidence, but
from what he could gather, Whaley
was accused Of stealing up to the
house about dark where Oliver was
living and firing gun at him at
close range, binding him. The sup
position is that Oliver saw Wha]ey
as he was preparing to fire, but as
he can't see he can't identify him
now, and nobody else saw the shoot
ing. The jury returned a verdict
of not guilty. G. P. Brunson, Esq,
represented the defendant.
Anderson Footman plead guilty to
the charge of carbreaking and lar
ceny, and was sentenced to nine
months on the public works or in
the penitentiary.
William Summers was tried in his
absence for obtaining goods under
false pretenses, and the Judge wrote
out a sealed sentence for him.
Friday morning court convened at
the usual hour, but owing to the
absence of a witness was unable to
get to work until about 1O:30. Then
W. NJ. Carter and H. S. Spires were
put on the docket, charged with the
murder of J. A. Reed some time ago
in a dispute about the boundary Of
some land. Messrs. Wolfe & Berry
and T. NJ Raysor represented the de-
fense. There was considerable time
consumed in the selection of jury,
eleven jurors having been selected
from the entire list Then new
venire had to be drawn in order to
get the requisite number.
DR.. J. G. Williams was the first
witness for the State His testi-
mony consisted of his medical atten-
tion and dying statement made to
him and others by Mr.. J. A. Reed.
This showed that Mr.. Spires and Mr..
Carter became involved in a dispute
with Mr.. Reed about donating some
land for making a new road, and the
location of the boundary line was