The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1910-03-16
CRIMINAL COURT
CONVENED MONDAY
Number of Cases HaveBeen
Disposed of Already.
MILAN Is CONVICTED
Shot w. nj. Irby and Found Guilty of
Assault and Battery With In
tend to Kill.


with Judge Charles G. Dantzler Of
Orangeburg on the bench. The other
officers of the court, Solicitor Cooper,
Stenographer Aull, Clerk Bolt Sheriff
Owings and Court Crier Barksdale,
were at their respective posts and witt
but little delay, incident to drawing
extra jury venires, the court was or
ganized for business
Seventeen members of the grand
jury answered to their names, Mr. j.
e. Adair being unable to attend on ac-
count of illness Mr.. Alex Bramlett
of the city was drawn to serve in his
stead. Seven petit jurors drawn for
this term were absent or excused for
various reasons, whereupon the court
directed that fourteen extra jurors be
drawn.
Mr.. Collier Curry of Dials township,
one of the six holdover members, was
appointed by the court as foreman of
the grand jury and the clerk was di-
rected to swear in the members of this
body.
In his charge, Judge Dantzler briefly
and concisely outlined the duty devolv-
ing upon the grand jury as body and
the prerogative of each member in or
out of court during his term. The
functions of the body are not inquisi-
torial, but due processes should be eX-
hausted in order to properly pass on
all matters presented, and in their re-
Spective communities each member
may sometimes find duty to perform,
suggested the Judge.
Conviction In First Case.
The first case taken up Monday
was that of the state VS.. j. NJ. Winn,
charged with violation of the dispen-
sary law. Two separate counts were
submitted to the jury-selling and
storing and keeping in possession for
unlawful purposes-and the jury rend-
cred verdict of guilty on the former.
Winn's attorneys, Messrs Cannon &
Blackwell gave notice of a motion for
new trial
Arthur Hill, colored, pleaded guilty
to violation of the dispensary law, and
was sentenced to pay fine of 500 or
to serve thirty days
Duck Byrd, colored pleaded guilty
to charge OF house breaking and
larceny, and was sentenced to serve
one year.
Abe O'Shields, a young white man
t,tO
charge Of assault and battery with in
tent to kill. O'Shields was working at
the Laurens cotton mill at the time
of the alleged assault in July Of last
year, and 1t appears that his wife and
the little daughter of N. r.. Curry, an
other employee Of the mill, had some
unpleasantneSs about something the
little girl was charged with having
said about Mrs. 0'Shields. This led
to fight between Curry and O'Shieds,
in which both were seriously cut
The jury in this case returned a
sealed verdict Monday night which
was opened upon the converting of
court Tuesday morning. O'Shields was
acquitted.
Jake Burnsides and John Lindsay
both colored, pleaded guilty to house
breaking and larceny and received a
sentence each of one year on the chain
gang.
PARROT Milan Case.
The first important case for this
term was next taken up, that Of the
state against Parrott, Milan, charged
with assault and battery with intent
to kill, the shooting last fall of William
M. Irby who has not yet completely
recovered from the wound.
The defendant, the 19-year old son
of James l.. Milan Of the Holly Grove
section of the county, was represented
by Richey &c Richey, Solicitor Cooper
conducting the prosecution Mr.. irby
came in early and was Joined by most
Of the members of his family. Mr.. and
Mrs Milan, with other relatives,
also occupied seats within the railing.
When the case was called the court
room was crowded with interested
spectators and they remained until the
close Of the trial
The taking of testimony was com