The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1911-06-07
Court.

! Court.
! The June term cf court began here
| Monday. with Judge S. ". c. Shipp
! OF Florence. presiding, AID Solicitor
, Stoll and Stenographer Wood at theil
respective posts of duyy. This is Judge
! Ships first visit as Judge to Manning
(; and there haying been a general charge
given to the grand jury at q previou:
! term, he did not think it. necessary tc
charge them at any length He did
however. remind them Of their duties,
| aud he emphasized the fact that good
| roads should be maintained, and that
il was part OF the grand jurv's duty
to see that we have the highways iu
good condition: they should make an
inspection of the county officers. and
see that each officer did his duty.
Judge Shipp was especially pleased
to be in Manning and preside over the
court in such i well appointed court
house as is here. He said it reelected
upon the character and the progressive
ness OF the people. they have every
reason to feel proud of it.
The docket is quite light, on Monday
not d case was tried by jury. Jesse
aud Ezekiel Mckenzie each pleaded
guilty to assault and battery Of high
and aggravated nature. and were each
find s25 or 50 days. This small sentence
was given because of the fact that the
defendants had paid the doctors bill
for the prosecutor, and for his lost
time, and as they thought. settled the
case.
The bond of John Anderson for $500
in the case Of the State against John
Anderson and Josephine Simons, was
estreated and paid.
jeff Evans pleaded guilty to the
charge of assault and battery OF high
and aggravated nature and was SEN
fenced to 30 days or fine OF s23. The
case of special interest at this term IS
the State against NJ. Davis. the blind
man who is charged with the burning
of the several stores at Forestoo. He
was arraigned and the time fixed for
trial yesterday. He is being represent
ed by Davis & Weinberg.
The grand jury returned No Biz
in the cases against Willis Davis and
James Richardson, charged with stor-
ing liquor:
Ellison Tindal W ho was caught selling
LIQUOR in one of the store lots IN this
town pleaded guilty and was sentenced
to pay fine of or days on the
gang. Tindal had previously been pun
ished by the town authorities tor the
same offence.
Willie Bethune was brought into
court and sentenced to be hanged on
the l4th day of July for the murder OF
Mr.. G. B. Minis. This is the third time
the defendant Bethune has been SEN
fenced. The crime was committed on
the 21st day of February 1909, tried and
convicted before Judge Gage at the
June term Of that year. He was SEN
fenced to be hanged July 30th same
year. An appeal was taken and the YER
dict OF the court below sustained. The
prisoner was again tried TO have the
question OF his insanity passed upon by
Jury at the June term OF 1910. Inc
| Jury pronounced him sane, and Judge
Meminger sentenced him to be hanged
on the lst day of July of 1910, another
appeal was taken to the supreme court.
which court again sustained the lower
court, and Yesterday Bethune was again
sentenced to be hanged on the l4th day
of July next. The defendant was repre-
sented by Mr.. Manning OF Sumter bar,
but on account of illness he was forced
| to retire from the case, and his friends
requested Hon. J. II. Clifton to act for
Mr.. Manning. Mr.. Clifton was present
at the sentencing of Bethune yesterday
He did not intimate whether there
would be another move made for the
prisoner, nor DO we think there will be
as the highest court has had the case
before it twice, the only hope Bethune
can have is an appeal to the pardonlng
power for clemency.
The case OF the State against NJ.
Davis charged with arson, the burning
CT the stores at Foreston consumed
nearly the whole of yesterday. and was
well conducted on both sides. The pros.
ecution wove a net of circunstantlal
evidence around the defendant but Capt
Davis for the defence took the States
evidence as a basis for the defence,
and showed to the satisfaction OF the
Jury the fallacy of the prosecution.
The arguments on both sides were
strong, and Judge Ships charge was
clear, defining the law SO each and
every Juror could understand, neverthe-
less when the jury went into the room
they got hung up, and it was after II
O'Clock last night when they brought in
q verdict of ''Not Guilty"
Presentmento OF Grand Jury for the June
term of court 1911.
To His Honor S. W. G. Shipp presiding
judge.
We beg to report that We have con-
sidered and passed upon all bills OF in
dictment handed US by the Solicitor.
The committee appointed at the
Spring Term of court will be prepared
to report their findings at the Fall
Term of court.
1t mas been brought to our attention
that several bridges ia the county are
badly in need of repairs: and ~e urge
that they be repaired at once. 1t has
been brought to our attention that in
fanticide has been committed IN our
county, and we have appointed COM
mittee of TWO, (Messrs. J. D. Burgess
and J. w Harrine tom to investigate
and report their findings at once to the
Solicitor.
We thank his Honor for all courtesy
shown. All Of which is submitted.
r. D. COTHRAS,
Foreman.