Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1913-04-15
CIRCUIT COURT.

The spring term of the court of gen.
eral sessions convened yesterday
morning with Hon. F. B. Gary, pre-
siding, and Solicitor ]. K. Henry rep
resenting the state. The attendance
generally was limited to witnesses, ju-
rors and others having actual busi-
ness.
b. F. Childers, w. B. McGill, s. J..
Bell, R. c. Caveny and w. B. Ander-
son, chosen for service as petit jurors,
were excused by the court, and w. B.
Moore, Of the grand jury, was excused
from further service on that body at
the present term.
Because the grand jury had already
been pretty fully instructed as to its
general powers and duties, Judge
Gary did not deem 1t worth while to
go into the matter again in detail;
but at the same time he did desire the
grand jury to realize that it In large
measure was responsible for the civic
and social well-being of the county
during the term of its service.
The fact that there were nineteen
persons In jail awaiting trial on vari-
Gus charges, his honor said, showed
that there was something radically
wrong with the orderly conduct of the
county's population, and he was in
clined to believe that one Of the most
obvious reasons Of this situation was
the indiscriminate sale of blind tiger
liquor. Take a man filed with stuff
hardly deserving Of the name of whis-
ky, and he is at all times ready to get
out his blue steel revolver and COM
NIT any crime that can be thought of,
and II the grand jury desires to ac-
complish something to reduce crime,
1t can do no better than devote itself
to the elimination Of the illegal liquor
traffic. His honor was Of the opinion
also that ignorance Is the cause of
much Of the lawlessness from which
the country suffers, not only in York
county, but in the state at large, and
1t Is up not only to the grand jury but
to all others who have the welfare
Of their fellow men at heart to exert
every influence to advance the cause of
education. % ''
After the retirement Of the grand
jury, Harrison Alsbrook, q negro boy
of about thirteen, plead guilty to the
charge Of grand larceny and was sem
fenced to eighteen months In the state
reformatory. H"'- - a
John Cureton plead guilty to the
charge of larceny from the house In
the night time, and was sentenced to
five years in the penitentiary or on the
chaingang.
William Jones, charged with car
breaking and larceny, was the next Of
fender brought before the court. The
clerk read the indictment charging the
negro with breaking into a Southern
railway car, taking therefrom some
sugar, flour, lard, bacon and other
goods; but before the long catalogue
~ orffoIao ruoo nnr,o p1atad fha dofand-
ant broke out with: Boss, ] pleads
guilty to taking some of dem things;
but dat's too much. I was hungry and
jest took little -four and lard" The
negro went on to claim that he was
unable to work, because Of fits and
this accounted for his petty thieving.
The defendant denied breaking into
the car, insisting that he found the
door open, but failed to convince the
solicitor, who decided to put the mat
ter up to jury.
The next case was that of Ed Finley
and Major Gray, charged with assault
and battery with intent to kill, the al
legged assault having been made upon
Ross Kirk, the emigration agent"
The negro, Ed Finley, told practically
the same story in the court room yes
terday that he told at the time Of his
dIIcoL ScNcIdl Wccho d6O, do pilutcu III
The Enquirer. It became clear yester-
day that the negro, Finley, had no part
in assaulting the agent and the charge
against both parties was changed to
one of robbery. a.-E urE na
Guilty as to Major Gray and not
guilty as to Ed Finley, was the verdict
of the jury Gray was sentenced to
eight years in the penitentiary. The
agent, Ross Kirk, was remanded to
jail to await trial at a later date.
The first case taken up this morn
ing was that of Will Jones, the negro
charged with car breaking and rob-
berry. While Detective Coley was tes-
tifying for the state, the defendant fell
to the floor in fit, cursing and groan-
ing, and four strong men were required
to hold him in his frenzy. AS soon as
he realized the negro's condition,
think Of sentencing a prisoner under
such circumstances, and after ordering
mistrial, instructed the sheriff to re-
move the defendant and give him all
proper attention.
L. E. Bolin, white and Lonnie Hall,
colored, plead guilty to the charge OF
riot, and were each sentenced to pay
fine of $35 or go to the chaingang
for a period Of thirty days.
John Moesteller and Tom Ledbet-
ter plead guilty to the charge Of trans
porting and selling liquor, and are to
be sentenced later.
The cases against Tom Moss, charg-
ed with disposing Of property under
lien, and Robert McInnis, charged
with assault and battery with intent
to kill, were continued.
The next case taken up was that of
the state against Oscar Jennings,
charged with larceny.
charged with larceny. The jury re-
turned a verdict of not guilty.
Son Gregory, alias Will Gregory,
was convicted Of arson and recon-
mended to the mercy of the court.
The grand jury will probably be dis
charged this afternoon. .....