Western Carolina Democrat and French Broad hustler. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1913-1915, 1913-11-13

". n. G. DISTRICT COURT.
Federal Court for Criminal Cases Con-
Eenes at AsheyilIe.

1SAOo ~ ASNCt1AAta
70 rthe trial of criminal cases the
United States District court convened
last week at Asheville with Judge
James E. Boyd presiding: Several
cases. wherein defendants were charg-
ed with violations of the whiskey laws
Of the government, were disposed OF.
and the grand jury yesterday after
noon returned true bills against many
defendants, it is said. The prosecu-
ton 0 fthe various cases on the docket
Is in the hands of District Attornep
A. E. Holton and Assistant District
Attorney Clyde r. Hoey. ]. Bowden
Smathers is foreman of the grand
Jury. which is composed Of the fol-
lowing other members: j. r. Monteita,
NJ r. Osteen, ]. L. Warrick, j. W.
Shope, William Duncan, Wiley S. Rob
erts, Wilt Penland, Robert L. holland,
G. II. Roberts, Neil Hall (colored1,
Thomas Wright, Joseph Medford, 2. p.
Merrill, R. L. Mears, William Hall,
Jesse Whitaker, Thomas C. Hanson
and I. E. Herren.
Following the selection of the
grand jury Judge Boyd delivered his
charge, covering the provisions of the
federal laws under which the defend
ants are tried in the District court. He
gave considerable time to the expIa-
nation ofthe internal revenue laws
and the purposes for which they were
passed. In this connection Judge
Boyd attributed the improved condi-
tern North Carolina upon the improy-
ed conditions existing in this section
of the state, referring t the fact that
when he was district attorney he or
ten found 1000 cases on the docket
here and often the court was in ses-
sion for months at the time. Judge
Boyd attributed the improved condi-
tions to the change in public sentf-
ment toward the internal revenue
laws.
Judge Boyd referred to the recent
ly enacted income tax law and ex-
planned that violations of the act will
come under the jurisdiction of the
United States court. He referred to
t-heenactment as one which provides
for the collection of a privilege tax.
The judge also dealt with the white
slave law" stating that it provides
for the punishment of those who en-.
gage in the traffic of women, of any
nationality for immoral purposes
He expressed the opinion that the
government cannot regulate escapades
in which there is no traffic for gain
although he remarked that this opin-
ion might not be held in higher courts
Other laws explained by the judge
were those pertaining to pure food
and drugs, short weights on goods
carried as interstate shipments, the
mixing of butter, the shipping oil
game between points within a state,
TIE regulation of equipment, in some
cases, of common carriers and the
maximum carriers of continuous SER
vices.
In closing his charge Judge Boyd
reminded the Jurors that their Office
is an important one and he warned
they that they should consider all
cases brought before them with ex-
treme care. He warned them not to
allow personal feelings to enter into
their deliberations, and insisted that
they put forth their best efforts look
ing to the enforcement of the laws of
the government.
OF the seven defendants who faced
trial yesterday, charged with illicit
distilling. three were adjudged guilty,
those against whom vervicts of guilty
were returned being Hampton Levi,
Ewart Levi and Alfred Capps. Those
a6judged not guilty weer Leander
Caps, Joe Holloway, Will Aiken AM
Clate Aiken. Sam Holloway pleaded
guilty to illicit distilling and was fined
500 and the costs.
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