The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1914-02-26
PROCEEDING OF COURT
or GENERAL SESSIONS.
JUDGE GARY MAKES NOTABLE
CHARGE--NUMBER OF CASES
DISPOSED OF.

Lie ISUl udl y ISltl VI IiS Sooi
of general sessions for Williamsburg
county convened here Monday morn
ing at 10 o'clock, with Judge Frank
B Gary of Abbeville, presiding. So
licitor Philip H Stoll, of this place,
and Court Stenographer L E Wood,
of Sumter, were promptly in their
respective places as were the other
attaches of the court, ready to assist
the Judge and attorneys in the
prompt dispatch of the courts busi-
ness. There was little delay in
empanelling the grand and petit
jurors, all of whom were present
and answered to their names as the
venires were read, except one of the
grand jurymen, who has moved out
of the county. A special venire of
six was drawn by the jury COM
missioners. from which Mr. W H
Carr was selected to complete the
panel.
In delivering his charge to the
grand jury, Judge Gary stated that
from the criminal records before
him he was strongly of the opinion
that there was something seriously
wrong with the county. What is
it," his Honor inquired. There are
seven murder cases on the docket,
he said, and he was constrained to
believe, that q large percentage of the
crime in Williamsburg county was
due to too much blind tiger liquor
and the carrying of pistols, offences
against the laws of the county that
have not been run down by your
county officers. Also to ignorance
may be attributed a percentage Of
the crimes committed in your coun-
ty and in the State, said the Judge,
and he pointed out that it was the
duty of grand jurymen to do their
utmost to overcome these disgrace
full drawbacks to the peace and dig
nifty of their county. In all ages
it had been found that the best rem
edy against crime was the prompt
and rigid punishment of the GRIM
inal, and that the best protection of
the innocent is brought about by
the punishment of the guilty; there
fore,it was the duty of these gentle
men to exercise stern diligence in
the performance of their duty as
officers of the county, if they would
keep its moral and physical condi-
ton up to a high standard of pro-
ficiency.
The old court room was crowded
with officers, attorneys and specta-
tors and during the Judges charge
to the grand jury perfect silence
reigned.
Solicitor Stoll handed over to the
foreman of the grand jury a num-
Der of cases for their consideration,
several of which involved murder.
These they were instructed to take
up first.
After the selection of jury the
case of the State against Larry and
Tom Poston, two young white men
of the Cades section, was taken up
for trial, with Leroy Lee and G E
St Armand, Esqs, representing the
defendants. The Poston boys were
charged with having sho: into the
house of a negro man near Cades,
and wounding unto death an old
and respected negro man, by name,
Billie Moore, about year ago.
This case was ably handled by the
defendants attorneys.
During the session of the court
the following cases were disposed of:
The State against Tom and Larry
Poston, white, charged with killing at
Cades of Billie Moore, an aged negro.
Tom Poston was found guilty of
manslaughter, and sentenced to two
years in the penitentiary. Appeal
taken. Larry Poston not guilty.