The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1916-03-02
SPRING TERM COURT
GENERAL SESSIONS
DISPATCHES A LARGE AMOUNT
OF BUSINESS HERE THIS WEEK
THE CASES IN DETAIL,

OF BUSINESS HERE THIS WEEK
THE CASES IN DETAIL.
The spring term of the court of
general sessions convened Monday
morning at 10 o'clock, with Judge }
w DeVore of Edgefeld presiding.
Promptly at $50 all court officials
were at their post of duty and ready
for the dispatch of business.
The new grand jury was empan-
eled and elected as their foreman,
Hon w D Bryan of Bryan.
In charging the grand jury, Judge
DeVore very clearly emphasized the
Importance of the oath taken by the
foreman and each member of the
body. This oath was the very foun-
dation of the courts work, he said.
1t bound each member to strict
secrecy as to their deliberations and
discussions of the courts business in
the jury room. The oath enjoined
secrecy for the purpose of making
them fearless in the performance of
their duty. They were the guar
dians of the people, Judge DeVore
told them. and they should not be
afraid, or hesitate in reporting to
the court any and all violations of
the criminal law. They were sup
posed to look after the welfare of
the county, calling their body to-
gether at any time for the investi-
CATION of anything that may require
their attention. They should ap-
point committees who should ac-
quaint themselves with the laws
pertaining to the several officers of the
county, and they should see that the
law was carried out. 1t was their
duty to look after the roads and
public schools of the county, as he
had found in many instances that
schools were apparently run for the
benefit of the teachers instead OF
the children, and that the people
were not paying taxes simply for
the accommodation of few teach
ers, but for the education of their
children and that it was the duty OF
the grand jury to visit every public
school in the county. to see that
they are properly conducted and
taught by competent teachers-also
to see that school trustees do their
duty.
Judge DeVore made it plain to
the jurors that the duty of passing
upon bills handed to them from time
to time by the Solicitor was mere
matter of form and a minor part of
their duty. but that their duty was
continuous, so during their term as
grand jurors they should be on the
alert at all times in the interest of
the county and their fellow-citizens.
At the conclusion of the Judges
charge, Solicitor Stoll gave the grand
jury II bills of indictment to consid-
er, and of this number IS true bills
we're reported.
MONDAYS SESSION.
The first case disposed of on the
oneninp day WAS that of Adam Coop
er, a young negro charged with
and larceny. 1t was
shown that the defendant had broken
into the seed house of Messrs Cooper
Bros and stolen therefrom a quanti-
ty of cotton seed. A jury found him
guilty and the sentence of the court
was two years in the penitentiary or
a like period on the public roads of
Williamsburg county. Cooper was
not represented by counsel.
Meyers Plowden, Fletcher Welch
and Waitus Matthews each plead
guilty to the charge Of housebreak-
ing and larceny and each received a
sentence of 18 months on the chain
gang.
Jas Dunmore plead guilty to two
charges, housebreaking and larceny,
and was sentenced to years at hard
labor on each charge.
Snow Graham, a one-eyed darky
with little bunch of chin whiskers,
plead guilty to an Indictment charg-
ing him with obtaining goods under
false pretenses and was given his
choice between three months on the
chaingang or the payment of a $50
fine.
Jas Hiram, an old negro from the
Indiantown section, was tried for vi
olating the dispensary law and &C.
quilted. Represented by Leroy Lee.
Esq.
Ebert Thomas plead guilty to the
charge of grand larceny. stealing a
bale of cotton, and the court fixed
his punishment at Is months on the