The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1916-03-08
COURT NEWS
Of PAST WEEK
MUCH BUSINESS TRANSACTED
COURT ADJOURNED
THURSDAY.

When we went TO press Oh laSI
Tuesday night, the Court was consid-
ering the case of State VS.. Marshall
Burton, charged with assault and
battery with intent to kill. The case
was continued Wednesday morning.
The jury found the defendant guilty
of simple assault and battery. He
was defended by J. Moore Mars, Esq.
In the case of State VS.. George
Morgan, Arthur Wright, Tom Fra
zier, Dave Nelson and Dave Little,
charged with breaking into the store
of Mr.. Gable. near Antreville, Tom
Frazier and Dave Nelson were found
mot guilty." George Morgan plead
guilty, and Arthur Wright was found
guilty of compound larceny. A new
trial was granted Arthur Wright.
The case will be tried at the next
term of court. The defendants
were represented by Messrs Graydon
& Graydon, J. Howard Moore, j.
Frank Clinkscales and Sam Adams.
Paris Dowtin was found guilty of
Incest, with recommendation to
mercy, by the jury of which S. w.
Brown was the foreman. He was
sentenced to five years in the peni-
tentiary.
Waldo Mcbride, who was found
guilty of failing to support his wife
and children, was sentenced to pay
a fine of $500.00 or serve two years
on the County chaingang. The SEN
tence was suspended on condition
that he pay twelve dollars per month
for the support of his wife and child
ren.
Considerable interest was mani
Tested in the case Of the State VS..
Lucius Wideman, Hack Watkins,
David Davis, Jodie Mattison, Sam
Mitchell, Jesse Arthur, Will Nicks,
Sam Epps, Prue White and Taylor
Arnold, charged with assault and
battery with intent to kill. These
negroes were accused of whipping
negro by the name of Corliss Cook,
near Honea Path, S. c., some time
ago. The testimony shows that
Cook had made himself Objectionable
TO the other negroes in the communi-
ty. After consulting with some of
their white friends, Cook was taken
ort and given about fifty lashes with
q buggy whip. The defendant was
represented ny A. H. Dagnall of An
derson, S. c., and William P. Greene,
Of Abbeville, S.
Hack Watkins, Will Nicks and Sam
Epps were found guilty of assault
and battery of high and aggravated
nature. and the other defendants
not guilty. The two former were
sentenced to pay a fine of $500 and
the latter a fine of $4,000, or serve
a term of six months on the County
chaingang.
Thursday morning the Court called
the case of State VS.. w. P. Beard,
charged with malicious SANDER. A
motion was made by his counsel,
Messrs, Blease, Clinkscales and
Adams to quash the indictment on
several grounds. The case was ar
gued at considerable length. The
motion was refused except as to one
count in which certain formal parts
had been left out in drawing the in
dictment. The Solicitor was allowed
to amend same by inserting these
necessary allegations. The Court
being of the opinion that the case
would take a considerable length of
time for its trial, and other cases be-
ing more pressing on account of the
fact that the defendants were in
jail, the case was ordered continued
by the court until next term.
Jake Fair was tried for murder on
Thursday afternoon, it being charged
that he killed a negro near Willing
ton some time ago. He was repre-
sented by Messrs. Graydon & Gray
don, and was found guilty of man
slaughter. He was sentenced to five
years on the County chaingang or a
like term in the penitentiary.
The State failed to make out a
case against Calvin Richardson
charged with murder, it appearing
that the homicide was accidental and
the Court ordered a verdict of not
guilty. A pistol being handled by
Richardson discharged, the ball strik-
ing negro woman and killing her.
This happened in the upper part of
the County, in the Antreville section.
The last case tried was that of the
State vs.. Armistead Harris, charged
with assault and battery with intent
to kill. He was represented by ].
Frank Clinkscales and was found
guilty of assault and battery of a
high and aggravated nature. He
was fined $4,000 or one year on the
County chaingang.
John Wideman was sentenced to a
term of five years on the chain gang.
He appealed to the Supreme Court.
At the conclusion of the jury cases
the Court heard the appeal on the
part of Tom Pettigrew from the SEN
tence of the Municipal Court, where
he was convicted of transporting IL
quor. The judgment was reversed.
In the case of the State VS.. Brown,
involving the constitutionality of the
Compulsory Education Law, the
Court sustained the judgment of the
magistrate, finding the defendant
guilty. The case will be appealed
to the Supreme Court.
A number of matters were submit
ted to Judge Wilson and he signed
numerous orders and DEGREES and
finally adjourned court late Thursday