Carthage courier. (Carthage, Tenn.) 1913-current, 1919-12-11
JAMES STANLEY,
FOUND GUILTY

The winter term of criminal court
held an unusually busy session last
week. There were a number Of misde-
meanor cases disposed of. The most
important case Of the term was the
suit against James Stanley charged
with the murder of his son-in-law,
Willard Bridges, who was killed on the
Chestnut Mound road, just above
Stonewall, last April. The jury found
Stanley guilty of murder in the second
degree, which carries an indeterninate
sentence of from ten to twenty years
IN the penitentiary. The case was hot
Wy contested, both sides being repre-
scented by able counsel. General j. r.
Mitchell was assisted in the prosecu-
ton by J. n. Fisher and l. A. Lyon
of Carthage and James McMurry of
Hartsville. The defendant was repre-
scented by Walter S. Faulkner of Leb-
anon and G. G. Gore of Livingston
There was a large number OF witness
es to testify and the trial consumed
three days. The evidence was all given
IN Saturday morning and the case
went to the jury Saturday afternoon
after the lawyers on both sides had
presented their forceful arguments.
The report Of the jury was received
by Judge Gardenhire Monday morn
ing. Attorneys for the defendant ask
for new trial and the motion will be
heard by Judge Gardenhire next Sat
urday.
Since the verdict of the jury the
question has been asked several times
what the indeterminate sentence of
from ten TO twenty years means. IN
der an Act passed by the legislature
a few years ago the indeterninate
sentence was created and it relieves
the jury of having to specify the num-
Der of years sentence is to be. Prior
to this a jury would often agree on
the charge of the crime but could not
agree on the term of sentence. and
this Act has been found to be Of great
assistance. to juries arriving at yer
diets One found guilty of a crime
carrying the sentence Of 10 to &c
years does not mean that the term Of
sentence may be completed at the end
of ten years, but means that at the
end of 10 years a prisoner, if his re-
cord as a prisoner is good and the
State Board of Pardon Commission
and the trial officers so agree, he
may be paroled at the end o. that
time and released from prison. How.
ever, under the parole, the prisoner
is subject to the prison authorities
for the remaining ten years and il
during the term of his parole he Il
found violating the law then h,
is placed back in prison and required
to serve the remaining ten years
Or, If the prisoner should develop Il
be bad prisoner or if for any othei
reason the authorities do not feel jus
titled to allow him paroled, then he
of course, would serve the full tern
of twenty years. This Act not onl,
assists the jury in reaching a verdict
but also gives the prisoner chanc
20 reform, or rather offers him an in
centive to reform:
The grand jury. after finding some
thing like 20 indictments, complete,
IT'S deliberations last Wednesday
Among the true-bills found there ar
a number of indictments under tn
law, passed by the legislature in 1918
making it felony for any one foun,
guilty Of transporting three gallon
or more of liquor from one point t
another. This crime does not only car
ny sentence of one year and one ds
in the penitnetisry, but also carrie
a fine of not less than $3.50 and no
more than $500, and in addition t
this, $50 is TO be paid to the office
VINO brings about the arrest and con
viction of any one on the aboV
charge. There were some indictment
found of parties violating the ''bone
dry" law for the second time. TIL
second offence Of this, crime is ais
felony and one found guilty is sub
iect to sentence in the penitentiar7
Undoubtedly the present grand jur
has been one of the most effective tina
has held forth in Smith County fo
many years and Attorney Genera
Mitchell is highly pleased with thei
most excellent services. The trial il
ries also saw to il that the law viols
tors were brought TO account, and th
good people of the county indeed haR
a right to be proud of the service
rendered by the juries and trial off
GERS during this term Of court.
~ Last Monday Judge Gardenhire cor
aavened a short session Of circuit coul
and a number of civil cases were dis
posed of.