The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1920-03-10
CRIMINAL COURT
NOW IN SESSION
Fifty Two Cases on the
Calendar
JUDGE II. S. SEASE
PRESIDING JUDGE
Court Calendar Shows Fifty-Tw0 Gas.
es to be Disposed Of. Steady Pro.
gress Made During First Two Days


OF Work. BIay Last Rest of Week.
The March term of the county Grim
inal court convened Monday morning
with Judge Il. s. Scase presiding. The
first work of the court was the organ
ization of the grand jury, Mr. I. Il.
Babb being appointed foreman. At
ter an able charge by the presiling
Judge as to their duties. the Jury re-
tired to it's room and by yesterday af-
tcrnoon had completed its work for
this session, passing upon forty-two
cases handed to 1t by tho solicitor.
With the cases brought over from last
year, a total number OF fifty-two cas-
cs was left on the calendar.
In his charge to the grand jury,
Judge Sease dwelt at length upon the
duties Of the jury IN regard to cases
where negroes were involved. Point
Ing out that q great majority Of the
cases was OF this kind, he said that it
was the duty Of the jury 10 give a
fair and unbiased consideration of
their cases and deal out impartial
justice to them. White supremacy, he
said, would only be maintained so
long as the white lace showed it's su-
premacy by it's ability to deal Justly
and fairly with the weaker race Turn
ing to the broader aspect of the race
question. he said that the Fourtcent,
and Fifteenth amendments to the Fed
cral constitution stood as constant
menace to the welfare Of both races
as political equality would lead to So
cial equality, something that the white
people of the south would ~ tDler-
ate. As e solution OF this vcxing
question, he advocated -, trea.l0n Of
q national commission to study all
sides Of the question. Before leaving
the race question, he turned again to
the qucs ton Of the rights Of the
negroes in the courts and stressed
the duty and necessity Of giving them
fair and impartial trials.
The presiding judge, in dealing uut
sentences yesterday afternoon, took
occasion to point out that the high
cost Of living was being ls.ken note Of
in the courts as we'll as o,lr. Saying
that q dollar now was not worth more
than thirtythree cents four years
ago, he said that $3O0 fine now is
not any more than 500 fine was
then when copper for still could be
bought for ten cents a pound. Fines
are going up" he said, and priced
them accordingly.
The court proceedings have been
conducted with dispatch and CON
siderable amount OF work has been
disposed Of The Burdette case, which
was to have been tried at this ses-
sion, has been postponed on account
OF the illness of Col. A. II. Dean, OF
Grecnville, one OF counsel in the case.
The following cases were tried:
The State vs. Roy Wilson, for as
sault and battery with intent to kill.
Guilty Of simple assault with recon-
mcndation to the mercy OF the court.
MOI yet sentenced.
The State VS.. John Boschell Simp-
son, assault and battery and carrying
concealed weapons; guilty of simple
assault and recommended to the
mercy OF the court Sentence $50 or
80 days.
State VS.. Salle Ferguson, murder,
where a woman killed man near
Clinton; not guilty. She plead self
defense and testified that William
Rice, the deceased, advanced on her
in her own home with stick In one
hand and knife in the other, when
she shot him in the kitchen door.
State VS.. Willie B. Anderson, seduc-
ton; guilty, tried in his absence;
sealed verdict.
State vs.. Allen Bowen, violation of
the prohibition law; guilty; tried in
his absence; sealed sentence.
State VS.. Allen Cunningham, viola
tion OF the prohibition law; guilty,
six months or 5000.
The following plead guilty:
John Cooper, house-breaking and
larceny, two cases, one year fiat.
Gena Latimer, assault and battery;
months or 800.
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