The Dillon herald. [volume] (Dillon, S.C.) 1894-????, 1921-09-15
OF GENERAL SESSIONS.

Court of General Sessions conven-
Ell Monday with Judge Jas. E. Pueri-
foy of Walterboro presiding. The
docket was heavy and court remained
In session two full days. Following
are the cases tried at this term:
Solomon Brown, assault and bat
terry Of high and aggravated nature.
Guilty OF simple assault and battery.
Sentence 500 or 80 days.
| Lonnte Bethea. housebreaking and
larceny. Sentence years with two
years suspended.
Sandy Clark, Dan Johnson and
Needy Nichols. violation of the dis
pensary law. Needy Nichols plead
guilty to manufacturing and was SEN
fenced to one year.
Nathaniel Crawford and Sam Toney
housebreaking and larceny. Sentenced
to one year, months suspended on
good behavior.
Bruce Campbell, housebreaking and
larceny. Two years, with 6 months
suspended.
Fulton Surles and Walker Smalls.
housebreaking and larceny. Surles
got years with 2 years suspended.
Smalls got two years on condition
once a month. attend school regular
ly and make his grade.
Geo. Sealey, violation of prohibi-
tion law. Plead guilty. Sealed SEN
sentence returned
Clyde Tart, assault and battery and
carrying concealed weapons. Not gull
ty.
c. G. Stanton, forgery. Plead guilty.
pended.
Charlie Williams. assault with in
tent to ravish. Plead guilty and got
ten years.
Lou Blake Luther Brooks, Hamie
Davis, Mack Maple. Prince Allen, Jno.
Crosland, Booker T. Ellerbe Howard
crawford, Daniel McBare, Ben McFar-
land, housebreaking and larceny. Re-
manded TO magistrate.
Henry Coleman, Rufus Coleman.
Daniel Coleman, larceny. Henry plead
guilty and the case against Rufus
ana Daniel was continued.
Officers Found Guilty.
A case that attracted a great deal
Oh attention at this term was that OF
the State against Rural Policeman F.
l.. Sitton, Chief of Police l.. F. Britt
and Special Officer Stanley Hamilton.
All of Tuesday morning was consum-
ed with the taking of testimony.
The case grew out of charges pre-
ferred by Mr.. Miller, a young drug
clerk OF Wallace, N. c. In his testi-
mony Mr.. Miller alleged that he was
on his way to Latta to see his wife
and child who were visiting at the
home of Postmaster Ed. Bethea, his
wife being niece of Mr.. Bethea. He
arrived in Dillon about 8 O'Clock in
the morning and hired Will Stack
house, negro transfer driver to take
him to Latta. They left for Latta
about 4 o'clock. Near the cemetery
an automobile passed them and stop
ped. In the automobile were Messrs
iSitton, Britt and Hamilton. Mr.. Mil
Ter claimed that the officers searched
the car for whiskey, forced him to
alight and when they failed to find
whiskey they began to abuse him.
While the car was being searched he
walked back to the officers car and
talked with Policeman Britt, telling
him he was Mason. He said Officer
Britt told him not to be alarmed. that
no one was going to hurt him, as the
car in which he was riding had been
under suspicion for some time and
they were looking for liquor. After
making the search, Miller claims that
he was told to get back in the car
and proceed on his way to Latta. A
mile or so down the road they came
upon the officers again. They stopped
the car and Mr.. Sitton asked him If
ne could prove that he was a Mason.
He said he could not answer in the
presence OF the other officers If they
were not Masons. He said that he
walked off with Mr.. Sitton, but he
could not remember the Masonic pass
word and that Mr.. Sitton then began
TO curse and abuse him and finally
made him put up $25 for his appear
ahce before the proper officer to
prove that he was not suspicious
character. This he did and proceeded
on his way to Latta. The next morn
ing Mr.. Miller, in company with sew
erai Latta friends. came to Dillon and
went before Sheriff Bethea to estab-
hsh his identity. This he did to the
satlsfaction Of the officers and the
bond was returned At this investiga-
ton Mr.. Miller claimed that Officers
Sitton and Hamilton had cursed and
abused him. but the negroes who
drove the car testified that the Off
GERS did not curse and abuse Mr.. Mil
Ter. There were some hot words pass
ed at the investigation. but after the
matter had been adjusted Mr.. Sitton
told Miller that IL he had done any
thing, in what he conceived to be the
discharge Of his duty, to give him Of
rense that he was sorry for it. Miller
returned to Latta'and swore out a
warrant against the three Officers.
charging then, with oso,,It ,oo - -