The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1922-03-15

Monday and Tuesday. u. A. Strange,
Indicted for Statutory Rape, Found
Guilty.
The March term Of the Court Of Gen
eral Sessions, presided over by Judge
John S. Wilson, Of Manning, convened
in Laures Monday morning facing the
heaviest docket in the history Of the
county. More than forty cases that
were docketed for trial at this court
were carried over from the court held
last year and to these were added ap-
proximately fifty new cases after true
bills were returned by the grand jury.
The case against Luther Timmons
and Monroe Willard, who are charged
with murder in connection with the
death Of Hosea Martin, Laurens police
was definitely set for trial Thursday,
according to an agreement reached by
attorneys Monday morning. This is
the most important case to be tried at
the present term Of court and indica-
tions are that it will be one Of the
hardest fought legal battles in the
history Of the county. Willard and
Timmons will be represented by G. G.
Featherstone of Greenwood and w. B.
Knight Of Laurens. Solicitor II. s.
Blackwell will be assisted in the prose
cution by J. Robert Martin Of Green
VILE.
Before the grand jury was sworn
in, the court room was filled with as
many witnesses and spectators as
could gain entrance, many Of the lat
Ter thinking the Timmons and Willard
case would be tried first.
To relieve the heavy docket and to
dispose Of as many cases as Is posi-
BILE, the court machinery was set in
motion soon after the grand jury was
assembled, making possible what is
said to have been record time for
court preliminaries.
" The grand jury after being sworn in
was given brief, but very clear ana
explicit charge by Judge Wilson. In
his charge to the grand jury. Judge
Wilson impressed the jurors with the
importance of their position and in
structed them as to their many duties
with relation to the general welfare
OF their county.
Twenty true bills were returned by
the grand jury the first day. Cleveland
knight, well known farmer and land
owner OF the Princeton section was
indicted for violation OF the prohibi-
tion law.
The first deadlock to be reached by
a jury in the present court was that
Of the jury which sat in the trial of
John X. Hipp Of Clinton, the first case
tried Monday. IIipp, s. transfer driver,
was charged with violation Of the pro
hibition law and the case went to the
jury shortly after IL o'clock. AT 6
o'clock Judge Wilson ordered the jury
out to learn whether they could reach
verdict. They were finally dismissed
at seven o'clock when it was found
that agreement was impossible. AT
the first ballot, it ds said, seven Of the
Jurors were for acquittal and five were
for verdict OF guilty. The last bal
lot was said to have resulted in ninc
for guilty and three for acquittal.
o. IL. Lunford was found guilty Of
violation OF the prohibition law. He
was tried in his absence
w. s. Chastine was found guilty of
disposing OF property under lien. He
was tried in his absence.
Solomon Nelson was found guilty
OF violation OF the prohibition law.
The State in his case introduced ten-
gallon still as evidence. Nelson was
tried In his absence.
P. A. Strange, after a hard fought
legal contest, was found guilty OF
statutory rape with a recommendation
to mercy. Strange, who Is 46 years
old, was alleged to have seduced a
fourteen year old girl of Goldville.
Roland Bates and Sam Lee ovens
negroes, plead guilty to charge OF
house breaking and larceny.
Norman Pierson and Stokes Mere
Z dtth, negroes, against whom were sep
arate indictments forylolation OF the
! saprohibition law, each plead guilty.
John HILL, negro, charged with abb
duction, plead guilty.
The court had passed no sentences
when The Advertiser went to press