Thursday, July 27, 2023

In Superior Court, Judge James L. Webb, Presiding, July 27, 1923

Criminal Docket Is Disposed Of. . . Several to Henderson County Roads. . . Trial of Civil Cases Started Thursday Morning. . . McNeely Gets Eight Months

The criminal docket was finished in Superior Court Wednesday afternoon and the trial of civil cases was started Thursday morning. Quite a number of cases were disposed of and in most cases sentences were imposed by Judge James L. Webb, presiding.

Cleveland County men sentenced to serve on the chain gang are sent to Henderson County through arrangements made with that county. Only a few defendants were sentenced to this county, however, a number being sentenced to the Cleveland County jail with privilege granted to the county commissioners to hire them out. There are yet several defendants to be sentenced.

John McNeely, Grover negro, who submitted to a charge of manslaughter, was given a sentence of eight months in the county jail, commissioners being granted privilege of hiring him out. Evidence tended to show that McNeely had a great deal of provocation to kill the negro with whose murder he was charged, and there was some evidence tending to show that the murder might have been in self defense.

A number of defendants, who had been required at previous terms of court to appear and show good behavior, were called and satisfied the court that their behavior has been satisfactory. Several cases were continued for one reason and another until the October term.

Criminal cases called for trial and the results of each case follow:

Jim Green, possessing whiskey, plead guilty.

S.A. Poston, possessing whiskey, costs.

Gibb Jones, driving car while under the influence of whiskey, acquitted.

William Kennedy, larceny, found guilty.

Brownie Thompson, having whiskey, $40 and costs.

Ed Hamrick, disorderly conduct, costs.

W.P. Cogdale, violating prohibition laws, $150 and costs.

P.W. Jolly, violating prohibition laws, $400 and costs.

Paul Hamrick, buggery, acquitted.

William Kennedy, larceny, four months on Henderson County roads.

Shuford Mayhew, immoral conduct, five months in the county jail, to be hired out.

Furman Millwood, false pretense, costs.

Lloyd McGinnis, bigamy, eight months in county jail, to be hired out.

Glenn Hoffman, embezzlement, seven months on the Henderson County roads.

Henry Lathers, assault with intent to commit rape, six months on the Henderson County roads.

Earl Rankin, larceny, seven months in the county jail to be employed by Sheriff Logan. Rankin is a 72-year-old negro who was convicted of a number of petty larcenies.

Tom Wilson, immoral conduct, was required to pay the costs in his case and in that of Rosa Griffith, convicted with him. He is also required to show good behavior. A sentence of eight months in jail was imposed on the girl if she be found in Cleveland County after this week. She was given a ticket to her home and left Tuesday.

Onzie Davis, drunkenness, costs.

May White and Grace Davis, assault and battery and vagrancy, costs.

Vance London, having whiskey, plead guilty.

Dewey Black, larceny of automobile, plead guilty and judgment was continued until October term at which time J.W. Richardson and John Richardson will be tried for a similar offense. Black is wanted as a witness at this time.

Brantley Spake, having whiskey, costs.

John Walker, Aaron Brackett and Raymond Brackett were acquitted of a charge of manufacturing whiskey.

From the front page of the Cleveland Star, Shelby, N.C., Friday, July 27, 1923. In case you’re wondering, buggery is a “crime against nature,” meaning oral or anal sexual contact.

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