The two weeks’ term of Lincoln Superior Court for trial of Criminal and Civil Cases opened this morning in Lincolnton courthouse, his Honor, Judge W.F. Harding, presiding, the state being represented by Solicitor R.L. Huffman of Morganton.
The first business of the court was selection of the grand jury for this term, the following citizens being finally selected, after the judge excused D.C. Leonard, P.C. Lineberger, A.W. Webber, and L.E. Loftin. The grand jury is composed as follows, with J. Robt. Reinhardt as foreman:
J. Robt. Reinhardt, foreman, M.B. Adderholt, C.P. Heavner, J.S. Kiser, W. Frank Kelly Jr., J.W. Helms, J. Lewis Howard, E.W. Mullen, R.P. Lutz, G.W. Hugh Costner, J.A. McConnell, Fred Dedmon, J.E. Bradshaw, Deck Hager, Guy E. Beam, W.P. Henkle, M.C. Smith, W.M. McConnell.
Judge Harding in his able charge to the grand jury said that but for the 30 liquor law violations cases on the docket, there would be little court; that these and some 30 other cases on the criminal docket here in a county of the 50,000 people, was really a small docket and spoke well for this county in law observance; that these few cases caused a lot of trouble and expense, but that while this is true, it was necessary to deal justice to the guilty at whatever cost in time and money in order to keep the number from increasing to 300 or more; courts said his honor, do not operate so much to deal punishment, but to give notice to the man with a lurking mind to do a wrong to some one, that he would be punished. He said further that a willing mind to obey the law was of great importance and mark of good citizenship; that the policeman was not maintained for those who were willing to obey the law, but for those who defied the law.
The judge said in regard to service to the state that it was as much the duty of citizens to serve the state as it was to serve God; it is as much the duty of a good citizen to serve on the jury, to pay taxes, and to vote, as it is to attend church. No one can be a good citizen unless he takes an active interest in the things that benefit the commonwealth.
In discussing the duty of grand jurors his honor said that while they had the right to run down any rumor, about anyone, and discuss it is the jury room, but that if said rumor was untrue, they were sworn to lock it in their breast, and never speak of it outside of the jury room.
From page 2 of the Lincoln County News, Lincolnton, N.C., October 13, 1924
newspapers.digitalnc.org/lccn/sn91068449/1924-10-13/ed-1/seq-2/#words=OCTOBER+13%2C+1924
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