Judge M. V. Barnhill of Rocky Mount convened his first court in this county Monday at 10 o’clock. Judge Barnhill exchanged with Judge Henry A. Grady, who was scheduled to hold the fall terms of court in this district. Judge Barnhill is the resident judge and is up for re-election this year and of course was anxious to meet the people of his own district. Solicitor Donnel Gilliam is prosecuting the cases on the docket.
The judge’s charge to the grand jury was not only a presentation of the law as it applies to the duty of grand jurors but gave a fair slant on the need for people generally to keep within the law.
He explained that the procedure in the process of criminal law requires a secret hearing by a grand jury before a man can be brought into the court. This is for the purpose of avoiding malicious or frivolous prosecutions.
The importance of treating all classes with the same element of justice, regardless of their station in society or wealth or other conditions, high or low, was stressed.
The automobile law was also mentioned, because of its importance; especially the illegal driving by minors and others incompetent for whatever cause.
The grand jury is composed of J. W. Eubanks, foreman; Jas. D. Bowen, J. H. Everett, Sam T. Everett, J. H. Britt, Alonzo D. Griffin, H. L. Everett, Wheeler Rogers, H. L. Hopkins, W. J. Holliday, J. T. Bennett, J. Eason Lilley, J. W. Cherry, L. W. Mizelle, T. L. Roebuck, W. W. Roberson, C. B. Fagan, and R. W. Hardy, with H. D. Taylor as officer of the jury.
The case against J. M. Pugh, in which he is charged with the murder of Beeman Silverthorn, was continued to the December term of this court, and bond was fixed at $5,000.
Counsel plead for time to prepare its defense, which the State seemed to apprehend that it was playing for time upon the old theory that “Time is a healer of crime.”
The following cases, up to time of our going to press, were disposed of:
--Floyd Harrel, charged with resisting an officer, was found guilty. Prayer for judgment continued. The same defendant was found guilty of assault with a deadly weapon and was sentenced to the Edgecombe roads for 18 months.
--Isaac Ampie was sentenced to the roads for three months for carrying a concealed weapon.
--John Lee Hadley, who broke into the store of B. F. Perry last June, was sentenced to the State’s prison for a term amounting to not less than five years and not more than seven years.
--Ray Lilley plead guilty to the charge of the larceny of an automobile and was sent to the Edgecombe roads for 18 months.
--Albert Riley, charged with larceny, was sentenced to the roads for the term of three years.
--Paul Ballard, charged with larceny and cruelty to animals, was nol prossed in each case.
--Redmond Pittman was sent to the Edgecombe roads for 18 months for house breaking and larceny. Charlie Robbins, charged with house breaking and robbery, was also sentenced the roads for a term of 18 months.
--W. A. Ayers, charged with violation of the liquor laws, was sentenced to the roads for six months, to be paroled at the end of three months.
The grand jury will make its report to the court sometime during today.
Editor’s Note: Name of murdered man was spelled Beeman in this article and Beamon in his obituary on the same page of the newspaper. I don’t know which is correct.
From the front page of the Enterprise, Williamston, N.C., Sept. 21, 1926
newspapers.digitalnc.org/lccn/sn92073995/1926-09-21/ed-1/seq-1/
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