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SPECIAL GRAND JURY THURSDAY 1
Jurors Being Summoned to Investigate Criminal Assault on Mrs. Spurgeon. Judge H. B. Foster of the county court today drew a venire for a special session of the grand jury to convene here next Thursday. The jury is to be impaneled to investigate the case of John Hatcher, alias Hatchet, (who is charged with rape growing out of an alleged criminal assault committed on Mrs. J. M. Spurgeon near Kellerman about 10 days ago. An account of the outrage and the arrest of the assailant ‘was published in The News Monday afternoon. In discussing the calling of the grand jury today, Judge Foster said: “I think cases of this kind should be investigated without delay and the accused given a speedy trial. Any unnecessary delay in handling cases, especially capital offenses, tends to create a lack of respect for the law and is responsible for many of the alerts of violence which have followed the commission of outrages of various kinds. It is probable that the trial of the negro, should he be indicted, will not take place until after Christmas. It would be the purpose of the court to see that he received a fair trial and any defendant should be allowed ample time in which to prepare his case and secure illegal counsel if he so desires.
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