Craven County, NC - John Gray & Thomas Blount, 1800

Raleigh, NC July 29

We learn that John Gray Blount and Thomas Blount were indicted at
the court which sat at Newbern on the 15th instant, for having 
cheated and defrauded the state in obtaining a grant from the state
for 5,000 acres of western land, included in a large grant for
95,000 acres upon an original land warrant issued to them upon an
entry made in the office of John Armstrong, entry-officer of claims
for the said lands, in the name of John Combs, well knowing that 
they had previously obtained a grant for another and a different
tract of 5,000 acres of said land, upon a duplicate land warrant
issued upon the said entry, so that two several tracts of 5,000
acres each had been issued to them upon one and the same entry
for 5,000 acres.

The defendants we hear severally pleaded Not Guilty and the trial
of John G. Blount came on Thursday last when after a very lengthy
trial and a full and fair hearing before the honorable Judge 
Macay, the jury retired and returned in a few minutes; a verdict
of Not Guilty.

The trial of Thomas Blount came on Friday morning when after a
similar hearing, the jury found him Not Guilty, without leaving
the bar.

Source: The Carolina Gazette - August 14, 1800

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Wake County, NC

Raleigh June 24

The Court which met in this city on the 10th instant, for the trial
or persons concerned in certain frauds, &c terminated its session 
of Friday last.

One other bill was returned by the Grand Jury against James Glasgow
charging him with having issued a grant on a duplicate land warrant
issued from the office of the entry-taker of western lands for 5,000
acres and afterwards, knowing that he had issued the said grant on
the said duplicate warrant, issuing another grant for another tract
of 5,000 acres of land on the original warrant so that two several
grants were obtained from the State on the same entry. 

He pleaded Not Guilty to the indictment and on Wednesday last his
trial came on when the Jury found him Guilty, without leaving the bar.

Source: Claypoole's American Daily Advertiser - July 4, 1800

*****

Wake County, NC

Raleigh June 24

A continuation of the Proceedings of the Court held for the trial
of persons concerned in certain frauds.

James Glasgow was tried on a charge of having issued a grant on a
duplicate warrant in favour of John Gray Blount and Thomas Blount
for 5000 acres of western land and of having afterwards issued a 
grant on the original warrant to the said John Gray Blount and
Thomas Blount for another tract of 5000 acres of western lands. 
The jury retired and in about one minute returned with their verdict
finding him guilty of the charge.

The trial of Thomas Blount which we mentioned in our last was to 
have come on and for which Mr. B. until a third bill was found,
was so anxious, was postponed upon his making and filing an affidavit
stating that Willie Blount of Tennessee was a material witness for
him, and that he had expectations of procuring his attendance in
a short time which being sufficient by the court, he and his brother
John Gray Blount were bound over to appear at Newbern court on the
15th July next to answer the charges before stated.

Source: United States Chronicle - July 10, 1800

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This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by
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