Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1873-02-13
For the Advertiser,

Mr.. EDITOR: I would most respect
fully ask leave, through your columns,
to vindicate myself. against the unjust
charges presented against me as County
Auditor.
refer to the matter of drawing, or
rather, listing the Jury. I feel satisfied
that the Advertiser, and the good people
of Edgefield, Will not so readily decide
upon an &c pu'te hearing, notwithstand--
Ing the cynical efforts of ga Member of
the Bar" 5 - u
I do most unequivocally absolve my
self from any blame whatever that may
attach to the Board Of Jury Commission
ers for failure to list the Jury for the
present year. "
It appears that my short absence must
have been very fortunate occurrence,
inasmuch as the vacancy created thereby
proved to be q convenient place to rest
the entire blame.
Ideem 1t hardly necessary to refer you
20 can Act to regulate the manner of
drawing Jurors" passed at the regular
session of 1901, whereby Board of
Jury Commissioners was erected, and
authority given the Governor TO appoint
a Jury Commissioner for each County.
Section 5, of this Act, provides that the
Board of Jury Commissioners of each
County shall, once in every year, during
the month of January, prepare q list Of
suchinhabitantso of their respective Coun-
ties, qualified to serve as Jurors"
Now, It certainly should be the duty
Of some one to give the members of the
Board due and timely notice Of the day
intended, or set apart for the listing and
drawing of Jurors. I received no such
notice. And itwas not until the 30th day
of January, when on my way to Colum-
bia. that received the first intimation
whatever of the listing of the Jury.
was satisfied that there could be no
listing of the Jury ON that day, from the
fact that the Board Of Commissioners
had not in their possession the Poll Lists
from the last general election. 1t is Ger
tainly not the duty of the County Audit
or to furnish Poll Lists, norris it the duty
of the Chairman of the Board of County
Commissioners. Then whose duty is it
to notify the Board of the time of meet
ing, and to furnish Poll Lists? The Ju-
nv Commissioner, Isubmit, is Chairman
of the Board of Jury Commissioners CT
oficio: and il seems more properly to be
his duty.
So then, Mr.. Editor, it was the absence
of the Poll lists that ocSasion6il the delay
or neglect in listing the Jurors; not the
absence of the County Auditor. do not
desire or intend to shirk any of my re-
sponsibilities, and place them upon the
shoulders of others; but what / do de-
mand is, simple justice.
Again, as Chairman Of the Commits
sioners of Election, was not required
to furnish any one with the Poll lists,
except the Secretary Of State. COM
piled with the requirements of the law
by depositing the Poll lists with the Sec
rotary of State where they now remain
as records of that office.
hope that the learned "Mcmber OF
the Bar" willalways be as ready to WELD
his pen in the behalf Of Justice as he was
to attack me upon the bare statement,
probably, OF parties prejudiced to truth;
upon the statement Of parties
whose official copduct would stand no
closer scrutiny than my own, and who
would "log rolf with the devil for sake
of little filthy lucrc.
hope that this explanation may prove
to the public, so far as | am
concerned, and that the blame be attach
ell where it properly belongs.
Respectfully,
JOHN II. McDEVITT.