The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1875-10-28

case agaln nst MaioT James l.. Whitsgag|
the recent torn of court fof this
County meets with the hearty Sdisap>.
pfoval- l-oia our most Sintolligent, fair
minded and unprejudiced citizens. 1t
wasaonhprecedented Observation-Disclosures
tion of justice even in this State, so
out Of proportion to the necessities of
the case And soaheqpd to other seti-
tenees passed in similar cases ,hatwe
bayeId deemedlit proper thus toadvert
TO it. 7sviteE 5A5 HtW 5i9,E
Major White was indicted for ass
sault and battery with intent TO kill
upon Austin Davis, a colored boy in
his employ. Upon this indictment
he was put upon trial, and after long
deliberation by tho jury verdict of
guilty of assault was rendered against
him., Tho jury charged with the trial
of the case argued upon this verdict
only rs kind of compromise, and
with the expectation that Maj. White
would receive that consideration from
the court usual in all such cases: that
his punishment would be in propor-
tion to the offence committed, and in
accordance with established preco~
don't. The sentence of the court was
that Major White pay tho costs in tho
prosecution of tho case, and that ho
be confined in tho County jail for
thirty days. In passing this sentence,
Judge Cooke made it convenient to
bring the color question to tho surface
and ondeavorcd TO impress upon tho
prisoner the oven poise with which
he aimed to hold the scales of justice
He claimed that he could do nothing
less, and whom appealed to by Gel.
Cothran, counsel for prisoner, to put
in tho alternative, (fno or imprison-
ment), avcrrcd that he was doing
what ho conceived to be for tho best
interests of tho country.
Austin Davis, tho complainant in
this action, was tried and convicted
upon two charges, ono fer assault and
battory with intont to kill and the
other for assault and battery. For
tho first offonco ho was sentenced to
tho county Jail for sixty, and for the
second for 80 days. Tho evidence in
FL! three of the cases was pretty much
the same, but how different tho find
ing OF the jury! Davis was convicted
upon two chargos-tho first partaking
somewhat Of tho nature of murder,
tho second much moro aggravated
than the simple assault Of Maj. White;
yet for all this mountain load of guilt
hc was sont to the county Jail for only
ninety days, while Major White is
compelled to pay the costs of his
prosecution and 60 to Jail for thirty
days.
In cases identically similar, Davis
only suffers Imprisonment for thirty
days. White pays tho costs and also
undcrgoes tho imprisonment. Davis
loses nothing, his timo not boing
worth moro than ten dollas month.
White has large business and at this
season, especially, thoro is no telling
how much the consequential losses
may be. Davis commenced the diff
ficulty. White protected his place
and family and himself from injury
and insult, and assorted with spirit
tho divine right of solf-defense which
society still allows to ovcry man. An
indignity is imposed upon him.
However much tho Judge has done
in this matter to elevate himself
among the iliterate and vulgar, he
has not gained tho esteem of many
worthy citizons Of all colors, who have
always sustained him in tho discharge
of tho difficult dutios of his position
-Abbeville Medium.
The Now York world points TO the