The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1875-04-01

County Commissioners, on account of the va
rious changes in the law in regard to their du-
ties, and ascertain whether or not they are
keeping up to the requirements demanded Of
them, and whether any irregularities exist in
their Office or not. Should you need assistance.
and legal advice in order to better enable you
to discover Irregularities, you will be accom-
modated by some member of the bar. It has
long been the custom to pay off State witnesses
on the certificate Of the Clerk Of the Court, but
this is wrong; they ought to be audited by the
County Commissioners, and none paid unless
this has been done. Under the head Of public
Offices, it becomes your duty to visit the Jail,
and see that the prisoners are well kept, also,
to visit the Auditors Office and Poor House.
See that the County Commissioners arc doing
their duty towards the poor, in regard to feed
ing and clothing and otherwise providing for
their comfort and welfare. I know that in
neighboring County the poor had to 60 beg
ging in order to live, since all the monies for
their support in the hands Of the County Com
missioners had been expended for other pur-
poses. Now, in order to obviate such calam-
ity, the Board Of County Commissioners
should levy taxes for specific purposes, and
should keep them separate, drawing their
cheques on the Treasurer for certain purpo-
ses, which should be specified. 1t is also your
duty to pass upon all licenses granted outside
of corporate towns and villages, and it is to be
hoped that you will refuse the granting Of such
licenses, for they are demoralizing to the labor
of the country, since they induce much cotton
stealing and entail untold misery and woe
upon the people. Liquor shops in the country
are the greatest nuisances, leading on, not only
to the Generalization of the labor element, but
also to the darkest crimes. Discontinue these,
and drive all mean characters out Of the coun-
try. The County Commissioners have the
power to license the sale Of malt liquors with
out applying to the Court, but they are not en-
titled to grant any license for the sale Of spiri-
tuous liquors, and if they have been doing the
latter, I hope that you will correct them.-
There never was time when the Vagrant law
was more needed than at the present, for there
are so many idle vagabonds travelling about
over the country, who live upon honest indus
try, and who should be reported to the Court,
which has the power of sending them to the
Penitentiary for twelve months. This falls
under your supervision, and it is to be hoped
that you will report all persons whom you
may know to be vagrants. Your County, I
am happy to say, is prosperous one: not hav-
ing been in debt since reconstruction, and the
greatest interest should be manifested by all in
it's welfare and prosperity. 1t is highly essen
tial that the County Commissioners should
keep up the public roads, as great deal de-
pends on their being kept in good condition,
J,o S,,f~, {hofo 20
roads receive the necessary attention. Strict
attention should be given by you to the Office
of Trial Justice as this Office has been greatly
abused in order to render the business lucra-
tive one. In some sections Trial Justices have
three or four constables who get up disturban-
ces for the sake of furnishing their employers
with cases. If the Trial Justices in your Coun-
ty are not morally and Intellectually compe-
tent, they should be reported to the Court, and
the Court will have them removed.
He then went on to charge them concerning
the crimes to be tried, and explained the law in
relation to murder, larceny, etc. In conclu-
sion, he said: Yon are invested with very high
power. AS the Grand Inquest, you are above
all the officials of the County, and if you per-
NIT the various officials to go unnoticed and
uninvestigated, bad state of things will exist.
It is your duty to look after them, and regu-
late all inaccuracies and irregularities.
After the swearing in of the State witnesses,
the Grand Jury repaired to their room to de-
termine on the various bills presented for their
consideration.
The following are the cases disposed of up to
the time of our going to press:
The State vs.. Andy Spencer. Assaulting an
officer-two indictments. Pleaded guilty to
the first, and the second was mol. pros.
The State vs. James Anderson and Andrew
Thomas Grand Larceny. Guilty.
The State vs.. Alexander Campbell. Assault.
Guilty.
The State VS.. Charles Murray. Grand Lar
ceny. Pleaded Guilty.
The State vs.. Andy Spencer, Reuben Young,
John Young, Thomas Brown and Barvus Fra
zier. Riot and Assault Not guilty.
The State VS.. Alexander Mattison. Murder.
Continued on account Of his still remaining IN
the possession Of the United States Court,
The State vs.. Henry Ledbetter Murder.
Not Guilty.
The State VS.. William M. Martin, murder,
continued on account of the sickness OF mate
rial witnesses.
The State vs.. James Walker, murder. The
prisoner. who has been for many months In
the custody of the Sheriff Of Pickens County,
was sent for, and ordered to be brought before
tho Court for trial on this Thursday morning.
But few criminal cases remain to be tried,
and the Court will probably adjourn on Satur-
day next.
In the case Of Andy Spencer, Reuben Young
and others, indicted for riot and an assault
upon the Town Marshals last Christmas,
Messrs Featherston & Brown and E. B. Muir
ray, ESQ.,, counsel for the accused, raised the
point that, as no valid Town Ordinance existed
for the suppression of drunkenness, swearing