The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1876-06-22
A Chance for the Detectives.

Governor Chamberlain has issued a
proclamation in which he offers reward
of two hundred dollars each for the ar
rest, with proof to convict, of the parties
engaged in the lynching of the Harmon
murderers. This strikes US as going just
a little too far in attempting to vindicate
the majesty of the law. Rewards for the
arrest of parties charged with crime are
proper only when the accused have fed
from justice, and cannot be apprehended
without some special effort. No such
effort has yet been made, and no such
effort is needed in Edge6eld. If the
sheriff of that county is fit for his Office,
and has won the confidence of the peo.
pie, he will find it not at all difficult to
bring to trial any parties for whom law
full warrants of arrest shall be Issued.
He himself, with deputy, besides the
coroner of the county, was present when
| the prisoners were taken off to be lynched.
Certainly the presence of these witnesses
would seem to relieve the affair of all of
that mystery and difficulty which should
always exist, to justify the executive in
any such extraordinary course as that just
taken by the Governor. Until faithful
effort had been made by the authorities
of Edgefeld-and we think it clear that
no such effort has been made-it was
wrong for the executive to call in the aid
of special detectives, to whom is offered
an immense reward to capture the al
legged offenders against the laws of the
State. 1t has been said, and We have no
reason to doubt the statement, that the
parties engaged in the lynching are will
| ling that their action should undergo
judicial investigation. Such investiga-
tion has been made in other cases of sim
liar character in this State, and we see
no great obstacles in its way in the case
now in hand. Altogether, there would
seem to be no good reason for the Gov
ernor's action at this time. 1t bears
strong marks of desire to make sensa-
ton, and to put money into the pockets
of certain detectives in Columbia who
have been the special pets of the State
government ever since reconstruction.
We are free to admit that we consider
Governor Chamberlain above the reach
of these considerations, but he has, in his
zeal to enforce the law, entirely lost sight
of the fact that his action is extraordina-
ry in itself, and is virtual admission on
his part that the sheriff of Edgetield and
his deputies are mere fgure.heads, una.
BILE to do aught else in the discharge Of
their duties than the execution of the
mere formalities of the law. We are sure
that with proper effort by competent
and faithful officials, all could be done
that is necessary to accomplish all the
ends of justice in the matter of the Edge
field lynchiDg. But the Governor has
virtually admitted the worthlessness of
the officials in Edgefeld-a fact long
since attested by Judge Mackey and
others-and that admission may in some
degree excuse his extraordinary action
embodied in the proclamation to which
we have referred. He has virtually pro-
claimed to the world the existence of the
chiefest of the causes which led to the
lynching-the weakness, ineficiency and
corruption of the Edgefield county gov
ernment.
Published along with the extraordina-
ry offer mentioned above, is proclama-
ton holding out reward of one thousand
dollars for the capture of McDevitt, the
defaulting treasurer of Edge6eld county.
This may be all right and proper, and We
rather think that were the offer made to
the fugitive himself, and little time
given him to arrange his finances to his |
own satisfaction, he would at once strike
q bargain, return to South Carolina, and
20 through the form of q trial. The ex-
ample of Parker and others like him is
still before his eyes, and he need fear no
serious consequences. His stealing was
of that sublime order which has continu-
ally baf1ed the efforts (?) of our State
government. Were Moses or Scott Gov
ernor, he could feel perfectly safe, for
when the law had been vindicated by his |
conviction, it would only be necessary to
pay a reasonable sum to either of these |
worthies to obtain a full pardon. At
present the pardon is out of the |
question, as Governor Chamberlain
has shown no tendency to abuse the
power vested in him, but still there are
many chances of escape, should the worst |
come. Proof of guilt is by no means
sure to be followed with q conviction, as
was shown in the case of Sparnick, OF
Aiken, and Bowley, of Georgetown.-
Even after conviction, there are many
chances of escape. In these hard times,
the price of jailor or penitentiary
guardsman would not be e1orbitant, and
with the extensive means which McDevitt |
seems to have thievishly acquired, he
would have little trouble in procuring an
accidental exit from his place of confine-
ment. We may hear from him yet
The offer of one thousand dollars may
induce him to surrender himself to one
of his friends in Columbia, with whom
he will divide that sum upon such terms |
as shall be proper. And while the State
authorities have their hands in, it might
be we'll to make special effort for the
apprehension of Parker. We have no
doubt thai there are many persons about
the Republican headquarters in Colum-
bia who have positive knowledge of his
whereabouts, and we feel equally certain
that were proper means employed by the
State government the ex-treasurer could
be brought to Justice in short time
But possibly Parker knows too much,
and, if forced back to Columbia, might
tell all. He might thus implicate others,
and some unpleasant developments might
be made. Suspicious of the existence of
fears, on the part of the State authorities,
that Parker might talk too freely, have
long existed, and these suspicious are
excited anew by the action of Governor
Chamberlain respecting McDevitts flight,
in strong contrast as it is with the shame
full inaction that characterized the course
of the State authorities when Parker was
easily within their reach. We believe
it to be not yet too late to bring him to
justice, and the State government owes
it to the people whom Parker robbed,
and to justice itself, to make proper
effort to that end. Parker is much
greater criminal than McDevitt, and the
endeavors to have him brought to trial
for his crimes should he more strenuous
in proportion Winnsboro Ne'0s.