The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1876-04-13
The Lancaster Affair.

jury or Chester in which he made q
statement of the action of tho grand
Jury OF Lancaster, on account of which
he had discharged thom before they
had performed all the duties enioined
upon them by law. The Ledger con-
tains the following in reply to the
Judges remarks: r..
In brief manner wo will note the
falsiry of Judge Mackoy's statements
in the case alluded to above.
l. The Court was not in session
when tho difficulty occurred, nor did
the presiding Judge know anything
about it until about ono hour after it
did occur. And he was then informed
of it by the Clerk of Court.
2. Consequently, there was no crowd
rushing from tho Court House or
through the streets.
3. Tho editor Of this paper visited
tho wounded man in company with
the Sheriff about one and q half hours
after the occurrence, and found his
wound dressed and him comfortably
sleeping in his room at the hotel
There was no excitement on tho
streets, and but worry little at the time
the affair occurred.
q. Gardner, who tho Judge says is q
notorious desperate, is young man
about 20 years old. This is the first
difficulty we have ever known him to
bo engaged in. The young man who
was shot was about the ago of Gard
ner, and they were intimate acquaint-
ances. They were both undcr tho in
huenco of liquor at tho time of the oc-
currencc.
5. The ball did not enter the head,
but entered the right side of tho face
and came out on the left side of tho
nose.
6. The facts (?) rccitcd by Judge
Maclzey wcro never made known to
the grand jury; and the Judge must
have picked them up on the streets
or in his secret caucusses.
Z AS to the dogs clicking the blood
Of Gardner's victim," such an express
sion is characteristic of Judge Mack
ey. 1t IS unnecessary for us to con-
tradict such statement. Every
sane man knows that it is not true.
8. The Judge charges the Grand
Jury of Lancaster with 80 deliberate
violation Of q most solcm oath" In
other words, that they have perjured
themselves. The Grand Jury OF Lam.
caster are made out Of different mo-
terial from what wo think they are,
if thoy do not give Judge Mackey the
opportunity to prove this assertion
in the courts.
Mr. w. L. DoPass, who il will be
remembered, was represented by Gov.
Chamberlain rs condemning tho
I grand jury and jnstifying the action
OF Judge Mackoy, has written to the
Ledger to deny the statements attrib.
utcd to him by the Governor. The
feeling in Lancaster continues to be
one of intense Indignation alike at the
action of the Judge, and Mt that of the
House of representative in refusing
an investigation. A mooting Of tho
citizons was called for Monday last,
to give expression to the feeling of
the people. The grand jury were
likewise requested to meet at the samo
time.
The moro we learn of this unfor-
tunato affair, tho moro are we cons
vinced that tkero should be full in
vestigation of Judge Mackoy's course
towards the grand jury OF Lancaster.
Thoro can surely be no reasonable
objection to searching inquiry into
the matter: it would be as much in
justice to Judge Mackcy himself as to
those who deprocato and condemn the
course he pursued towards the grand
Jury on tho occasion in question. In
decd, he should seek an investigation
as the aurost and spoodiost mode OF
vidioating his judicial character.
Pinchback snys he 'expects to soc q
colored landslide to the Democracy
ooJ - ,oI:1 no.n oo.o1:o Co..I a.