The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1878-04-03
bridges and the county Jail as are therein

bridges and the county Jail as are therein
contained.
That three members of the Grand Jury,
Of whom the foreman shall be one, are
appointed q committee to sit in the in
tcrval, between this time and the next
term Of this Court, 10 take testimony as
70 the outrages committed by Revenue
officers and Deputy United States Mar
shals in this county, and especially "a to
the removal of criminal cases from this
Court to the Circuit Court of the United
States; and that such testimony be hand
cd to Solicitor before the next term OF
this Court, for such action thereon as he
may deem proper. Said committee shall
consist of Robert T.. Steele, J. II. Amber
and William Martin.
That this presentment be published i'll
the county newspaper.
T. J.. MAcKEY, Pres. Judge.
March 2lst, 1878.
Revenue.
We notice in the Grcenuille Daily Neus
q communication over the signature OF
IS. P. H." denying that the revenue OFF,
cials acted in any way improperly ut the
house Of Mr.. Neal, or did anything not
consonant with their duty ~ officers and
ul6lls we puDllSllEo lo 1dStS 40 SlntSo
to US by Mr.. Neal, and so stated in our
article. The writer of the article had
not, before this, any personal acquaint-
ance with Mr.. Neal, but lie is informed
by the most respectable mon of Mr..
Meals neighborhood. and verify believes.
that MI. Neal is a mar of character and
veracity, and too honorable to wantonly
assail the acts and conduct Of any one
without a just cause of complaint. Mr..
Neal has, since the publication of the ar
ticle, gone before the Grand Jury and
has sworn to the facts, substantially, as
stated in this journal. Other respectable
witnesses have done the mi We
champion neither the cause Of the officials
nor Of the distillers. We believe the law
is oppressive, yet it is q law and should be
obeyed; and when that law is violated,
1t is done by one of II fellow beings,
and lie is entitled to humane and censid-
eraate treatment at the hands Of his
captors. We do not claim that the prise
ner is entirely without fault: yet the
power given to revenue officers has been
so fearfully abused, and innocent men
subjected to such gross outrages and i'll
suits, that citizens have, in some instances
been goaded On to resistance.
A committee, consisting of three Grand
Jurors, has been appointed by Judge
Mackey to investigate tho charges
brought against these officials and tc
report their testimony Mt the next term
of Court.
Mr.. Thomas Mckinney, a highly re-
/ spectacle citizen, Informs ns that or
Tuesday or Wednesday OF last week
squad Of these officials came to his house
and. without the warrant or authority O
law, searched his house, tore up his beds
cursed and abused his aged mother (now
about 80 years old) drank up what cam
phor there was in the house, besides com
hitting other acts Of violence. Now, w
are acquainted with Mr.. Mckinney, m
know that he would not make a fals'
statement. We hear of numbers of othel
complaints made by citizens, but to pub
lish them all would require a documen
almost as voluninous and infamous a!
the report of the special fraud committee
The committee appointed by Jndg'
Mackey will, no doubt, unearth all thes'
o%utrages, and the perpetrators therco
will be allowed the privilege OF denying
them under oath at the bar Of the court
IS. P. L." in his communication in tn
Greenville Neps, says: II served III tn
Confederate army with many of the goOt
citizens Of Pickens County. l am
straight-out Democrat, and I think tina
this statement is entitled to some con
s%ideration."
We do not know IS. P. L." but assam
that what he says IL correct, which
only the worse for him., Like old dot
Tray, lie has been caught in bad compan.
and must suffer the consequences. !
YOU pitch q stone into n pack Of dogs il
the street and one of them limps OF
how1ing, you may know that he Is tn
one hit. Just so with rs. p. L." he Ina
been hit and we hear the echo Of his how
through the Grecnrille News.