Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1879-09-18
THE BRYCE MURDER.

we arc sorry to soc the New York Herald
which, IN it's way, has at times dono good
service to the people OF tue South, lending
tho aid of it's circulation and influence to the
dissemination of gross calumny affecting
down tho murder Of Alexander Bryce. which
occurred ut WalhaIa on the Goth Of August
as AN affair bearing very distinctly tho
Yazoo stamp aud adds that no mention
whatever has boen made Of Bryce's assass.
nation in tho local press Of South Carolina
These statements nro simply untrue, in spirit
and in fact. Bryce, it is truo. was Repub-
lican; but politics had absolutely nothing to
do with his assassination. Senator Conkling
is also Republican, and was recently the
victim OF shot gun tragedy in Rhode
Island; but shall We therefore trent the stal.
wart Roscoe rs q political martyr and com-
plain that the Argus, eyed Herald has made
no mention whatever Of his fatc2 The
truth is that tho murder of Bryce occurred in
one OF the remote mountain counties Of the
State. The Ne,os and Courier published tho
crime Us soon as they could bo obtained.
Our contemporaries of the local press of South
Carolina did likowise; and nobody in this
State, whether Democrat or Republican. has
ever suggested that the murder had a poiti-
cal motive. We hopo tho Herald will have
the nanliness to redress tho wrong it has
hastily dono to South Carolina."
We clip tho above from the Charleston
Nescs and Courier, and not only agree with
that journal that the article referred to is
slanderous, but further. that it is false in
every particular 80 far as it reflects on tho
people Of this section or the local press of The
State.
Our first issue went to press 10 few hours
after tho jury Of inquest returned. and we
inserted as full o notice as possible Of tho
assassination Of Bryce, heading our article
"A Foul Crime Committed" Alexander
Bryce, Jr., Assassinated." In that article
rs much or more was said Of The killing Of
Bryce than it is usual for the press Of this
State to publish, as comment On such orn,os,
in view of their judicial investigation. is
always withheld. Notwithstanding this
custom, we in our seoard issue, after Tho
notice referred to and before we saw the
Herald article. published two column arti-
clio under the head assassination" closing
it with the full testimony taken by tho Acting
Coroner. That article condemns the killing
Of Bryce in the strongest terms and calls on
and bring to punishment the perpetrators Of
tho crime.
Wo say, then, without fear Of contradiction
that more has been said by this journal about
the murder Of Bryce and the net has
been moro foroibly commented on and con {,
demncd than any other case Of homicide that
ever occurred in this section. We notice, too,
nj on yoho |, hal OH Ill
the facts known ut tho time.
But this is not all. Much has been done
since tho inquest by our people. In few
days after tho tragedy n petition was for
warded to the Governor signed by somo of
the Gest citizens Of our town and neigbbor.
hood, chiefly Democrats, asking that reward
bo offered for the arrest of the parties charged
with tho crime. In q few days afterwards,
tho Sheriff, a Democrat, reported tho killing
officially to tho Governor. In thesmeantmo
without waiting for n reward to be offered,
our Sheriff, with two Of our citizens crossed
into Georgia, secured tho MD of the Sheriff
OF Rabun County and another fearless citizen
and at night arrested two Of tho parties
charged in the warrant and learning
the Jail there WAS insecure. brought them 10
Walhalla, whore they arc now confined.
Since then another party has been arrested
in Georgia and is now in our Jail; SO that out
of eight names in tho warrant seven have
been arrested and lodged in jnil to await thoir
trial. We are informed that brother Of the
deceased paid to tho parties making the last
arrest q small reward.
We maintein that these facts provo greater
oxertions to arrest tho persons charged with
killing Bryce than can bo shown in tho caso
of any homicide that over occurred hore.
Tho arrost Of the parties in Georgia was not
binding duty on our Sheriff and bridging
them here without requsition, though
under the circumstances cxcusable, was
perhaps technical violation Of tho law.
In addition to these facts, sinoe tho inauost
o large amount Of testimony has been gaths
cred up, and thoro are now ovor thirty wit.
nesscs bound oyer on tho part Of the State.
Our people have acted in the r,attet as
promptly and enorgetically rs thoy could have
acted had tho best man or tho best Democrat
in the State been assassnated. It is not ou,
province to speak Of tho force of tho Testimony
against any Of tho parties charged, nor Of
their guilt or innooenco, but having actol sc
promptly and enorgetioally Us our people
have done in this case, it is hard to 500 q
journal of such extensive circulation and
Influence as tho New York Herald so mis-
representing our State. Wo have always
admired the independent course of that grea,
journal, and our peoplo owe it much for its
fairness in the campaign OF 1870. We hope
therefore, with the Ne,os and Courier, that !,
will have tho manlipess to correct state