The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1881-09-07
Redmond Sentenced.
GreenYille News.

the prisoners convicted during the
present term, the interest being ecu
tired ou Lewis r. Redmond, the ia
nous moonshiner. He occupied a
chair Immediately in front Of and, Of
course, facing the Judge, and seemed
to be in good spirits, engaging In
pleasant conversation with Judge
Fields of Pickeus, an old and faithful
friend, during the time of waiting
for the commencement of business.
Soon after court was opened Dis
trict Attorney Melton said it became
his duty to move the court for judg-
nent or the persons convicted at this
term.
x !; x
He then moved for judgment Oh
Lewis r. Redmond.
Redmond sat bright and cheerful,
and as the indictments were read
glanced about him, meeting the eyes
Of acquaintances with roguish smile,
and being apparently in the best of
spirits.
- The District Attorney then review
ed the cases on which the prisoner
had pleaded Guilty
The venerable Judge who looked
down at him alone knew whether he
was to be imprisoned for thirty or
three years, or fined many or few
thousand dollars, but Reduond's cou-
6dent demeanor never changed, and
) he still glanced about and smiled,
or carefully adjusted his collar, while
Gen. Darlington said
May it please your Houor-l had
almost concluded to say nothing more
10 these cases than I said when they
were called for trial. But, I ask per-
mission, ID behalf of the defendant,
and at his request, to make some
statements of facts which, in my
opinion have a bearing upon the
merits of his appeal for mitigation of
punishment for his violation Of the
law. In doing this, I have little hope
of influencing your Honor's Judgment,
for I have confidence in your Honor's
disposition to dispense justice with
mercy in any case presented.
But the defendants case is pecu-
liar one; and, [ think there may be
presented to your Honor's considera-
tioa facts and circumstances, which
will justly make strong appeal for
mercy.
In the first place, I would ask your
Honor to consider the circumstances
which surrounded the defendant when
these ofenses are alleged to have been
committed. He is now twenty seven
years of age-ouly seven years old
when the civil commotion began in
this country, which resulted in a
bloody civil war. He was, indeed,
rocked in the cradle of revolution,
his own State sponsor at his side. At
the close of this bloody war he was
but a youth, twelve years old, left
drifting on its ti1c Two of his
brothers had jeen sacrificed on the
altar of what they deemed their
country, leaving the defendant, their
only brother to care for an aged ia
thcr and mother and four sisters. In
a. short time, the father and mother
died, leaving him to struggle to sup.
port the family, under the hard blows
Of misfortune. In the strait in which
he was placed, he became an offender
against the law, in a community
where bis offence was not considered
crime. 1t vas at the close Of the
war, when its great waves which had
been lashed to the sky had not sub
sided ; when the passions of men had
not been cooled; when society bad
been upturned to its very foundations ;
when law and order had not returned
to their accustomed channels, and the
weakness of human nature gave way
to the confusion of the hour, and the
reason of the best Of nea lost its
bearings. It was at this juncture, he
followed the example of others, and
brought himself into the vortex
which has overwhelmed him. - *
His ofense was the crime of the COM
munity in which he was born and
reared, and he should not now be
made to bear its sins. If proof were
wanting of what l assert, in this re-
spect, I would cite your Honor to the
crowd of penisent sinners who poured
down from this section to the portals
of this sanctuary ofjustice few years
ago, pleading for the benefits of am
nesty which President Hayes offered
to them. And beg to state to your
Honor, upon the solemn asseveration
Of the defendant, that although some
of his ofepses we're excepted from the
amnesty, be would have come here,
and claimed its benefit as to offences
embraced in its terms, and appeared
to the other ofenscs, if, in his opin-
ion, be could have done so with safe
ty. But he was placed in position
where to have attempted this would
have been at the risk of his life. He
was pursued as an outlaw. He could
not show his head any where without
being shot at by persons in ambus.
cade.
:: :: x = :: x
Now, may it please your Honor,
defendant has committed no offence
against the law since this amnesty was
offered. He has beer a laT-abiding
citizen. He has expressed himself
as ready to surrender himself to the |
mandates of the law, when the au-