Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1881-04-07
Liquor and Crime.

We learn from the Charleston Ne,os and
Courier that Martin A. Thomas. a blacksm
OF Branohville. S.C..is supposed 20 have
killed his wife, Jane Thomas, on the night Of
the 29tl, ultimo, while drunk. Her body
was found on the 30th about IL O'Clock A. NJ.
in thoback piazza Of the house cold in death.
With o ghastly wound in the breast, appa-
rently made by buokshot. Her clothing was
burned, .showingthe shot was arcd very near
to her and the fact that her husbands spso.
tacies were on her body, his bloody cont in
tho house and he had absconded lod to the
opinion thathe had killed her aud tho ooro-
ner'sjury go found: She had expressed fearo
Of this result some time before. The parties
had no ohildren. The wife is spoken Of as
woman Of exemplary ohara oter, q member Of
the church aud in many ways worthy per.
son. Thomas has not been arrested, but was
seen on the Charleston public road riding of
With his gun and dogs. Thomas is 48 years
old and was sober, industrious and re,
spected citizen until just prior to the war,
wheu he gave up his good habits and became
a babitual drunkard.
Find crime where you will, whether it
consists Of homicides, rnpss. arsons or other
acts of wrong and violence. and in nineteen
out of twenty cases it is connected With or
traoeable to liquor. We could fill our paper
weekly with accounts of violence in tho
United States due solely to its baneful inAu-
enco. This is due to two oauses. men drink
more now than formerly and the whiskey
sold these days contain more impurities. both
of which tend to craze the brain and de.
throne tho reason.
II 10 owing to the evils flowing from it's
abuse that tho spirit of prohibition has
sprung up and is gaining strength oil over
the civilized world. In England, Germany
and tho old world restraining measures, eson
rs 10 tho use of beer are being agitated In
America the spirit Of prohibition has been
gaining strength rapidly and unless checked
by the elimination Of the evils traceable to it,
threatens to cover the whole country. In
Kansas o prohibitory law has been passed 80
stringent as to condemn the use of vino at
the sacrament. In two counties of Alabama
prohibition is enforced and in several coun.
ties of this State the refusal to grant license
prevails. Petitions are being widely oircu-
'o'eo "ohiuR 1ho AcBsiuturo nt NS ne1t $685.
sion to prohibit tho manufacture and sale
of liquor in South Carolina. We do not be.
lieve such q law can and doubt whether it
should be passed ut this tin,o. Would it be'
onforced2 Has public opinion become suf1.
cicntly unified to give it practical inAuonce7
If not it would be bcttcr to restrict than to pro-
hibit to control than to try to prevent and fail.
MIR. Bayard. of Delaware, is quoted rs oppos.
ing such laws as undemocrato and number
of the leading clergy of the North take tho
view that such laws would fail Of their pur-
pose and are unwise in themselves, holding
that each person should control himself. Tho
question creates differences of opinion in the
social, political and religious world Of think~
ers, and until there is greater unifcation
of opinion on tho subject. no suoh laws arc
apt to be passod. Every aggravated crime
duo to liquor tends however to increase the
army of prohibitonists.