Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1882-04-27
The Political Trials.

The United States Court ut Charleston is
still engaged iu the trial of cases connected
with the election Of 1880, upon charges Of
conspiracy, fraud, obstructng voters and
the supervisors at different precincts. The
fnanagore Mt Acton Precinct, in Richland
county, wcrc convicted of obstructing the
supervisor in refusing to open the box for his
inspection before the voting began.
The action Of District Attorney Melton in
this case has been severely, and, in our
opinion, justly censured by tho press and
people of the State. The claim on his part
that the Government had right to stand
tion Of the jury, and is in OPPOSITION to rulings
mado in cases of felony, as we'll MS to tho
spirit Of the jury law and to justice. The
jury box is filed by the Clerk Of the Court
putting in ono name and q commissioner from
the opposite political party onc and so On
until the requisite numberof names are placed
in the box. From these names the jurors nre
drawn and naturally the iurics would be
nearly evenly divided in political opinions. II
the Government have the right to stand aside
Jurors, the defendants having only limited
right of challenge, then as II Democrat is
drawn and ordered aside the defendants must
either accept negroes or white Republicans
as Jurors. as their challenges would soon DO
exhausted. The Government, after the do
PENDANTS have exhausted their challenges,
can still stand aside jurors until tho panel is
filed by Republicans the defendants having
no remedy. To exercise such right defeats
the object Of the jury law-to remove from the
trial and verdict every political feature.
Besides, We cannot sec Why q native Caroli-
nian should reject honest intelligent citizens
as Jurors and accept ignorant and corrupt
negroes, unless it was to secure conviction at
all hazards. 1t has had this effect in tho
Acton case, as the testimony was too weak in
oredibility to justify the conviction of anyone,
much moro when the defendants were men Of
good standing and irrcprouchablo character.
The witnesses for the Government were
Kane, who killed Ladd in Pickcns county,
and somo partisan negroes. Kane on the
stand virtually admitted that he had been
guilty Of perjury, as he took the oath Of
and on tho stand admitted that he had never
peeu DaluTuIlZCQ.
The value Of negro toetimony is we'll il
lustrated in q subsequent case against Bates,
of Barnwell, for voting more than once at
the same election. Five negro witnesses sworc
positively that Bates voted at Mllctvillc,
then ut Balderick, then at Allendnlo and
then returned to Baldcrick and voted again,
and that they had followed him from poll to
poll TO see whether he would vote moro than
one time. Fifteen respectable citizcns for
the defence swore that Bates acted MS chair
man Of tho Board of Managers Mt Millet-
Vile and remained thoro all day. There
was no argument in tho case, as tho proof of
false swearing by tho negroes was too clear
and verdict of not guilty was rendered.
In tho Acton case, though verdict Of
guilty on the first court was rendered. two of
the jurymcn discaimod tho verdict in open
court before it's publication. Judge Bond
declared their disclaimer to bo too lato and
ordered tho verdict to bo published, in tho
face Of many decisions to tho contrary. a
motion in arrest Of judgment will be made
and argued hereafter, and We suppose, being
well sustained by authority, it will be
granted.
Melton and Judge Bond seem to havo
things their own way and with such jnrios
any man may be convicted.
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Don't forget that every Democrat who fails
to register ia an aider and abettor of Radi-