The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1884-05-08
Contempt OF Court.

ABBEFIllE +, May w. n. DiaEe,
E-l, member Of thr Abbevi.!e bar
living at Greenwood, bas been arre.ted
and committed 10 the county Jail by
TRIAL Justice Tauant for contempt OF
cpuE,. Nr. Bake refuses 20 psy fines.
TIE following are the papers placed III
The sheriff. hands
Rale for con,emp. Of Cour. by ". X.
B!ate. To The sheriff VI Atbeyi.e Or
auy lawful constable: Thee are 20
require you TO a.re-. w. X. Z axe, re-
curing him 10 appear before me and
-how cause Why tie =houli no. De pun
i-hei FOR coE:enlp: Of the Cgu... Syn
et joe l.. TaEEau,, I. J.
10 the sheriff Of Abbevilie County or
any lawful constable: Thee are 10 re-
quirc ycu 10 take charge OF w h. Blake
and see that the sentence Of the Court i.
carried ou.. Il he should fail 10 pay
laid fine imposed for contempt, the ren-
atty Of twelve hours imprisonment fol-
!ow-. Signed: John K. Tarrant, I. j.
Second rule for contempt in answering
to the first rule, and added insult to inju-
~ by 4 furthe. contempt abusive Of the
Cou-t openly and bidding defiance 10 my
authority iii ruling him. lie rneerngiy
-aid: "iea, you ;.re clothed with au
I'll show you, sir lin q hostile manner
and dehsnt!y) III sbow.you who i, right"
The second offence is decidedly more
insulting than the first Signed: John
r. TarrAut, t. J.
self. I'll 60 TO the higher court. fine
or twelve hours imprisonment in prison
C,,r
T.J.
The grammar and spelling are Tar
rants. Mr.. Biake's cause was argued on
haJeas co-pu5 before Judge Co,hran By
Messrs Benet and Lee on the ground of
the judgment being grossly defective.
The Judge granted that ir Was irregular
bu. not defective, and said that the trial
justice was the supreme judge of what
was or was not contempt in his court.
Being matter Of discretion he could
not interfere to prevent the execution Of
the arrest sentence.
Mr. Blake will probably tuin the tables
on Tarrant by having him indicted for
oppression in Office.
Tarrant not only committed Sfr. Blake,
bu: disbarred him by ordering him to
leave his court and never appear there
as.in. Mr. Blake is lawyer OF long
stand;ug, about fifty years old. Squire
Iarran. is over seventy. y.-Uisputca to
Se,rs 1ud Courier.
Mr. Blnhe's Qualification.
GREENWOOD S. c., May 8, 1851
To the Editor of the Neus and Courier ::
Your issue of the ID instant contains a
statement Of my arrest aud imprisonment t
under order of Trial JusticeJ Il. Tarrant
for contempt of his court. This, without
explanation, places me before your read
ers iii an unenviable light. 1t is the
highest duty of the citizen TO obey the
Law, and under this conviction of duty 1
bowed submissively TO the authority
vested in the Courts of the State, prefer
ring the consciousness of being obedient
to authority rather than resent its abuse
and arbitrary exercise.
Please do me the justice to publish the
accompanying certificate of the jurors, all
Of whom are white men, and rank among
our best citizens. w. K. BLAKE.
CERTIFICATE OF JURORS.
We, the undersigned jurors empapelled
and sworn 70 try the State against W. ..
Melton, indicted for an assault and bal
terry with intent to kill, do certify that
the cause for which w. K. Blake, attur-
ney for defendant, was held in contempt
by Trial Justice j. r. Tarrant was e
simple request, addressed in respectful
language and manner to the Trial Justice,
that his own witness, Or lis direct exami-
nation, might be required TO res,a,e his
testimony, SO that the attorney might
know whether he understood his witness
as the Trial Justice Understood him to
.hich the Iris! Justice replied, ,ha; be
had recorded the statement of witness as
he understood him, and it did not matter
whether the attorney understood him or
not. When hir. Blake insisted on his
right to understand his witness the Trial
Justice arose from his seat, and in an
angry tone said: I'VE never could agree
in Court, and rule you for contemp pt. /"
A. A.,McNeill, foreman T. n. Parks, J..
A. Homer, J. +. Watson, w. c. Straw
horn, j. H. Oldham.