Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1885-10-15
TIE TWENTY.sEyEN PRISON
ERS,
Their Condition in Our jail Escape OF
Two Of Them..3till No Announce
ment Of Whether or Not They
Will Apply for Enil.

at noon on Thursday Of Last week
twenty-five OF the twenty FIVE clizens 70
whom warrants had been issued, 10 con
nection with the lynchipg Of o 7. Cul
breath, arrived in our town under chargt
Of Sheriff Ousts, and quietly entered oul
ljail-es prisoners. Mr.. Mcdaniel, DR.
| Key and Mr.. Irwin Holmes, for good and
valid reasons, and upon their word o.
honor, were allowed few days in which
10 report. DR.. Key came in promptly, il
we mistake not, within twenty-iour hours.
Meesrs. Mcdaniel and Irwin Holmes have
uot yet come in. This, if we are correctly
informed, is on account OF critical illness in
their families. On Saturday ievening or
night. Messrs. VIM. Elan and Oscar Bur-
nett, two Of the younger::of the;prisoners,
though both married men, made their..rs-
cape from the Jail, and at the time we
write, Tuesday noon, are still at large
They left the Jail yard through hole in
the rear wall-used for purposes Of drain
age. This has. since this escape, been closed
against The egress lof any large body by
iron hoops and wire. Up To tie time of
this escape, the prisoners had not only the
liberty of the lower. floor. but also of the
yard. Now, although they remain upon
the lower floor, their liberty is more cur
tailed. and their guard stronger.
The escape Of Messre. Elan end Bu.-
nett, for many reasons,.is lamentable cir
cumstance. At present, Tuesday, Sheriff
QUITS ia out in the. west country, for the
double purpose of bringing in Messrs.
Mcdaniel and Irwin, Holmes and rearrest-
ing Messra. Elan and Burnett. Before We
go to press on the morrow, we shall proba-
bly, be able 10 announce the result of tie
Sheriff's trip. The Sheriff has hired an
extra cook 70, TIE prisoners and is worthily
meklng every effort to render them as
comfortable as possibleiunder. the unhappy
circumstances. As regards the escape Of
Messrs. Elan and Burnett, we would elm.
ply say, in reference to Sheriff QUITS, that
the circumstances surrounding him in this !
unparalleled crisis, have Themselves been /
unparalleled onerous, confusing.
And thus stands this matter in its ma
terial aspects. !: As regards its moral and
legal bearings and prospects. we shall say
nothing at present, forInever in orr long
newspaper life have we.folt 80 powerfully
and painfully impressed with the necessity
II stern andnaked truth--of keeping faith
ully the straight and narrow path be-
'ween private feeling and duty to the
majesty and integrity of the law. These
'ccused men are in the hands of that law.
There are now two..well defined sidoe-the
'roeecution and the defence. Both sides
re we'll equipped.".for the ends Of justice.
And under the great shield Of the law let
10Th sides now rest-without comment
hat might possibly be. detrimental to
ither side.
AS regards outside comment we are
lad to note that after the first, :.and We
must confess natural, outburst of horror
nd indignation, our State cotcmpornres
re toning down and e9iucing disposition
o recognize the::great and important fact
hat the accused. men are in the hands OF
be law. The articles, in this connection,
'hieh we publish this.week from the Co.
lmbia Register and Charleston -MesOs and
S4rier are evidensfs!of manly good sense