The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1888-05-30
DO JUDGES COME TO THE RESCUE OF
MURDERS Es.ee

UO JUO0ao fSS24o ~ 4AAAS AS>SS~
MURDERS So
The ssPress and Bnnner'' Replies +,
the eColumbia Record"
Last week we wrote an editorial In which
Ke Kershaw in refusing bail to white man who
had killed negro. 1t was the first instance
Of the kind Of which We remembered wnere 2
a man for n similar offence had been putlO
much more Inconvenience than that OF en- s
ploying a lawyer TO go with him TO Judge 4
for bali, and afterwards attending court
where the jury might promptly acquirhim OF
thought Judge Kershaw's action highly com
mendable. Mind you, we did notsay that NO ,
white man hos been punished for killing
negro, but we do say that we have norecoliec-
tion Of any such fact coming to our know
Our neighbor, the Columbia Record copied
what we said, and commented on our article.
AS we understand the Record, that paper u.
aiming at exactly the same object for which Z
the Press and Banner is lnboring-the only
difference being that the Record adopts one !
other route. The Record deals In generalities
and never once attempts 10 show exactly
where the Pres and Banner is wrong.
ut is a common thing for those whom we
"call "the public TO form an opiHion OF q
"case as the case is first given in the newspa.
"pers, and to be very much astounded 70 ma
"oath take O different view. The jurymen
"act under q responsibility. Their critics,
unfortunately are responsible 10 nobody.
This talk about "the public being inferior
TO Jurors is somewhat antiQuated. The juries
are presumably taken from among the peo-
pie, and those OF our cftizens. who may at
facts, as the Jurors themselves, may formSa
reasonably correct opinion. because Juror
is under oath Is no reason or. excuse for his
returning verdictcontrary to the law and
The Records talk Of juries doing their duty.
and the lack OF evidence TO convict, VIII go :
for nothing If jury commission can draw
ajury for the purpose OF renderlnga q parucu-
lar verdict. - -. " Z. {
The Record says: y
"We are sure that every one Of our lodges
"has taken pains TO hold the scales OF Justice
"cial proceeding to ignore every distinction
"tion In life." .rr=zs.s
tence. We agree with every word Of it. aud
would 90 further and say that each and every
oneof theJudges stands the peer OF any man,
Bntfor ali that, there seems to be evidence,
that different Judges take different views OF
the enormity OF crime. Our neighbor no
doubt remembers that the railroad tratns
ago. We believe q negro and q white man
were charged with the offence. The Jury did
their duty, and convicted both. The. negro
tiary. The white man appealed; was tried
again, and con gicted a second time. His sem
tence was t.uo years In the penitentiary.
Will the Record claim that there were dtf-'
ferent degrees Of guilt, or that one udgt con-
sidered the robbing OF a train with five times
the enormity that his brother Judge considers
ed the same offence? The tracks point In
certain direction. 80.
The Record says:
"We cannot admit that our courts do not
"look with dsfavor upon the net Of killing
negroes and white foreign laborers. We do
"has ever come to the rescue Of niurderersp
We think the Court records will show that
our Judges have done exceeding little TO dis
Question UfsS s as to whether sany Judge In South
Carolina has ever come to the rescue Of muir.
derers," must be determined by dennttton
OF the meaning Of the term. That Jndg3
have given nominal bail to almost everybody
who has slain fellow-being,iwe presume VIII
not be denied. That in many cases ball was
sought chiefly for the purpose OF using the
sumo sum ~ viii not be denied. That small bail. or
ball Of any sort, has had the effect OF break
ing down sentiment against the accused, Will,
we presume, not be denied.
then we submit that II cannot be successfully
denied that some "South Carolina Judges
have gone to the rescue Of murderers.o
OF
the South Carolina Judges are not blameiess
in the matter of giving easy ball to murder
ers. - ~
/ The Record says:
''"But that there Is, or ever has been, the con-
"dition OF things which the Press and Banner
"alleges to have existed, we are not yet pre-
"pared to admit" s. - ~ Z
'Bnt no proof is brought to controyert ain
gle statement. II our brother Will produce
any evidence or facts TO show error on our
part, we will be glad TO be convinced 10 bis
way of thinking. : = !. ~ y = ;.
II is useless to deny that there Is race preju-
It is useless to assert that the crime OF muir
der has been properly punished In South Car
olina. and we believe the Record admits as
much. -, - ~, ~, - q
VIII any man deny belief that justice has
in some instances, miscarried because the 5u.
ries were fixed? 5ss,,, 81.
ror the public morals and tho safety OF the
private citizen have nothing TO lose by agita-
tion. II the Press and BdnneT Is In error, tt Z
will be easy for the able editor Of the Record,
or other respected brethren, to do the public Z
a service by showing wherein error has been
promulgated or lodged in any part OF the pub
lie mind.
Our idea is that the negro gets exact justice
when brought into Court, but we believe the
Courts have been too lenient TO white men
who have committed crimes against the per
son, -