The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1890-12-03

Endrr the En1Hence Of Whiskcy
ATTEMPTS 10 Erass Il Railroad Tres
tie, Falls 10 t..e Ground and Is
Killed.
IT. becomes our duty TO chronicle another
death because Of whiskcy ut Abbcville:
This time the victim was an inolensiVe cit
iZen. 4 prosperous farmer, AMI the husband or
worthy young Wlie
One dIy last week Mr.. Newton Knox came
to town md rot under the influence Of high.
licensed WhiSkpy.
In leaving the village. instead nf@o,ng home
he went to Little River; where the ,restle
builders for The g., &. 81 n. were ut work.
He attempted to yak the trcstle but me
wor!tmen, seeing his condition, and Knowing
the danger, prevented his going over at that
time.
til next morning. when the trestle builders
returned TO their work. and found him lying
under the trestle, dead. His body bloody
and Tnanglcd.
The condition of his body, and other cir
cumstances, told the tale, and II sad tale 1t Is.
II left us TO presume that Mr.. Knox q; some
time in the night attempted 10 cross the tres
tie, when he fell to the ground, some tnlrty or
forty feet below.
This is n simple story, but 1t tells Of the aw
rul result. and the dreadful responsibility
which Christian people assume in licensing
the sale of whiskey, and 1t tells of the great
calamity to the household Of the victim Of
our avarice, and the dire result OF his own
weak ness.
We would not attempt to depict the ankle
| Is Of that young wife. who, In all the weary
hours Of the silent night kept anxious watch
| for the flintest sound OF the coming footsteps
| of him vino was all in all to her. Nor would
we presume to describe her grief at the com
| ing dawn Of day, when he for whom her sup
plcations had gone up, was still away. Mel
| ther would we tell OF the loneliness OF that
craZcd husband who, long distances from any
habitalion. arose IN the midnight hour-all
alone-and stepped upon the trestle beneath
which lie vas SO soon to lie c0rpes. The wife,
not ealizing yet ttrat she was In fact a widow,
| longed for the return OF him who would never
greet her again; and who was then dead on
But away with sentiment and sorrow.
What care we for the life aud death OF iel-
| low man?
We have the price of life and blood in our
pockets.
| We licensed the sale OF the whiskey solely
because of the money which was paid into
the treasury OF the town-not into the treas
ury of the county, where II properly belongs.
| Then, rs the town got the money, and Is,
ut least indirectly, II not absolutely, respon.
sihle for the death Of that young Wife's hus-
| band, should not the town DC held accounta'
| bic In money damages?
Has that young wife no redress for the loss
of her husband, which was the result of our
mercenary act In licensing, the sale OF the
>wh skey which so far crazed her husband as
which led him into n snare, and down TO
| death.
thing out OF the license fees which we receive
prives them OF their husbands, and If the
widows of some OF our victims should make
Just claim for damages, they might recover
| slight recompense.
would do its whole duty In dispensing justice
between helpless and defenseless widows and
the great and powerful influence OF Abbevilie
village, which tgoes into the WhlSkey business
solely for the money that Is In IT., allowing
consequences to individuals to take care OF
| themselves.
If legislation Is needed to protect the wiz.
ows let our Legislature nole the gross wrong
which they have suffered at our hands.
The iniquity of the whskey business, and
the fact that 1t Is licensed solely because oI
the money which we receive, may be seen
when it Is remembered that even few OF our
church members protest against the business
and some of our preachers, we believe, have
nothing to say against IT. pvt who,e Is fnere tn
does not teach the children, as far as possible
TO stay away from the places where whiskcy
Is sold? Even in the eSundny.schools, IT may
be, that saloons are depicted III all thelr ehor
nifty.
pockets, but draw the skirts OF our garments
around our person in detestation OF the busi
ness. $40
SO thoroughly are our own people drilled
against the drink habit, that, II IL were not
for the country trade, 1t Is extremely doubt
fu II single bar room could afford TO take
out license.
But when the license fees are taken into
consideration, and when the fines which arc
taken from drunken men are added, II will b'
seen that Abbevllle ma kcS an immense
amount OF money out Of the traffic In wills
!, key.
Let it not be forgotten, too, that fines i'm
posed upon drunken men, may In some IN
Il stances be equivalent to taking the very
bread out OF tho mouths OF helpless wive:
: and innocent children.
but we are not our brothers keeper: l
weak and foolish country people FAIL lntt
snares, 1t IS their own fault. If they woult
stay away from the whiSlsey it would mo-
hurt them. They go to the whiskey, anc
must take the consequences.