The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1893-05-17
JUDGE And EDITOR.
AN INTERESTING INCIDENT IN RAN
DOLPH COURT.
In Open Court Judge Query Replied to an
Article Written by Editor Gum on the
Laws Delay "A Good Showing for
the Pataula Circuit.

ordinary interest In Randolph superiC L
court, which was held by Judge Query
week before last.
That week, Editor Gums paper, the
Cuthbert Liberal Enterprise, contained
an editorial charging that the numerous
lynchings are the result of the delay of
the law and the hardness of the courts
in publishing crime.
Judge Query thought that the arti-
Gle might be construed as a reflection
upon him by those who were not famil-
lar with the manner in which he dispos-
es of business in 1.-THE Pataula circuit,
and he made some spirited remarks in
open court just before adjourning for
the term.
The Cuthbert Leader tells of the judges
remarks as follows:
Before adjourning court Judge Guer-
ry announced that he felt led upon to
make stltement in regard to certain
articles contained in the Liberal Enter
prise of the week before in regard to
mob law, wherein the editor had charged
It's prevalence to the negligence Of the
I judges and the courts in not bringing
the guilty parties to justice by speedy
trial and conviction. He said the mat
ter only deserved notice at his hands be-
cause the editor had asserted tina" Right
here in Randolph county we have seen
criminal cases continued from term to
term. We have seen these delays re-
suit in the final escape of men charged
with most heinious offenses." This be-
ing untrue (since he had been judge of
the Pataula circuit,) as we'll as serious
reflection upon the court and the good
people of the county, he desired to say
so. After reading the editorial in ques-
ton he had taken the trouble to 90
through his criminal docket since his
appointment as judge, and had found
that 173 bills had been found during his
administration; of that number there
had been no arrests in 81 cases, the par
ties not ha,ing been found; the rest Of
the cases had all been disposed of except
7, and one of them was case wherein
man had forfeited his bond. The judge
said he thought this was a pretty good
showing for Randolph county, and
Thought if the writer of said article
would investigate the matter he would
find equally as good a showing in each OF
f. he other counties of his circuit. lie
said he wished to state further in re-
card to the continuance of criminal cas-
es harged, that he had found no cases
over two years old on his docket. He
also stated that during this time he had
seen-much to his regret-partles whom
tie people as we'll as himself thought
deserved punishment, escape, While
others whom he thought not guilty were
convicted, but said it was foolish to hold
him or the people responsible for this.
The Judge said that while the editor dis
claimed being in favor of lynch law,
such articles tended to give excuse for
and Dalliate the crime, and so long as
thew were published we would continue
20 be cursed with the same. 1t was
mastery defense of himself and the
people of his circuit against the charge,
and was listened to with interest by all.
Editor Gums Reply.
In last weeks Liberal Enterprise Ed
itor Gum replied at some length to the
remarks of Judge Query, and below we
publish some extracts from the reply.
In speaking OF the article that Judge
Query referred to in his remarks, the
editor says:
In that article we used the following
language: "Preaching against it Qynch
lavl viii do no good until our courts are
revised and their method 5 changed. The
laws delays and uncertainties are at the
bottom of the trouble" And again, lit
Is l!lly 10 lnoe a .''tN0 ,,,,o,,n+gaa tn the
uhtil we nav Hi'E I'LL Ia enaadtIv
puollc thaV elI''''i' ga, a,,o ,,4aesv ~
ana spfG'y punish, ~ ~, , al We bnt
law IN "it'lHE !,,,' w. lord al