The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1894-04-05
A SUMTER SENSATION.
JUDGE BENET ACCUSED GAMBLING
WITH CARDS.

He Indignantly Denies the Charge from
tho Bonob, and Says He Was Only Eu-
Rsg,ng In u Social Game OF whist with
Friends.
Week before last, the Sumter Free
mau, an Alliance paper that is very
much opposed to Gov. Tillman. re.
marked editorially that Judge Benet Of
this circuit, who was then holding
court IN Sumter, was prototype Of
Judge Mackey. The Manning Times
did not like this, and said some pretty
sharp Things about the editor Of the
said paper had the following to say In
last weeks paper:
'Since the Manning Times undertakes to
report rumors about the favorable impress
sion Judge Benet has made upon our people
here we regard it as essential to truth and
to future proper administration Of jus.
tice that we should publish the rumors Of a
different character that are passing around
thick and fast. We hear that since Judge
Benet has been here presiding in the day
time in our Courts he has been almost eY.
cry night playing cards with persons known
as professionals. OF course every body has
heard that Judge Benet before his election
WuS u AOlOllOuS UuJ SlIlC0 HIS ClcC.
tion 1t was hoped he would try to mend his
ways q little. 1t Is distressing to think he
has not done so. We know that the fore.
man Of the grand jury has had his attention
called to this matter and we hope 1t will be
we'll ventilated before we are through with
it, We want no gambling Judges"
Upon seeing the above Judge Benet
In open Court at Sumter last Wednes.
day morning made the following state
ment:
L wish the attention of the members
of the Bar and the juros present and
the jurors and officers Of the Court con.
corning a matter which has arisen
since the adjournment Of Court yes
terday. 1t Is a very painful matter,
which cannot we'll pass over.
When left the Court House yester.
day evening and got to my lodging l
found in my mail a newspaper, pub
lished in this town, addressed to me and
marked In certain places, In that pap.
er l was openly charged with consort-
ing with professional gamblers Of
Sumter and spending my nights card
playing and gambling.
The charge has been made against
me openly asa Judge. have no means
OF redress, except to answer it from
the bench as a Judge. The Office l hold
means Of redress, and while it is true
that office puts In my hands power by
which such conduct NIGH be justly
and severely punished, will not USE
| this power In my own behalf,
do say as true man the charge is
| false, absolutely false, without even
the semblance Of truth as foundation
for 1t.
Gentlemen, 1 feel owe this state.
ment to members of the Bar, of whose
profession am an humble member. l
feel [ owe 1T to the officers Of the Court,
who have been 80 kind and courteous
to myself. owe it to the jurors who
are present and the grand jury who
are absent, especially in view of my
| charge to che grand jury concerning
their duty as officers Of the law. l
know owe 1t to the people, whose re.
presentatives elected me to the office |
now hold. L owe 1t to the good men
and women OF Sumter, whose kind
hospitality have enjoyed. l owe it to
the office | now hold, however inefli.
ciently. l oweit to myself and to those
| who bear my name to say that the man
| who wrote this charge wrote what was
utterly untrue, without excuse and
| without foundation. | cannot compre-
bend what motive he had. l hardly
L H.,
l know no reason whatever for his at.
tack. He must have been shamefuily
| imposed upon by his informant, or he
must have wilfully believed lies that
were told him. therefore feel that the
only way to meet the published accu-
| sation is to do 30 thus promptly and
publicly.
l cannot 20 into the newspapers. !
Will not. My hands are tied. Men of
proper sentiments comprehend what |
mean by that. Good men know mean
by that. The best way to meet false"
hood 1s to confront 1t with the truth
And this Is the simple truth: that
during the three weeks I have been in
Sumter my goings OUT and my COM
ings IN have been seen and known
by all who cared to see and know.
Nothing have said or done and no.
where l have gone would 1 seek to hide
from the most blameless man and the
purest woman. So far as that Is con-
cerned my conscience is clear.
wherever enjoyed the hospitality
of friends met good men and good
women, and while in their company |
did not see anything that had the an.
pearance Of evil or the suggestion of it.
What probably ia the only foundation
for the charge is this-although 1t
seems pltlful that have to make the
statements that follow matters purely
of private life. On twoioccasions during
these thre weeks, and only on two oc:
casions, have seen or handled cards. |
played whist in company with three
other men who are payers tn the pre.
sence OF ladies for one and a half or
two hours at time. We engaged in
harmless and innocent game of whist
with no appearance or suspicion of
money or gambling.
Lowe 1t TO the gentlemen who played
with me, AS they are charged with be.
ing professional gamblers, to say that
if they are gamblers the fact Is re
velation to me, for never heard IL of
them nor have / ever seen them gam.
| bling.
This Is the only foundation for the
charge that nave nightly been gam
bling and consorting with professional
| gamblers.
You will suffer me to say that when
assumed the gown of Judge it was
with the honest endeavor and determin.
alton to perform the duties Of that Of
nee so as to. deserve the approv Of