The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1894-03-28
THE FRREMAN,S CHARGE
AGAINST JUDGE BENET.
The Freeman on last Friday repub-
lished the remarks Of Judge Be1es. aud
also had the following in regard there

forth the Judges remarks, 1t will
clearly appear that things r taking
the course we were seeking to have
them take, a thorough ventilation-and
of course, we are pleased to find the
There was really nc other course left
for him. His remarks are as pointed
in denial and challenge to further in
vestigation as we could wish. We
sent him, as is our rule, a marked copy,
because we desired his special atten-
ton to this matter, which more con-
Germs him than any one else. he saw
we meant what we said. The Manning
Times appeared to us to be trying to
ssboostn q Judge of its faction for pure
II f%acti0na1 advantage, at a sacrifice OF
truth in regard to his reputation in
this town and rumOrS concerning his
conduct and We believed, as we said
.sthat it was essential to truth and to a
future proper administration Of JUS
tlce'' that we should report the rumors
we were hearing of a very different
character from those reported by the
Times. We ask for a careful examlna-
ton of what we said. We do not
charge that Judge Benet actually
gdn6led here, but we do say that we
hear-that is, it was common rumor-
that he was playing cards almost
every night with persons known as
professionals, that is, reputed to be
professionals and that it was distress
ing to think that he had not, as was
hoped. mended his ways since his
elevation to the bench, as before his
elevation every body had heard OF him
a q notorious gambler. Now we sub
NIT that his previous reputation,
coupled with his card-playing since
his arrival here, with persons reputed
to be men, who play for money, was
enough to cause remark and to set
rumors flying thick and fast,
to the great hurt of the dignity
and efficiency of the judicial
Office and to a future proper admins
tration of the law. We regarded his
election to the bench a public calamity
and had found, IS we thought, that
wen his card-playing habit was not to
be abated for the sake of Judicial pro-
prieties. AS we have no personal
feeling whatever against Judge Benet,
{have no cause to have as he has so
correctly stated we suppose that we
are made as glad by his pointed denial
of the correctness of the rumors as
any other good citizen in the State
will be. All we desire is a good Judge,
q Judge not only of good character
previous to his election, but of good
conduct after his election and we must
say that Judge Benet's eager, earnest
and emphatic denial of his gambling,
or association with gamblers since his
stay here, is a help to good morals
among our people, because 1t shows
that he thinks gamblers r people to
shun, when one has been elected to an
Office of honor, dignity and trust and
that he has made up his mind to re-
pudiate such associates, in the future.
We want all of our young men to
mark this! The Judge is ashamed to
associate with gamblers. We know
that all the good people will rejoice at
this information and 1t is to be hoped
that the Judge will be so out Of the
way of playing for money and of
playing with those who play for money
that when he is retired from the bench,
he will never resort to such evil ways
again and companions of such malo-
dorous character that they are anft
for a well-behayed Judge to associate
with. Then too it is a great gain for
Sumter to have the testimony of a
Judge from the bench that the per-
sons he has been playing cards with
are not gamblers-that is they do not
play cards for money-as has been
generally supposed by our people
As to whether there was a "sem-
blance of truth as a foundation" for
the article in THE FREEMAN on Tues
day we will say that the foreman of
the grand jury stated to the editor of
this paper these rnmors had come to
him. The reporter of THE FREE
Man. Mr. PEBBLES, the latter
part of the first week of Court said
that be had heard it as a common
rumor around town that Judge Benet
was gambling at night.
The same general rumor was also
spoken of to the editor Of THE FREE
NAN (names given on demand) and the
fact that the fellows around town were
guying Rosy" about playing so much
with the Judge: 1t was also stated to
the reporter of TIE FREEMAN by a good
ClClZeu WuOSS UduJC We arc iC0uCoCCO
to withhold, but it will be given If de-
manded that Judge Benet was seen
playing cards at the residence of Mr..
D. Rosendorf, several nights to a late
hour during the first week OF Court
here!
MI. w. B. PEBBLES the reporter of
THE FREEMAN, in passing Mr.. Rosen-
DORIS residence last Monday night
about 10 80 O'Clock, saw in the open
parlor, Judge Benet, Mr.. II. C.. Moses,
Judge S. w. Melton and Mr.. d. Rosen-
dorf, seated at a table engaged in a
game Of cards. The matter being talk
ed of around town as the reporter well
knew, this circumstance was mention
ed by the reporter to the editor for
his information in the matter.
Mr.. s. A. Nettles told the reporter OF
The FREEMAN, Mr.. PEBBLES, in defence
of Judge Benet that the Judge had
told him that he had been trying to
avoid Mr.. Rosendorf as much as posi-
BILE. The Judge seemed to know that
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