The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1894-10-10
Judge Benet's Opinion.
He Deals With the 1898 Dispen-
sary Law.

The October term of the Court Of
General Sessions for Richland county
began its sessions ON Monday Oct.
lst. Judge Nv. Christie Benet, one
of the new judges, made his frat
appearance here aud he made re.
markable and very unusual charge to
the grand jury, dealing with the dis
pensary law
Judge Benet presented his commits
sion as judge of the First circuit. for
four years from February l6 last, and
had it recorded by the clerk The
roll of jurors was called, and an extra
venire was drawn. After the cou,t
was organized Judge Benet proceed
ed to charge the grand jury as fol-
lows, the charge being attenfive'y
listened to-:
Mr. Foreman aud Gentlemen of the
Grand Jury of Richland County.
Thmi the third term of court since
you were aworn in as grand jury. 1t
is the duty of the Judge who presides
at the spring term to give the grand,
Jury full instructions in regard to
their duties generally in addition to
the particular instruct ions concerning
the biAs:ef Indictment submitted by
the States counsel. And | do not
doubt that my learned brother of the
bench, who charged you last March,
instructed you fully on the duties
of your Office. In accordance with
his charge, you have doubtless made
careful aud thorough examinations
into the condition Of each of the
county Offices; and have made
presentmenf or are at this term ready
20 make presentment thereon
As the grand inquest of Richland
county for twelve months from the
fourth Monday of last March, you
have, l trust, made diligent inquiry
concerning the manner in which the
various county officials do their work.
They are the servants Of the people
You are the representatives of the
people, sworn to look after the peo-
pies interests during your year of
Office, and the people of this county
look to you to report whether each
county official is performing the duties
of his Office faithfully. efficiently and
honestly, or whether he is an uo-
worthy servant, careless in his work,
unbueiaesslike in his keeping OF the
public books and records, negligent
of public moneys in his hands, or may
be guilty of oppression and malfeas-
ance in Office.
shall ask the clerk Of the court to
hand me your two former present.
meDts that I may learn what yon have
already done in this regard, and
whether Or not you will require any
further general instruction. But
there is one matter in connection with
your county of6eials-With those Of
them who are bonded officers which
/ desire to bring to your attention.
aud that is :, the solyency Of their
bondsmen snd the soundness of their
official bonds. know that in some
counties grand juries have failed to
scrutinize: the bonds, of their county
officials, NO doubt, in. some cases,
because the matter was not submitted
to them. aud great aud irreparable
injury and loss have been suffered in
consequence. Careless and fraudu-
lent handling of public money results
in adefcit OF. defalcation, amounting
to thousands of dollars. 1t has been
going on for years, no one suspecting
the genial and popular official. The
inevitable: exposute comes. The
official himself is insolvent. His
bondsmen are sued, and, for the first
time, the bond IL discovered to be
weli.nigh worthless, and yet it may
be that his bondsmen were all solvent
when they signed the bond and after.
ward Ecama% unfortanste and fell
into reduced circumstances. Had q
grand jury, however, carefully and
closely scrntinized the bond year BY
year the public would not have been
the losers.
In neae dayssof commercial and in.
dustrial depression and instability,
and ups and downs in the money mar
ket, when the man who yesterday
was safe and solvent, today is em-
barrassed, and tomorrow is abank-
rupt, it is the duty of a grand jury to
examine closely into the bonds Of
county officers. A bond, which last
year may have been good and sufi-
cient, may this year need to be
strengthened. l charge, you there.
fore gentlemen, to take this matter in
hand if you have not already done so
and to embody the results of your
scrutiny in your final presentment.
Mr.. Foreman and gentlemen, there
ia another matter which haI,oovea Won