The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1895-09-25
COUNTY COURTS.
A Splendid Scheme to Form Offices
and TO Spend the Peoples Money.

Splendid Scheme to Form Offices
and TO Spend the Peoples Money.
Editor Press and Banner:
! see that the constitutional convention if
discussing the matter Of creating the office o
County Judge, the duty Of which officer shall
be 10 hold court monthly to hear and try all
criminal cases, except those parties charged
with heinous offences, such as murder, arson,
rape and burglary, and jurisdiction In civil
cases mp to $500 where the title of real estate
Ia not involved. In fact these judges are 10
have about three times as much jurisdiction
as the trial justices now have. Let US con.
trast the proposed system with the present
one and see wherein one star differefh
from another. 1t is argued by the advocates
of the new system that IL Will result @ IN n a
OF dieting prisoners, in that prisoners Will
not be allowed 10 remain 10 jail more than
thirty days at farthest. This is the only ar.
gument that has been adduced In favor OF the
Iisw system. Let US see II this argument is
sound; and In order TO determine this fact we
shall take Abbeyille county as an illustra.
tion. The Sheriff OF AbbeVille county gets
about 81, 300 annually for dieting prisoners, SO
II the new system will save $1,000 In that par
ticular, which is extremely doubtful, then
the Sheriff, under the new system, will get on
ly $500.
see II this 81 900 Is saved 10 the Taxpayers.
Bear In mind that the Sherjff's salary at pres
ent is made up In great part from dieting
prisoners. Then If you cut that Item down TO
$500 IAN amount barely sufficient to pay q
jaIler-to say nothing about a cooks salary,
where is the Sheriff g salary ?-gone glim.
mering. But what about the $1,000? Well,
we would say that whie lawyers @ are Patr10t,
working without pay or the hope OF IL. and
kwe hardly think that lawyer-nota petit
Efogger-could be had for County Judge for
out out saiaryEthe County Judge has 1t and the
taxpayers have not saved one cent: the
Sheriff 3 Office is an important office. II Is be
who suppresses lawlessness. arrests bloody
lecting taxes where people refuse 10 pay-it is
he who preserves order In the court room-lt
Is he who Is as II were a legion OF soldiers,
whose very presence commands ORDER and re-
be dispensed with. But he is without q sala-
ry! Tue halt has not been told.
AS TO the probable cost Of the county court :
The Federal constitution gives to every citi-
by Jury, and no one can be held 10 answer
for any Infamous crime unless on the pre-.
sentiment OF a grand jury. The number OF
men comprising the jnries, the drawing OF OF
the right TO object to twelve and the State an
co ual right to set aside twelve and twelve
com pose the jury. So in order to try case
eighteen grand jurors and thirty.six petit Ju-
rors will be required 10 be In atten dance.
FIfty-four Jurors at 81 80 per day makes S8l,
and somebody must be paid for serving the
"venife faclas" as some Of the jurors Will be
drawn from some OF the most distant parts OF
the county. And this age Is too enlightened
ior the County Judge to administer the oath
10 Jurors and witnesses, conduct the examl-
nation of witnesses, and reduce me same 10
expedite business, TO keep up with this pro
gressive age stenographer. solicitor, bail
III, in fact the entire paraphernalia or the
courts OF to-day must be supplied. NOW
speak of imposing the duties OF Judge Of Pro-
UaLe or the Master upon the County Judge.
Grant that the Master or Judge OF Probate is
ters as neither one OF these officers is paid one
cent as fees or salary out OF the tax money
the salary OF these officers being derived en-
tirely from fees collected from individuals,
Oppressive. In addition TO these county
courts the Court of General Sessions will be
holden ut the usual places OF judicature three
times Il year. The drawing OF jurors, the
summoning of them 10 court, in fact the ma:
chinery of our present courts Will De called
into service
From the foregoing we are forced reed to Their the IT.
Iudpes have heretofore performed the judi.
ciaI work of South Carolina we see no reason
wby thirty-fve additional judges should be
employee ed TO perform the same services; Inc Inc
| while court Is in session, therefore the new
| system must provide for some officer TO TAX o
| the place OF trial justiceIin the matter OF Is
suing warrants and In DlnulnS over lor lrlai,
| if for no other purpose.
Suppose party commits an olienre IN Don
uidsyille township or in Bordeaux township,
don,t Won know that those people Will de-
mond and have sucn an officer 10 issue war
rant and some one to apprehend the guilty
nariy-bailir If that title suits better than
ronstable At present the trial justice In the
towns In this county are paid $50 per annum
and in the rural districts S4O per annum.
SureIy the State q. South Carolina does not
desire cheaper men! So there cannot he IA
| ,,reat saving in the abolition of the trial JUS.
Ace office. Who will say that fifteen courts
Under the new system will not cost twice as
mnch as three under the old system?
| Another matter that should be considered
is that those composing the convention who
ara not lawyers should be unwilling 10 create
OF one stroke thirty five offices the eligibility
tO which is being versed IN law. These men
should remember that lawyers have already
far moro than their proportion OF ofnces.
rhInk of it. Each county has Master who
must necessarily be a lawyer-then there is
The Supreme Judges, the Circuit Judges, Sc
| iicilors and Attorney General, all OF wnom
| m ust be versed in law In order 10 holo thelr
| offices. Asa substitute and far less expensive
! plan for the proposed new system we Wou!o
suggest that the present plan be preserved eN,
cept give trial justices more Jurisdiction, an
| thus allow them to send fewer cases 10 the
| Court of General Sessions. And instead OF
demand for the services of forty.lhree Judges,
live would he sufficient.