Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1898-09-15
Grand Jury Presentment.
STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA
GOINlLN, nIN nCONLrLr

COUNTY OF OCONEE.
TO His Honor, j. G. Klugh, Presiding
Judge:
We, tho grand jury, beg leave to sub
init tho following general prcsontment
At previous terms of the Court We Lave
made our report OH tho condition of all
tho county offices, except that of the
Office of tho County Board Of Commits
siOnerS.
From time to time reports and com
plants have come to us that thore
was something wrong in the County
Commissioners Office, and, at the sug-
gestion Of tho Presiding Judge, at tho
last summer term, we haye engaged the
services of VIM. j. Stribling, ESQ, to
mako an examination of that Office for
us during the recess in the Court We
beg to submit herewith his report to us
and mako it part of this prcsentment.
In addition to what he has said in
.oforonco to deficiencies and tho indobt-
cdncss Of our county, wo call attention
to the fact that tho recent heavy rains
have washed away or injured a number
of tho important bridges of tho county,
tho repairing and rebuilding of which
will inevitably run tho deficiencies much
beyond his calculations. Our County
Boards of Commissioners and County
Supervisors should not DO expected to
mako brick without straw"
We know we aro not rich as a county,
but wo arc surely ablo to pay our county
officials the small salaries which tho law
provides for them, as we'll as other our
honest debts. Wo feel that VIC of the judi
Cial branch of tho government arc power
less to forco tho Legislative, but we hope
your Honor will direct the service of a
copy of this report on our membcrs of tho
Legislature in order that thoy may soc
that we arc determined to do our utmost
to direct tho attention Of our people to
those who arc really responsible for this
state of affairs.
We desire to call the Courts attention
to the fact that it has been reported to
us that Magistrate James White has ON
ploycd as Ills constable ono W. V. Holden
to whom ho issues warrants in blank and
permits tho said constable to fiji out the
warrants ut his own pleasure. This prac-
ticc seoms to have kept his community
much stirred up with frivolous cases, scrY-
ing no good purposes, but putting foes
in tho cOnstablo's pocket to which
ho should not bo entitled. If this prac-
tico is not stopped VIC recommend that
this magistrate be removed from Oflicc
or indicted for malfcasanco in office. In
THIS connection Wo also recommend that
each magistrate in tho county confno
himsclf in tho issuance of warrants to
his own section Of the county, as nearly
rs ho can, unless the applicant for war
rant can give some satisfactory reason
for applying to magistrate out of his
cnctiop.
Wo desire specially to call tho Courts
attention to tho fact that Sam Wilbarks,
who was convicted at the last torn Of
this Court of "mam laughter" without
recommendation to moroy by the jury
who convicted him, and who was sen
tonccd to throo years confinement at
hard labor on the public works of tho
county or in tho State ponitontiary, was
practically tIrnnh lnoso or The county
almost boforo the Court at which he was
sentenced adjourned. Some mombcrs of
ais jury havo scon him riding about tho
county in buggy with di}fcront NOM
bers of his family. We arc informed that
he frequently COOS homo and spends