The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1899-05-24
STILL IN COURT.
But it Does Seem to be Time TO Let
up on Bullock.


The Press and Banner would neither min
faults of the State.
But If the great State OF South Carolina has
not for one year and half inflicted upon
one of the humblest, as well as one OF the
weakest Of Its citizens. greater mental agony
than was ever Inflicted upon the body OF Sam
Hose, the Georgia negro hend, who SO recent
ly died at the stake, then we are In error.
The knives as they pierced his flesh, and the
flames as they enveloped bis body were
when compared to Bullock's tortures for the
last eighteen months-pleasing sensations
and delightful dreams.
The world has been shocked by the story OF
the tortures OF Sam Hose, and hands In all
parts of this Christian land have gone up In
holy horror at the sufferings which he endur-
But right here in Abbeville. we have bad a
greater sufferer, and Notwithstanding the
pains to which William r. Bullock and his
kindred have been subjected TO for eighteen
months, no voice has been raised In their
behalf.
Possibly Bullock deserves no sympathy
and possibly he deserves indescribable tor.
lures for an indefinite time. That belief can
be settled in the mind OF each citizen.
In the Bigning OF pay-certidcate for rev
dollars. which the county owed, there was q
lack Of hewing TO the line as prescribed by
the law. For this lack of obedience TO the
law and for the non observance of proper
official conduct William r. Bullock deserved
TO be punished. He deserved prompt and
y.
ment should have been according to, or under
the forms of law. He did not deserve tor.
ture for eighteen months, with the threat OIL
punishment, which threat was more cruel
For eighteen months, Bullock has been
kept on The spit. Failing time and again TO
convict him, the State at each term OF the
court has come at him from different direc.
tion, or by another course, or by renewed
attack on the old line. His attorneys parried
each blow, until the Circuit Judge set aside
the proceedings and threw the case out oi
court.
From the judgment of the circuit court
the State OF South Carolina appealed to the
Supreme Court In It's effort to still further
punish the citizen whom 1t had 80 long unre-
AS far as this editor can now recall, the
State has never 80 persistently pursued any
offender, and we do not now recollect OF any
other case from this county In which the
State has appealed. Ordinarily, when the
State fails to make out It's case or falls to con
vict, prosecution is abandoned. But In Blu J.
locks case the State has repeatedly failed,
and still pursues him.
For eighteen months the State has been
threatening to take from him the office to
which the people elected him.
For eighteen months the State has held
over his head the most serious charges:
10 the efforts TO convict him considerable
atten ton OF the court has been required, an d
the county has been put to an expense which
would be hard to estimate with any degree OF
on the other hand, besides suffering tor
lures which would drive the average man
mad. and make him q At subject for The In
sane asylum, Bullock has been compelled TO
pay large sums In attorneys fees and other
ex penses.
And SO 1t is, the State of South Caro-.
lima, while not bei1R able to put him out OF
office. has compelled him TO e1pend the pro.
fits Of the Office, defending himself from
the charges which the State Itself has brought
The State can always afford to be magnani.
nous. 1t should never be cruel and malig-
nant.
Believing that the State Of South Carolina.
If appealed to, would abandon further pur-
suit Of Bullock, we respectfully suggest that
hts attorneys make the application:
The Solicitor has gained bis legal point be-
fore the Supreme Court. and may now with
grace let the matter stop. He has nothing
personally against Bullock, and therefore
has no feeling in the case. except the dis
But, If the State thinks Bullock, in pain
Of mind, and expense Of time and money,
has not suffered enough, then we hope that
the grand jury may refuse to allow the State
to use It's machinery TO oppress the citizen. en-.
that Bullock, because Of his act-when possi-
bly, maudlin drunk-has not already suffered
sufficiently in mind and estate, II Is TO be
ty would be willing to convict him, and thus
inflict q penalty which is 80 disproportlon ed
to the amount of money that caused the pros
ecution. Let the petit jury not forget that In
the excitement OF the chase the hunter may
forget to be merciful.
Bullock has been tortured for long time,
as no other man has suffered for like offense.
The State should be satisfied. The penalty.
If Bullock Ia convicted, means the taking of
his office from him. The State has already
deprived him Of the profits OF the office for
eighteen months.
We have had enough OF this to satisfy any
reasonable demand for even cruel treatment
and for the credit and honor OF Abbeville
county we hope that Bullock's persecution
may cease.
If Bullock, instead Of i'm properly and un-
lawfully, signing pay certificate for sum
which is too trifing to talk about, had taken
a shot gun and shot the life out of somebody
he could have gone before Judge of this
State, when it is likely he would been releas-
ed on 81 500 or 2,5OO bond for his appearance
at the next term Of the court. which would,
in all probability, have acquitted him. And
so 1t is, the signing Of $3.50 pay certificate has
given more trouble than would arise from
the average case of cunning for citizen who
needed killing.