The leader. [volume] (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1895-1905, 1900-11-07
CIRCUIT COURT.
The Regular November Term
Convened ON Monday
Morning.
Judge Powell Delivers n strong Charge
Against Mob Law, Blind Tigers,
Carrying Concealed weap-

Judge Powell Delivers strong Charge
Against Mob Law. Blind Tigers,
Carrying Concealed weap-
ons, Etc.
The Lincoln Circuit Court convened
Monday morning at $50 o'clock. Judge
Powell, District Attorney Greaves,
Circuit Clerk Oliver and Sheriff APP
plewhite, with the necessary corps of
deputies, were all promptly in their
places. Messrs. A. G. McNair, Thos.
Brady, H. Cassidy, Jr., E. F. Brennan,
p. z. Jones, G. @. Lyell, Robert d. La
nier, A. M. Mcmillan and r. L. Can
non, attorneys of the Brookhaven
bar, and Jas. NJ. Yawn, of Bogue Chit
to; VIM. Powell, of Canton; X. N. Mil
Ter, of Hazlehurst, and Frank Peyton,
of Jackson, we're in attendance when
court opened.
The following grand jury was EN-
paneled, with Daniel Hickman as fore
man and Thos. H. Lewis as bailiff:
Daniel Hickman, z. p. Jones, Henry
f. Moak, Luther l.. Anding, John o.
Martin, NJ. w. May, E. +. Floyd, j. r.
Powers, w. N. Gunnells, N. L. Grice,
Neal Edwards, NJ. Dreyfus, G. H. c.
Smith, r. E. Norton, Z. r. Lowell, j.
w. Fugler, r. w. Nunnery, J. ID.
Woody.
After the jury was empaneled, Judge
Powell proceeded to deliver his charge,
the most salient points of which are
given below in the Courts own Ian
guage:
GENTLEMEN OF THE JURY:-Under our
laws, the judge is required at each
succeeding term of court to give you a
charge as Grand Jurors of the coun-
ty.
want you to understand, first, gen.
tlemen, that you are not selected in a
haphazard way, but you are selected
as the representatives of the people.
You are selected because you have a
standing in the community; because
you have something for the laws to
protect; because you understand that
on you depend the welfare and we'll
being of your county. So, gentlemen,
you see that it is a compliment-the
highest compliment that can be paid
any man. Though other offices may
pay better, there is no office more
honorable or that does more for the
welfare of the community in which
you live.
If, gentlemen, you should go into
the grand jury room with the idea of
carrying out any private malice, you
would be unworthy to sit as grand
juror. If you would, through fear or
favor, protect any man from the law
you would be equally unworthy to sit
upon any jury. You are an honorable
part of this court and the success OF
this court and the betterment of the
condition of the people depend more
largely upon you than any one else
No man who has been guilty of a
felony can be punished unless you in
dict him; so you see, gentlemen, it de-
ponds upon you, whether you have
a peaceful, law abiding people or {
county torn by dissensions and law
lessness.
We have not much money to leave
our children, but we have, gentlemen
the power to leave them a country
worth living in, country that fears
God and obeys the laws; and when we
have done that, we have given them
riches that life time of toll could not
bestow. Iwant you, gentlemen, to say
whether that condition shall exist in
Lincoln county.
LINCOLN's BAD RECORD.
Somehow or other, I do not know
how, there are more killings, more
homicides, in Lincoln county, in pro-
portion to it's population, than any
other county in the district. l am
sorry to have this to say, because you
have some magnificent people here.
Yet it is so; there are more crimes
committed in this than in any other
county of it's size in the district.
Let US see, gentlemen, if you cannot
stop this.
1t is a sure administration of the
law rather than the severity of punish
ment that deters from crime. If a
man knew that he had to step up to
the bar of justice for any crime that
he might commit against the laws of
the State he would hesitate and aban-
don the idea of the commission of the
crime. Let grand juries and petit ju-
ries do their duty and vindicate the
law in every case, and this will be a
better country than it has ever been
in the past.
MUST INDICT FOR LYNCHING.
Now, gentlemen, there is another
thing that l have to bring to your at
tention that l want you to take under
your careful consideration and make
a thorough investigation of it. We
have had killings that have been con-
fined to the individuals in the respect
i've difficulties; but now, for the first
time in many years, we have lynch law
in this county. We have had a man
II don't know whether he was Negro
or white man-as far as this is con
cerned it matters not in the eyes OF
God or under the laws of the country
we have had a man taken out and
lynched by a mob. / do not know Of
anything more demoralizing to PEG
Pile than lynch law. Sometimes When
a grave crime is committed, feel out
ragged and all that and feel like taking