The leader., 1901-05-08
CIRCUIT COURT.
The Regular May Term Con-
yened on Monday Morning.
JUDGE POWELL DELIVERS A STRONG
CHARGE.

He Thinks the Time Has Come for Some
Legal Hemp-stretching in Lincoln.
The May Term of the Lincoln County
Circuit Court convened Monday morn
ing promptly at o'clock, Judge Robt.
Powell presiding. District Attorney
Greaves, Circuit Clerk Oliver and
Sheriff Applewhite, with a corps of
deputies, we're all at their posts and
ready for business.
The following grand jury was en-
paneled, and is considered one of the
best ever selected in the county:
M. r. Leary, J. NJ. White, ]. c. Nc
Guffee, J. E. Carruth, F. B. Noodle,
Jas. Pennington, A. w. Albritton, w. r.
Cade, W. NJ. Fortner, A. B. Connolly,
N. NJ. Nevis, w. c. Mccormick, A. H.
White, J. E. Daughdrill, NJ. d. Eatcliff,
Sidney Smith, II. E. Womack, H. W.
Beason, +. NJ. Stuart, E. X. Mcmillan.
When the jury had been duly en-
paneled and sworn, Judge Powell, in
clear, earnest tones, charged it as fol
logs
"GENTLDMEN OF THE JURY:-It Is the
duty of the court under the law, at
every session of the court to give you
a charge concerning your duties as
grand jurors, and in regard to the law
that governs different crimes and their
duty in the premises.
Il want to say toyou, gentlemen, and
| am sorry to have TO say it to you,
that in this county human life seems
to be cheaper than in any other coun-
ty in my district You have good peo-
pie amongst you; but you seem to
have some mighty mean people also.
We cannot mold a court here without
there beiDe four or five murder cases
on the doset, sometimes more. Peo
pie are killed and great commotion
raised at tie time. But it soon blows
over
Il think, gentlemen, the time has
come for god, square, legal hanging
in Lincoln county. | am not blood
thirsty; d. not want any mans blood
on my hans; but somebody ought to
be hung wlo has committed murder,
for the god of the county. 1t would
purify tn, atmosphere and render the
county f. for law abiding people to
live il. Persons who have violated
the law hould be brought to justice.
"Gentemen, if wild beast should be
turned pose in the county, every man
of you Ruld be getting his gun to
hunt for him. You would be afraid
for your family and yourselves Yet,
probabl, there would not be a single
human life taken. But a wild beast
in humn form takes the life of his
fellow IAN and nobody takes enough
interesin the matter to see that the
law is indicated. Why is that, gen
tleme,? Is human wild beast en-
titledyo any more consideration than
other wild beasts, because he goes
arop} in the form of man? We
have had two or three murders com
mittd in this county by the same
man Let's see to it that these parties
arebrought to justice. The time has
core when the interests of the law
aiding citizens of the county should
bf looked after. You have a press,
wich, while you may not agree with
if N all points, stands for law and or
d.; you have a God-fearing, pious
rinistry; you have your schools and
hurches; and they are good as far as
moral suasion goes, but we must bring
little force to bear in order to correct
the evil.
5 "Gentlemen, you must look after the
blind tigers of this county. We have
had new law passed by the legisla-
ture. Something has been done under
it by the local officers but not near
enough. In spite of the fact that the
people have decided against the sale
of liquor, it is continually going on.
1t is reported that the drug stores are
selling liquor under the guise of pat
ent medicines, such as Peruna, etc.
The law in regard to this is that such
can be sold if with the right intention,
and they are not spurious orimalt LID
uors. But if the man who sells these
medicines, knows that the person buy
ing is doing so for the purpose of be-
comtns intoxicated, then he is guilty.
[ am told that more people get drunk
in this manner here than in any other
part of the county and topers made
so by such means are the worst kind
of topers, Indict the guilty parties,
bring them up before me and | will
DO the rest,
Il do not understand how 1t is that
the local officers oan permit so much
violation of the law, | don't under
stand how it is that bliud tiger can
exist aud the officers can't find it; how
they can be so blind to something ev-
ou-h Az else knows all about, The
ofBcors ora the sorry. ats of the people
Officers are the StINa
aud if they fail to do their duty, l.
your duty to indict them. 1t is your
duty to make them enforce the law
and protect you and your homes.
II would have you, gentlemen, to
look after the matter of pistol carry
ing. think next to the blind tiger,
this is the greatest source Of crime
we have. After an experience OF
good many years, am satisfied that
nine -tenths of the murders, cases OF as
sault and battery etc. are directly trace
able to the drinking of mean whisky
and pistol carrying. have changed in
my opinion of the proper way to handle
the whiskey question. | used to think
it would he best to sell it under high