Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1902-11-19
CHARLESTON AND THE DlsPENsARY.

IL was with surprise that we read last
week an article from Mayor Smythe, of
Charleston, charging Corporation Coun-
sci, George s. Legare, with neglect of
duty or dilatoriness in prosecuting per-
sons charged with violating the dispen-
sary law. According to our recollection,
ten years ago, and for nine years there
was no attempt on the part of the "city
fathers" in our State Metropolis to en-
force this law. For years, even the
grand jury in the Court of General Ses-
sions Of Charleston county failed to find
any bill of indictment against persons
who were notoriously guilty of open vio-
lation of the law. But after nine years
of neglect, the City Council, about year
ago, suddenly awoke from its lethargy
and passed an ordinance making it a
municipal offence to sell liquor within the
city limits. Mr.. Smythe has been Mayor
and Mr.. Legare has been corporation
counsel for, the City of Charleston for
the last five years, During the last
thirteen months Mr.. Legare has been
called upon to prosecute persons charged
with violating this ordinance in the City
Recorders Court. 1t appears that 2S2
informations have been filed with him..
Of this number $50 cases had been
disposed of up to July first. There had
been 116 trials, resulting in 115 convic-
tiOns. In number of instances, owing
to incorrect information and other
causes, the cases were mol pressed.
trial. Under these circumstances it can
readily be seen that the record made by
Mr.. Legare in tho prosecution of these
cases is without parallel in the criminal
courts of South Carolina. We do not
think there is a Solicitor in the State
who can show 115 convictions out of 116
trials, or anything of a like proportion.
1t has long been recognized that in the
City of Charleston there was great an
tipathy to the dispensary law. From the
first the illicit sale of liquor there has
been open and notorious. The Court of
Sessions in Charleston county has failed
in hundreds Of cases not only to secure a
conviction, but even to procure truo
bill where the guilt of the defendant was
there have been numerous trials, and we
doubt if convictions have been obtained
in more than one-fifth of the cases inst-
tuted.
1t is not our purpose to champion the
defence of Mr.. Legare, as we do not think,
upon the face of the returns, he needs any
defence. The record in the Court of
~ .;
of the courage, fidelity and ability with
which he has handled these cases. There
has not been the least suggestion of any
delay prior to the first Monday in July
last. During July and August the City
Recorder was absent on account of i'll
health. Mr. Legare was then candidate
for Congress from the First District, and
it can bo readily understood how the
arduous labors of Congressional cam
paign would tell upon the nerves of any
man. After the election Mr.. Legare
found himself in a low state of health
and under the advice of his physician
sought brief period of rest and recrea-
ton. 1t will be remembered that he
came to Walhalla and spent the greater
part of the month of October here for
the benefit of his health. 1t was our
pleasure, along with several of our citi-
zens, to form his acquaintance. 1t was
evident that he was not we'll man, but
his brief stay here did him much good.
1t was with regret that so soon after his
return we read of the attack made upon
him by the Honorable Mayor of Charles
ton. But il was with pleasure that we
read tho full and complete answer made
by Mr.. Legare to the grave charge of
dereliction of duty. If the making of
such a record as the foregoing be dore-
LECTION of duty, it may well be asked,
what would the discharge of duty be?
give some lessons in the art of securing
convictions in the trial of dspensary