The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1903-10-14

Epreme.9 Wien q mans character is
once firmly established in a communi-
ty-in Johnston or elsewhere-can men
be found to swear that his oath is not
worthy of respect unless they be actu-
ated by personal malice or interest?
Gould three or four good men be found
in Columbia. for example, with. no
interest in common, to swear against
the good name Of any other good man
in Columbia? Who will say that Till
man Denny, Mark, Toney and the rest
are censpirators against the life Of
James 81. TiIlman? Who will say that
they are conspirators against the
good name of this man Holsenback-
this man who, to use his own words,
ssmay haye.1trotted', from the Ssate
house steps to overtake James Il. Till
man a minute or two-before he shot N.
G. Gonzales?
Unless humanity is hopelessly de.
PRAYED, the oath of five men against
another's reputation for veracity
counts for more than the oaths of a
hundred in its support. Why? Because
the cath against a neighbor's reputa.
sion, if it proceed from good motives,
requires courage. To swear to "a
mans good character is easy. How
few will refuse to give others a Ere
fcommendations'' Suppose a man ap-
piled for a position Of trust in Colum.
bia and a thousand good men endorsed
him while dozen good men denounc-
ed him as; totally untrustworthy even
when solemnly sworn--would an ordi-
narily prudent man employ him? I'm
doubtedly 1t is serious, a grave
thing, to 60 into the witness box and
swear mans good. name away, fol
the very reasons stated-because it is
infinitely easier to stain, to smirch,
to destroy. than to erase, to wash
away, to build up. It is only stating
a fact of human society, of human
life. to say that the work is done by
these witnesses as to Holsenback' 6
credibility yesterday can never be un-
EdoneAno, not by all 3Edgefeld county
and that regardless Of this trial.
Are Mark Toney and 8 Red Williams
Iand Lewis Holmes and Tillma1 Denny
and William Toney and W. j. Huiett
and M. W. CLARK men who would
lightly trihe with the reputation fol
truthfulness Of their neighbor and fell
low citizen were it stainless?,
I One more word. In reviewing this
trial. forever and forever the mind
reverts to a picture. That picture was
drawn by woman-a woman in
black. Closer than all Others save the
accidental companions of the slayer,
in the wisdom of Divine Providence,
she was placed to the slain. This no
witness on either side has denied.
She has drawn the picture with lines
su sharp that it will never wear from
the minds of those who saw her on the
stand. for it is craven, craven upon
them. She is looking at Mr.. Con
zales, watching him with the view
OF speaking to him, % "to catch his
eye.'' He is almost abreast of the
trio, "anoher step'' will place him
upon it's line, he is taking the step''
and his countenance is ''placid, "
perfectly calm,'' be seems absorb
ed in his thoughts The crack of
the pistol and the picture vanishes! II
vaprous fogs becloud the vision as
troops of witnesses follow each other
to the stand-back to it and ever back
to it, the mind of the spectator dnds
itself turning for relief and rest back
to the testimony of Mrs. Emma G.
Melton!