Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1903-10-28
.Lexlnoson Juror Writes an lnteresiise Letter.
"Let tho State Appeal i


The following has been received from
one of the celebrated Lexis9tol jurors,
ope of the men who think il all right
to assassinate an unarmed aud unsus,
pecting man five months after cause for
anger had been given and after he bad
been thrown of his guard:
spartanburg Journal, Spartanburg, So.
Ca.
Sir--I hsye read your. article In the
columbia state which was au insult TO
Every Juryman who sits on the Tillman
case, not only an insult to that body of
men, but to the Judges who was con-
cerned in the case. you are following In
the steps of the decease Editor, "abus-
ing your liberty" wish to be polite in
this matter aud show more wisdom than
you did In writing up the Lexington
court that tried James III. Tillman. To
make my letter brief, refer you to the
annals of History when you will fail to
find single conviction of any man for
shooting an Editor. The State and coun.
sci for same was satisfied with the Yer
dict, otherwise the state could have
gone TO the appeal courts, the Masses
have accepted the verdict as fair but
seemingly the press wants more blood
which can be found by walking in the
foot prints q, N. G.. Gonzales, Mr.. Con-
zales was an able man, but unfortunately
he made great mistake by abusing the
liberty of his press, the courts have sus-
tanned the defendant by which all law
bidiDg citizens should be satisfied. If I
was an Editor and not satisfied with the
Defendants acquittal and had the grit
to follow my pen, would certainly in
vite the Defendant to Entertain me be.
yond the Georgia lines which would be
more patriotic to my feliowman thnn to
sit in my sanctum and abuse him with
my pen. In Extending this Invitation
mention above would say to my Bro
Editor LII should prove the unfortunate
one in the affair not to call it Murder but
suicide by the use of liberty with the
wrong man, now, Mr.. Editor with the
kindest of feelings toward all Editors
will you kindly give this note room in
your paper and ask the columbia state
to copy same am not hunting a contro-
versy but will assure the press that any
comments made the same will be an
swered politely.
Very Truly yours,
W. I. Risinger.
Lexington, S. C.,-10-2lst, 1908.
In justification of the statement that
the jury was composed of ignorant men
the reader is invited to note that this
man says the prosecution was satisfied
with tho verdict because no appeal was
taken to the Supreme Court. Every citi-
zen intelligent enough to sit on Jury
knows that the State has no appeal In
criminal cases, the defendant only enjoy
ing that privilege. Probably this Jury
found Tillman not guilty thinking that
If their Judgment was an error the SUI
preme Court would correct it.
This juror tells what he would do il
he was an editor. He does not happen
to be an editor, to the good fortune of
the newspaper profession. He also con-
fuses US by referring to the ANNALS OF
History" We have been unable to find
copy of that publication, but have no
doubt that this juror knows more about
history than we do, so we will take his
word for it. We print his communica-
tion cheerfully and if it will mako the
public think any moro of him and his II
colleagues they are welcome to the SER
vice.-Spartanburg journal.