Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1903-10-20
What the Columbia State Has to Say
of the TilIman Verdict.

What the Columbia State Has to Say
of the TiIIman Verdict.
The execution Of James H. Tillman
for the assassination Of N. G. Gonzales
would have carried no comfort to the
relatives of the martyred editor Of the
State: would not have ameliorated
their sense of personal loss or caused
one less sorrowing hour. The taking
Of hundred such lives would not
atone in any degree for the loss Of the
one; a hundr4 years in the peniten-
tiary. an eternity: in the hell Of a lost
soul would not compensate for the abb
sence of him who was so foully done to
death Just nine months ago. That Is
their personal viewpoint.
But every citizen Of South Carolina
worthy Of exercising citizenship, had q
citizens interest in the verdict OF a
iury in a case in which the state OF
South Carolina was the prosecutor.
Every man, woman and child who be-
lieyes that laws are made to be obeyed
and not to be violated was concerned
in the result of the trial Of j. II. TILL
man If they were concerned In the
good name and honor Of the state IN
which they live. Every citizen or
South Carolina who daily read each
word uttered in the court room at Lex
ington Is competent to find a Verdlct.
On one point these readers of evidence
have been at disadvantage: they could
not test the witnesses by their appear
ance and demeanor on the stand, but
their failure to do so was entirely IN
favor Of the defense, the men and wo-
men who testified for the prosecution
being admittedly unimpeachable.
The citizens Of South Carolina who
read have the evidence and the argu-
ments. They have seen the. defense
abandon the ground Of self-defense;
they have seen them leave the only po-
sition which might shield the man.
SLAYER from the charge Of murder
abandoning it because it was untena-
BILE and then, practically admitting the
malice and the assassination, they have
seen them appeal to the lowest pas
sions and political hatreds as the sole
ground for saving a life forfeited og
the laws of God and man!
There Is Just one important piece OF
information possessed by the Lexins-
ton Jury which has been withheld from
the great body of citizens who have
heard the testimony. The Lexington
jurors knew that before the trial pc
gan the inclination of almost every
man on the panel had been secured,
and that when the case was entered
upon a majority Of the twelve men VINO
swore thev were impartial and had
never expressed an opinion were partl-
sans for the defense. That the jury
would not convict under any clrcum-
stances was a foregone conclusion; IL
would not have found the defendant
guilty had no testimony been oHered
or no arguments been made In MS pc
half. And the county Of Lexington
must forever bear the shame of mon
strous crime committed against our
system of government.
But what is the verdict of the public
Jury, the free and unpurchasable opln-
ion of the intelligence of South Caro-
lima? In expressing our convictions as
citizen, we believe the views OF that
portion of the public to which REFER
ence is made are given voice. This
newspaper has repeatedly called atten-
ton to the miscarriage of justice IN
this state; it has often seen evidence
of tampering with the juries and Of
sharp practice by attorneys, the en-
ployment of any and every means to
secure the release of the redhanded
and it has begged the public to heed Its
warnings. So this is by no means the
"a outraged
orr courts. but never before so shame
lessly, never before so brazenly, In the
full light of day. have the men sworn
to guard, to shield and to honor that
representation of public virtue holding
the scales of justice. SO defled' cor
,rlnted. debauched her. South Carolina
is the victim, ravished of her honor by
unnatural offspring. Well may the
worthy sons and daughters bow their
heads in abject shame.-Columpla
State.