The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1903-10-21
The Crime of Lexington.

The execution of James II. TiIlman
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 cause
, one less sorrowing hour. The taking
of hundred such lives would not
atone in any degree for the loss Of the
one; a hundred years in the peniten-
tiary, an eternity in the hell of lost
soul would not compensate for the ab
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
citizens interest in the verdict of
jury in case in which the State of
South Carolina was the prosecutor.
Every man, woman and child who be-
lieves that laws are made to be obeyed
and not to be violated was concerned
in the result of the trial of J. Fl. Till
man if they were concerned in the
good name and honor Of the State in
which they live. Every citizen of
South Carolina who daily read each
word uttered in the court room at Lex
ington is competent to find verdict.
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 heard the evidence and the
arguments. They have seen the de-
fense abandon the ground Of self-de-
fense: they have seen them leave the
only position which might shield the
manslayer 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
passions and political hatreds as the
sole ground for saving life forfeited
by the laws of God and man!
There is just one important piece Of
information possessed by the Lexington
jury which has been withheld from
the great body Of citizens who have
heard the testimony. The Lexington
jurors knew that before the trial be-
gan the inclinations of almost every
man on the panel had been secured
and that when the case was entered
upon majority of the 10 men who
sWore they were impartial and had
never expressed an opinion were parti-
sans for the defense. That the jury
would not convict under any circunl-
stances was foregone conclusion; it
would not have found the defendant
guilty had no testimony been offered
or no arguments been made in his be-
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
opinion of the intelligence of South
Carolina? In expressing our convic-
tions as a citizen, We believe the
views of that portion Of the public to
which reference is made are given
voice. This newspaper has repeatedly
called attention 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 employment of any and every
means to secure the release of the red
handed, and it has begged the public
to heed its warnings. So this is by no
means the first time Justice has been
outraged in our courts, but never ce-
fore SO shamelessly, never before so
brazenly, n 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, corrupted, debauched her,
South Carolina is the victim, ravished
of her honor by unnatural offspring.
Well mag the worthy sons and daugn-
ters bow their heads in abicet shame
-Tha State Oct i6