The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1903-09-30
.BUCHANAH'S FINE
ITALIAN HAND.
Chief Justice Pope Makes Public
Certain Correspondence
On the Subject of the Appoint
ment of Judge Townsend,
Judge Gary Being Substituted Later TO
Preside at Tillman Trial.

Columbia, Sept. 24.-There has been
a great deal said and written about
the assignment of Judge Townsend to
hold the Lexington Court at the time
be was to have held Court at Wins
boro, under previous appointment.
Chief Justice Pope. who made the ap-
pointment of Judge Townsend, has
written a letter about the matter to
Mr.. A. S. Douglass, the senior at
torney at the Winnsboro Bar, and Mr.
Douglass has given the letter to the
press It reads as follows:
'Newberry, Sept. %, 1903.-A. S.
Douglass, ESQ.,, Senior Member of the
Winnsboro Bar, Winnsboro, S. c.
Ny Dear Sir: To allay all misconstruc-
tion of the acts of two members of the
Winnsboro Bar, I enclose you copies
Of the telegrams of Judge Buchanan
and of the letter of Joseph E. Nc
Donald, to wit: Copy of telegram of
Judge Buchanan, dated Winnsboro,
September Il:
& Hon. Y. j. Pope, Spartanburg,
S. c., care T. r. TRIMMER, Clerk Of
Court: j. E. Mcdonald, Esq, wrote
you to Newberry Saturday, saying
unanimous desire of Winnsboro Bar
that special term be held third Mon
day in October. Regular term be
called off. O. W. Buchanan.
ssThis telegram I received on the
morning Of Monday, the 18th inst,
before heard the argument of Solici-
tor Thurmond: A copy of letter of
Joseph E. Mcdonald, which I receiv-
ed on the evening of the 18th inst, on
my return to Saluda, n. G., on the
same day I received Judge Buchanan's
telegram, to wit:
60 .Winnsboro, September 19, 1903.
Hon. Y. J. Pope, Chief Justice, Su-
preme Court, S. C., Newberry, S. G.
Dear Judge: It has been published
in the newspapers that Judge D. A.
Townsend has been assigned to hold
the term of Court for Lexington
County commencing on the 2lst inst,
owing to the inability of Judge Gage,
who has been and still is in1isposed.
Under the regular assignment c,ade
last December, Judge Townsend wc1i5
have been the presiding Judge a.
our term for Fairfield, which also
commences the 21st inst, next Mon
day week. The members of our Bar
are uncertain in the premises whether
or not our regular term Will be held,
inasmuch as it has not been announc-
ed whether or not some one will be
assigned to hold our Court at the time
mentioned. We have a full docket,
and it will be impossible to have all
the cases disposed of at the regular
term. In this condition of uncertainty
I think it is the unanimous wish OF
our Bar that in the event Judge Town
send will not be here, the regular term
go by default as it were, and that we.
be allowed to have special term for
four weeks, beginning the third Mon
day in October. Will you, therefore,
kindly let me know if any one will be
assigned to hold our regular term?
We would prefer the special term.
Yours very truly,
j. E.. Mcdonald.
ssI made or passed no order on the
14th inst, but did pass an order on
the 18th inst, as recall the date. l
may add that both Mr.. Mcdonald
and Judge Buchanan desire that l
make public the respective papers ad-
dressed by them to me. Very respect
fully, your obedient servant.
"Y. j. Pope.''
It is to be noted that the order as
signing Judge Townsend, who was to
have held the Winnsboro Court, was
dated September 1, and that the mo-
ton objecting to his holding the Lex
ington Court, in view Of his Wins
boro appointment, was argued at Spar
tanburg, Monday, September Il, after
considerable publicity. The follow
ing telegram was not incorporated IN
the letter of Chief Justice Pope, but
was telegraphed from Winnsboro to-
night, to be used in completing the re-
cord. The telegram was sent before
any decision was announced by the
Chief Justice.
Telegram to Chief Justice Pope from
J. E. Mcdonald:
Winnsboro, S. c., September Is,
1903. To the Hon. Y. j. Pope, Saluda,
N. c.: My letter not intended to con-
vey wish of Bar for special term, ex-