The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1903-05-13
OLD RECORDS.
Mr.. VIM. p. Calhoun Makes Extracts
from Court Records of Ninety.
Years Ago An Abbeville Boys
Good Name.

Columbia, S. c, May 9, 1908.
Editor Press and Banner:
Being on the sick list and ordered not L
work by the doctor, have nothing TO 40 ou
to root" around and hunt up outofdat
matter and things, some OF which ind Quit
owe much to my genial friend, Colone
1T. Austin, OF Greenville, s. c., who holds
position in the office OF Secretary OF State
Mr.. Austin has been arranging and indexini
the old records found in d room In the thirc
story OF the Capitol. have read many ole
papers gE-gone days with great pleasure
and ha> lid up much useful Information
for future u.e. Colonel Austin has called my
atten ton TO several papers relating TO Abbe
Vile County, among them being the present
ment Of the grand jury for AboeVllle DIS
trict at the October, 1872, term OF the Court
At the suggestion OF the grand jury, the
presen tment was referred to the General AS
sembly through the senator and senior mem
shown by the order on the back OF IT., signed
by Jas. Wardlaw. C. c. g.. s. l give the pre-
sentiment in full, as follows:
"south carolina-ASSeville Tssm Ris1riGt 3s,a
awe, the grand jurors Of said District dc
present as q grievance the present mode ol
supporting the poor throughout the Dlstrlcl
and State, and recommend that poor houses
be made throughout the State, ana In partlc'
ular In this District.
''2nd. And we present as q grievance that
the Journals OF the Legislature are not Puo'
lished 60 as to give more general ln1ormston
"Srd. And we present as a grievance that
the price OF licenses for retailing spirits ls too
high, and that no one body OF men Is ooup q
hne for retailing without liceose is TOO hlgb.
:. 18th. We present as grievance tnat the
fne against proiane swearing 10 not sumclent'
ly high; and, also. that Sabbath breaking IL
not sufficiently guarded against.
18th. We Slso present as grievance that
conctahles are not held to security.
tness ouf prssentments to be published ip
the State Gazette, and cause the same TO be
laid before the Legislature at their nex'
l.. sJohn Pressly, Foreman; John McMaben,
John McClain, Edward Ashley, Andrew Nc
Comb, William Nichols, John Gray, Robert
L. Miller, William Grubbs, William Z. Ar
mold, Samuel Porter, Thomas Fisher. George
Gray
BY Endorsements It appears that each Of the
above Recommendations were referred 10 the
with what result il not known, Both the
style and the subject matter sounds queer to
the people OF this day. The grand jur!
wanted the license on liquor reduced as well
the same time 1t wanted more stringent laws
on profane swearing. and complained thai
the breaking Of the Sabbath was not sufti
ciently guarded against.
Among the paper brought to light is the
report OF the evidenc .aken 6y the commit
toe Of Investigation the Third Congress
General Assembly Of south Carolina. Resu.
lar Session 1S8S-lS69. hat makes very inter:
estipg reading, too, sld 1t sounds queer and
as II Il belonged to some age long since mn past
derfui report is signed by Joseph Crews,
Chairman. 1t treats OF the intimidation OF
the negroes at elections, their treatment gen.
eraly by The whites the 1css k9,kln1 X Kan IN.
OF "Snesk" Martin, and many other like
matters. II tries to lay the blame OF all muir
dera q. that time on D; Wyatt Aiken, Jane.
one paragraph In full, that In the face OF the
facts then existing is the most remarkable
utterance ever written. Here 1t Is:
able people in the he.world-iess roguery and
stealing than there was under the old sys'
tenn
In rambling through Elmwood Cemetery
here. I noticed foot-stone with the follow
Ing inscription:
" by the students OF South Carolina College,
, That naturally excited my curiosity, and
examined the headstone. when, 10 my sur
Aboeyille boy. I win let the inscription
speak for itself II is as follows:
:" Here lies the body of Jean Louis Finley
son OF Thomas Finley and Jeane Gilbert bis
Died in this town September 7, 1914.
He came hither in search OF knowledge,
which he loved and OF his gentieness, vir-
proud. But pious, affectionate and ardent
" his zeal was too much for him. and In bis
Junior year, when he looked forward, and
deservedly, to the first honours OF his Col
"lege, he sank beneath the unequal conflict
OF q vigorous mind with feeble frame oil
~ body"
his father, sole survivor OF an only son,
has placed this stone TO his memory"
Eis sal,era accumentum donis, et fungas
incani munere."
The young man must have some kin still
living IN Abbeville, especially among the Gi'
berts Of Lebanon and Bordeaux, that the
foregoing will interest.
- = VIM. P. Calhoun.