The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1904-11-03
CHARGE IS IGNORED
No Bills. Returned Against;
Statesbore Lynchers. .. :
DISAPPOINTS JUDGE DAILY
Bul!oeh County Grand Jury Dc2'ored
Unfortunate Affair, Sut Failed to
80 , Take Any Further
e, Action.

t., !
A Statesboro dispatch says:
AS far as the present grand jury or
Bulloch county Is concerned, the
lynching of the negroes, Cato and
Reed, will go free. The jury adjoul n
ed Saturday about noon without re-
turning any indictments against the
rioters Of August 16,
While the parties implicated by the
courtmartial testimony are very much
elated, many others are disappointed,
and the jury commissioners have init
! mated that all names of the members
of this grand jury will be thrown out
of the jury box.
Those who expected indictments 20
be returned say now that the only
chance is fer Judge Speer to take the
matter up in the federal courts as was
done in Huntsville, Ala.
The general presentments Of the
jZry have only one short paragraph
touching the lynching matter, as fol-
lows:
I'VE deplore the recent lawlessne5s
in our city and community, especially
referred to by his honor, Judge A. f..
Daley, in his able charge. We have
! investigated the matter in the light
Of information coming under our per-
sonal knowledge, and obtained by ex-
animation of e number of witnesses,
but we have been unable to find sui.
fcient evidence to warrant indict.
ments. e. -. =:
Eve tender our thanks to his honor,
Judge A. F. Daley, for his able and
comprehensive charge to this body"
Judge Disappointed.
Judge Daley said in discharging the
| jury that he did not see why indic;-
| ments were not returned, and spoke
! in such manner as to indicate his dis
appointment and disapproval Of the
failure Of the grand jury to indict the
rioters and did not appreciate the col
! pliment Of the jury.
] 1t will be see. that the jury ignored
the evidence furnished by Governor
| Terrell, for no mention is made Of It's
having been considered.
By reason Of the murder and assault
cases mentioned in Judge Daley's
charge to the grand jury at the opel
ing of court, but little civil business
! has been attended to. One white man
has been sentenced to life impriso2-
| ment for murder and another youI,s
white man for assault Of a little girl.
There will have to be an adjourned
term in December, making five ses-
sions of the superior court held in Bn.-
loch county during the present yea:.
| Action Was no Surprise.
The action Of the grand jury in net
finding indictments against any Of the
lynchers was no surprise to the people.
It was expected by the people general
ly that no bills would be found.
Public sentiment indorses their az.
ton. All the sentiment is not one
way, but the majority Of the people
approve their course.
They feel that even if the grand jury
should find true bills, that there
would be no hope Of convicting. AMI
the matter would be agitated for years
and be source of constant annoyance
to the people.
Hundreds of good men in the coun.
ty are opposed to lynching and oppos-
ed the lynching of Reed and Cato, and
did all they could not prevent it, yet
they feel that it would be no vindica-
| tion Of the majesty of the law to un-
dertake to convict any Of the lynchers,
as the lack of evidence and sentiment
in their favor woulG result in their &C.
quittal; only a few men know who
were the real lynckers and the grand
jury examined probably fifty witnesses
! and failed to get their names.
The people regret the unfortunate
! occurrence, but the crime OF Reed AMI
Cato was such that they are willing to
forgive the lynchers. They are op-
posed to doing anything that looks like
protection to the dangerous negro ele-
ment and prefer for them to see what
is likely to happen if they attempt as
sault and wholesale murder.
-h.>> Nb;Idra1 Gram aYed