The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1905-05-31
LET Us BE FAIR.
A Word In Defense Of the Jury that
Tried the Bookhart Case.

The Times and Democrat says that
In discussing the acquittal at Or
angeburg Of the men charged with the
lynching OF Keitt Bookhardt the Salu-
da Standard falls into several errors,
which we desire TO correct. The Stand
ard says 1T seems morally sure that
some of these men were guilty, il not
all: but there had been hard work
among the jurymen, and then, you
know, there is a sentiment among
some people that it is no harm to
kill a nigger." AS to the innocence or
guilt Of the FIVE men tried and acquit-
ted, we have nothing to say, except
that there was strong testimony for
aud against them which left at least
a part OF the jury in doubt as to their
guilt, which doubt was dissolved IL
favor Of the accused. The charge that
hard work was done among the jury
men is all nonsence. There could be nc
'shard work done among the jurymens
after they we're drawn to try the case,
as Judge Dantzler kept them together
lnder charge of a constable from the
time they were drawn until the case
was ended. Nor could there be any
hard work done among the jurymen"
before they were drawn, as many OF
them were not on the jury panel when
the case was called, and were drawn
after the prisoners were put on trial
So much for the jury fixing yarn.
The Standard goes on to say that the
worst feature OF this case is that which
led up to the killing. According to ru-
mors then current, some OF these white
men had been altogether too familiar
with the negroes sister. He remon'
strated, and in the fuss raised by bis
demonstration be got locked up ano
fined IS, while the white men went
ho,ue to tell lies to their wives. Tha,
night the negro, Keitt Bookhard, was
taken from the calaboose, terribly Ia,
cerated with knives and sunk in deep
water with heavy iron bound to him
And then somebody's poor, long suff-
ering, faithful wife was fored to 60
on the witness stand and swear to save
husband who had undoubtedly been
deVoting large part Of his attention
to the 'colored girl, when the wife
should have received all his affection. :"
Not word Of .:-,ch evidence as the
Standard mentions was brought out on
the trial, whatever the rumors may
have been before.
We heard the same rumor some.
time before the trial, but as it was
not brought out during the trial, We
came to the conclusion that II was a
fairy story and dismissed it Since
the trial we have heard another ru.
NOR that is being whispered around,
to the effect that it ws.s Bcokhardt's
intimacy with a white: woman thai
caused his untimely taking off. We
do not believe that any woman had
anything to do with the brutal mur
der Of Bookhardt, but il woman was
mixed up in it we are rather inclined
to believe that 1t was white and not
negro woman. In the trial the
State failed to prove motive for the
murder Of Bookhardt by the men
charged with his murder, and we do
not think that the Standard should
use mere rumor in making cut a
case against them in preference t.
the evidence adduced on the stand.
In discussing the case re have no
right to 60 behind the evidence
brought cut at the trial. Every jury
man that was on the jury swore to Try
the accused according to the evi
dence," but the Standard seems to
think the jury should have tried them
according to the rumors' that were
being whispered around. We have no
objection to the Standard or any other
paper discussing the case, but the dis.
cussion should be conducted honestly
and fairly.