Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1907-09-18
A Card From Sheriff w. G. QUITS.

a Card From Sheriff w. C. QUITS.
Mr.. Editor:- I dislike very
much indeed to let myself be
heard through the press but I
think circumstances arc euch that
/ must through your paper make
statement.
A few days before the annual
picnic and cue at Centre Spring
a committee representing the or
.ganization under whose auspices
the picnic and cue was held came
to me aud requested that I appear
there at the time Of the picnic ill
nv official capacity. They also re-
quested that I swear in deputies
to aid me in the suppression of
all lawlessness.. which did, and
In accordance thereto I swore in,
R N. Broadwater. S. E. Morgan,
Steve Allen and w. T. Brown, as
my special deputies on that oc-
casion.
When the crowd had been
pretty we'll all assembled, Hon.
B. E. Nicholson made statement
to the crowa and urged that all
present would comply with the
request of the company, in that
they avoid aLy aud all things that
tended to mar the pleasure on that
occasion. On previous occasions
the fagrant disregard of law and
order was evident on all sides, in
that liquor had been sold TO an
alarming extent, and Mr.. Michel
sons address to the assembly
on this occasion was especially di-
rected to the illicit sale of whiskeY.
During the dinner hour accom-
panied by one of my deputies we
made a circle in the wooes think
Ing we might apprehend a Blind
Tiger and very much to my sur
prise We came upon crowd of
gentlemen playing at cards, 1took
as accurately as I could all of
their names, apd it is Il we'll known
fact to all OF your readers that at
the Auguss term of court an in
dictmeni was handed the Grand
Jury charging some fifteen cit;-
zens of this county With gambling
at Centre Spring picnic.
There were two witnesses be-
sides myself for whom bench war
rants were issued to bring them
before the Grand Jury to testify.
1 do not know what their testimo-
ny was,I never mentioned to either
of them as to what they would
testify to before tae Grand Jury
and can only say that these two
witnesses said what l said. Ole Of
them possibly more for we found
him there upon our arrival.
Now my object in making this
statement is this, 1t is being dill
gently circulated by. some one
(and I really do not know by
whom) that 1 took water, or in
other words failed to testify to the
Grand Jury as l had stated be-
fore the assembling of court to
others, that I had made state:
ments to others that I failed to
make to the Grand Jury, and [
desire to say what 1 did swear to
before the Grand Jury, Iswore to
the Grand Jury that I came across
those gentlemen up in the woods
who were ARA nged squads,
seated arennd SD ing d blg-
Te i3es ~ were deaI ling
fasafa Ssad en- he cards we're
dealt they would use the word 81
pass" and that. Immediately in
front of each one of them who
were dealing aod to whom cards
were dealt, there was money lying.
One of the grand jurors asked
me if saw a bet made, and my
answer was no that I did not see
sor hear a bet made. I did not
see bet made but 1 explained to
the Grand Jury the surroundings
as nearly as could, and 1 desire
to state further that I have acted
in this matter as I saw it my duty
to act as the Sheriff of Edgeield
county, sworn to enforce the law
without fear or favor to any man
or set of men, that I have no apollo
gy to make to any man or set of
men.
I will further state that 1 pro-
pose to act and discharge to the
very best of my ability the duties
of my Office as sheriff of this coun-
ty SO long as I continue to be
sheriff so help me God, sink or
swim, live or die.
Very respectfully,
w. G. QUITS.
Tribute of Respect to Mr.. s.. I'd.