The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1908-11-11
AN ELOQUENT JUDGE.


UnAoa City. Tenn, Nov. 4.-Judge
Jsseph e. Jones, In his charge to the
read Jury concerning the murder 4
Rankta and the outrage Of the night
riders said:
'Tae bieod Of Captain Rankin,
which was shed upon the banks OF
Reeifoot Lake. at midnight's holy
hour. by q band Of men. alleged to
have their faces covered to avoid de-
lection. cries out for legal vindication
and the punishment of the horrible
act which has astonished the world.
Our own Tennessee and the beautiful
southland. where the purest and best
strain OF the Anglo-Saxon blood flows
through the veins Of her people, 20
mortified and humiliated by the aw-
full crime.
The law is above and over us all, to
1t our alteration must first be paid.
With uplifted hands you, as a grand
jury. and l. as judge and the attorney
general and all the peace officers have
sworn by the eternal God that II
should be enforced. We owe it as a
duty to those who have confided in us
to let the people here and elsewhere
know that God still reigns and the
law of the land survives. May we so
act our part today, and through this
term OF the court that when we hav
term Of the court that, when we have
finished life's battles end played our
part upon the stage Of action, we can
feel that we have contributed our
mite to the glory Of our country, the
preservation of our free institutions
and the holding aloft the pure. white,
spotless banner Of the law. When the
infdel. Emperor Julian, in the early
days OF our blessed Christianity, was
nghfing the army Of the lowly Naz-
arene and seeking to demolish the
Christian religion, he received, 1t is
aid fatal wound in the side from
he shafts Of the Christian forces, and
as his body swayed and was failing to
the ground. we are told that he caught
handful Of blood from his own
bleeding side and threw 1t in the sun
light toward heaven, and with his ex-
piring breath cried out, %! Nazarene.
thou hast conqered at last
In the name Of the law and Chris
,.anity and our great civilization, may
we by strict adherence to duty, call
e." any an erring man back to the shin
.li5 path Of obedience, to the better
I'ctst's q; the human heart, and hear
the cry '",vi the sw cling bosom OF
III people th.: t.. law has conquered
1t last.
TEose - times t.at try mems
Souls. None b; & the just. faithful and
true need - 'ie to take front rank in
the great mDral struggle for the su-
premacy OF the law. Ir the fixht be-
tween good and evil. right and wrong.
law ard anarchy: between those who
oattle In the open and those who hide
their faces. to DO their devilish work,
lagsards. towards. shrinking, timid,
timers ervers. are not wanted. and will
not rise to tho occasion.
Let duty and patriotism be the OBJ
Jects OF the clarion call to juries, Of
ficers and people. II there be those
anywhere in the jury box. or in the
official family. from judge. attorney
general, sheriff. Justice or constable
who are unwilling to meet the highest
obligation OF duty. let him here ana
now resign. and take c~ shc ,obes OF
ONCE and hide his foe in shame. The
spirit OF Jackson urges officials every
where in these critical days To utter
and act upon the sentiment that law
and order must and shall be pre-
served