The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1908-10-02
PROPHECY FULFILLED
TRs Anderson Daily Mail Fad Pre-
dictsd Editorially About Three
Weeks Ago That This Would be
the Kind. He, Had Killed Three or
Four Men in His Time.

his life In three homicide cases and
is said to have been suspected in
another.
The first report received by The
State came from a passenger on the
&rain from Anderson. He had heard
the news in that city and had later
heard it talked OF at Belton and
Greenwood and the story In circu-
lation there was to the effect that
McGaha was on a, spree and hal
disturbed meeting at a; negro
church and had been shot to
pieces"
at Is q sad thing" said this gen.
tiemRn, "but never heard one ex-
preston of regret. Indeed, all per-
SONS seemed to be relieved. 1t is
an awful thing when ones neighbors
can find pleasure in his passing
away"
From Anderson came another ac-
sount and from Abbeville by long
distance phone it was stated that
McGaha and one Of the Ashleys had
gone to arrest two negroes who hal
been working on McGaha's place and
that in. q melee which followed Nc
Gaha was killed.
The following from the Anderson
Daily Mail of date some three
weeks ago, indicates the esteem il
which the deceased was held:
Several months ago Jorn McGaha,
a bully, we'll known in this part OF
the State, shot and killed George
Clinkscales, negro, in Abbeville
county. Witnesses of the tragedy
testified at the coroner's inquest
the next day that the killing was
nnprovoked, that it was deliberate
murder. McGaha fed the State.
Negroes of the Community told
the white people, though not at the
inquest, that Clikscales had told
them that he was in mortal fear OF
McGaha because he had refused to
testify as McGaha wanted him to
in certain lawsuit.
"McGaha remained in hiding for a
good long time, but was finally cap
eured in Georgia, through the vigil
lance of the sheriff Of Abbeville
county, and brought back to Able
VILE and lodged in Jail.
"And then powerful influences
were set to work in his behalf. The
witnesses who had testified at the
inquest, before they had been seen
or fixed now told different story.
They made afadavits that the shoot
ing was accidental. There was SUBJ
mitted what purported to be eth dy-
ing statement Of Clinkscales, in
which ne said the shooting was an
accident, and that he did not want
his friend Johnnie punished A
United States senator was hired as
NcGaha's lawyer, justice of the
State supreme court granted him bail,
and a member of the State legisla-
Sure went on his bond.
1.-THE case came up for trial at
AbheNf3le last week, and McGaha
was acquitted. The jury is not to
be censured. The jury had to go by
the evidence, and although every
member Of the jury may have been
convinced in his heart-presuming,
OF course, that the jury was compos-
ed Of intelligent men-that the evil
dence was manufactured for the oc-
casion, yet there was no evidence
OF deliberate murder, and the jury
could do nothing but return a YER
dict Of not guilty. Murder had not
been proved in q manner that would
warrant conviction.
1.-THE dead negro had no rich or
Snfluential friends or relatives to
work for the conviction of his slay-
er. There were no rich or in influ-
ential men or strong influence work.
ing for justice. That mythical figure
is blind, and it often happens that
she has no friends or advocates in
our courts.
"McGaha had killed at least two
men before he killed George Clink-
scales. He is now free man again,
free to go where he pleases, and tc
quarrel with whc1n he pleases.
Judging his future by his past record
it is only question of time until
be kills somebody else, or until some
body is forced to kill him.
80 far as McGaha himself Is
concerned, it made little difference
whether he was convicted or acquit-
ted. He Is as worthless to the state
as a free man as he would be as p
convict. But it makes a great deal
of difference to the community in
which McGaha lives, and to the
public at large 1t will make q
great deal of difference in the fu-
ture conduct Of men Of the Nc
Gaia class. Will they not feel, AMI
with good reason, that they can kill
with impunity and that they can
command influence to assure them
their liberty, which with them means
license?
at does not require seer or
prophet to predict that sooner or
later John McGaha will kill some
body else, or will force somebody
to kill him. And either occurrence
will be calamity. 1t will be ca
lamity for McGaha to kill q man
whose life Is worth something, and