Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1908-07-14
making four murder cases on the
docket at the nresent time

making four murder cases on the
docket at the present time.
The effectiveness Of the work Of the
court, he said, depended very largely
upon the spirit and energy with which
the grand jury entered upon it's duties.
While 1t Is true that the grand jury
does not render verdicts, still it eXer-
cises a tremendous influence on the
moral tone of the whole court, and IL
it enters upon its work with the right
kind Of zeal it quickly inspires every
body else connected with the court with
an unfiinching determination to dis
charge their whole duty. The grand
jury also is a most powerful institu-
ton in the creation of public senti-
ment. Public sentiment is nothing
more than the preponderance Of right
opinion. 1t is in the power Of the
grand jury to build a healthy public
sentiment just as a house Is builded,
and as public sentiment Is at the bot
tom Of the enforcement Of all laws, in
order to secure the greatest effective
ness in its work, the grand jury must
do all 1t can in the upbuilding Of pub
lie sentiment.
There is no question Of the fact that
the prevailing crime in this Sixth judi
cial circuit is murder, and this Is a sad
commentary on the degeneracy Of what
was once the best people Of the state
I say best people advisedly for this
section was settled by Scotch Irish,
who feared their God, observed the
laws, paid their debts and spoke the
truth. But now the crime Of murder
has grown so common among us that
it hardly eXcites comment. During his
present trip over the circuit, he said he
had made it point to inquire partic-
ularly into the murder record Of the
various counties during the past ten
years. Examination Of the Fairfield
docket showed that there had been
forty-five murder trials in that county.
In Lancaster county there had been
forty-siX trials, and in Chester county
there have been forty-six trials. In
York county the docket shows a rec
ord Of fifty-five cases Of murder. OF
these twenty-six cases resulted in con-
victions- and twenty-nine resulted In
acquittals.
For the the entire district the record
Is 1876 cases Of homicide. This is a
fearful record When we inquire as
to the cause, one man says that the
trouble lies in the failure Of the juries
to do their duty. Another man blames
it on the judges. Still another says
liquor ard another says, pistols.
f1eIe Is Tie IcCOIu nave 6lNCh q
great deal Of careful thought to the
you where the trouble lies. Can
didly l do not know. But l will tell
you that there can be no Improvement
in this condition until there is change
in public sentiment. The time was
when the news Of murder had the eff
feet of an electric shock. People were
dumfounded by it. They were i'm
pressed the same as they now are when
they hear Of a rape. Public sentiment
is strong against the crime Of rape and
that is why the offense Is no more
common than it Is. You must build
up the same sentiment against murder
that you now have against rape, and
against arson.
This murder question goes down to
the very foundation or our civilization.
There can be no genuine progress, no
advance to higher things so long as
there Is such loose and compromising
sentiment on the murder situation.
Desirable settlers will not come In
here from elsewhere. They will not
risk their lives and fortunes and hap
piness among a people who hold hu-
man life in such light regard.
This was intended to be a country
Of law and order. Our fathers won 1t
by shedding their blood on numerous
battlefields and they bequeathed 1t to
us as a heritage of law, order and JUS
tice, or happiness. We have degener-
responsibility that has fallen upon US.
This heritage must be reclaimed.
What I want you to do Is to create a
sentiment that it is a most infamous
thing to kill a man, and when you
have created that sentiment this reign
of murder will stop, our country will
be restored to law and order. Now
am done.
The first case taken up was that of
the State VS.. Hope Gilmore charged
with murder in the killing Of an II
year old boy in Fort Mill township re-
Gently. The trial developed criminal
carelessness, but no malice and the
Jury returned a verdict Of manslaugh-
ter. Gilmore was sentenced to eigh-
teen months on the chaingang or In
the state penitentiary.
Pinck Smith, colored was convicted
of housebreaking and larceny, and
sentenced to three years in the peni-
tentiary. He broke into a hunting
lodge in the Point section Of the coun-
ty last March, and stole fine gun and
some other articles.
Sam Robinson, colored, was tried on
the charge Of shooting into a shanty
car near Hickory Grove some weeks
ago, and Of carrying concealed weap-
ons. The verdict was not guilty
Clarence Jeter was tried on the
charge Of assault and battery with In
tent to kill, and carrying concealed
weapons. The jury brought In a YER
dict Of guilty and the court imposed a
sentence of eighteen months.
Ella Bell, alias Ella McAliley, plead
guilty to larceny and was sentenced to
one year.
Upon the convening Of court this
morning, John Davie pleaded guilty to
the charge of gambling and was SEN
fenced to pay a fine Of $25 or serve
thirty days on the public works.
The next case taken up was that OF
the State VS.. Lawrence Marley, charged
with the murder of John Warlick In
Yorkville on April 4, last. The de,
fendant is represented by Thomas r
McDow, Esq. assisted by John r.
Hart, so. The jury is as follows: R.
H. Cornwell, foreman; ]. E. Young
blood, D.. F. Jackson, ]. A. Forsythe
E. L. McElhaney, M. S. Carroll, w: W
Whitesides. V. B. Blankenship, j. j.
Ormand. B. F. Bennett, ]. M. Camp
bell. J. L. Garrison.
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