The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1909-09-22
Cocct

The fall term opened Noco2y Wltn
Els Honor Judge T'hos- S. Sease presid-
ing. Solicitor P. q. Stoll and Stenog-
rapher Wood were at their respective
posts. This IS Judge Sease's first visit
70 Manning, and he has already made q
favorable Impression by tho manner ia
which he discharges business HIS
charge 70 the Grand jury was clear and
earnest, without any attempt 70 play 70
popular seotimec: so frequent these
days, but instead ne endeavored 20 i'm
press upon the minds OF the jurors that
they as well as himself had q duty TO
perform.
he referred TO the reports over the
State that the criminal law was Tot be-
ing strictly enforced, and asked why
such report. BE stated that i was 40.
the Solicitors fault, nor the Judges
fault, nor the petit lury's IN every case,
but that OF witness who so upon the
stand and willfully preiure themselves
IN order TO save . friend from punish
ueat, or convict az enemy whom they
wished TO see punished. Ee related az
instance ic another county, OF this State
where white man was charged with
the murder Of = negro, and the Soiici-
tor had ell the jurors put on their voir
dire and asked the d:2ec: question
whether they would so By the taw and
the evidence and convict white Ulaa
for tie killing OF 2 negro Il the law and
evidence 50 pointed and convinced, out
that the entire panel answered that they
would not. Ee stated that this was .
terrible state Of affairs ic our State In
referring 70 the negroes, he stated that
the negro IS burden TO the white man
-:ha. it is burden on the white map
TO keep the negro straight That the
white men should convict him when ne
has committed crime, but should also
give hir ais rights in court when be has
seen w.:-cged, and ne stated IN terms
mos. emphatic that when the white men
failed 70 do this, they became oppreSs'
| ors o; the race over which they were
superiors. he stated that the negro Is
hers TO stay. and that the white men
should keep him straight
The Judge also congratulated CiareD-
sdon county upon the fact that a. this
srerm OF court there was not . single
murder case oo the docket for trial. he
stated tha. in oar State last ysar there
were about s5c or 800 killings in South
tCarolina, nearly one :ov every day u the
year, and said .has the only ,Tay 70 pre-
went the killing OF people IS to- the lur
les 70 convict those guilty. BE said tha
the certainty Of punishment Was IS inuct
"a Difference 20 crime as anything else
and that i the iuries would convict, the
IcomnisSIons CT crime would DE Lessen
ed, 10. abolished, :':auSh in his o2ic!o:
If every criminal were convicted. there
would still, 40 doubt, DE so'ac crime
Iconm!tteo.
/ There was bu, one case called fol-
Itciai, several were continued. The case
s,ried was that against John Hardy
lcharced with houSebreakiug and lar
ceny, pleaded guilty, and was sentences
70 one year OF the gang. The crIm!na
iside Of the cour; was practically owe
, before dinner, and l. demonstrates th'
truth o: the saying that az idle brs.:;
is the devils Workshop" The peop!'
were busy al the sunme. and had q
) time for Rot suppers and other devil
making trolics, hence the cour: was 20
s5urdeSed with ,hetts, fights, etc.