The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1909-04-15
The PASSING OF JUDGE. HACKEf
Recalls a Picturesque Figure 10 This
State Durma Reconstruction Days.

T j Mackey, who died in a hospital
in Washington, d c, on April Z,
was printed in the Charleston News
& Courier following the announce
ment of his death. Judge Mackey
was we'll known in this section and
we have heard from our old citizens,
who were personally acquainted with
him, various stories of his eccentric
wit, originality of expression and
droll sarcasm and cynicism.
"Thomas Jefferson Mackey was
born on the 23rd day of April,
1880, aud was in some respects one
of the most interesting characters
who ever lived in this State. In
every county of South Carolina good
stories are still told over and over
again of his sayings or doings in the
days when he was one of the Circuit
judges, some twenty-five years ago.
"Judge Mackey, as boy, first at
tended the Citadel academy, in this
city, and was afterwards graduated
from the Harvard University law
school. He took part in the war
with Mexico, and at the battle of
Chapultapec received wound, from
which he never fully recovered. For
gallantry during this conflict be was
awarded medals by the Legislature
of the State Of South Carolina and
by the City of Charleston. He
| Joined the command of William
Walker, the American adventurer,
who in 1855 and ls5->seized the
Government of Mic; aqua, but
whose plans failed cause the
United States Government refused
to recognize him, and he was one Of
Walkers captains in that undertak'
ing.
"In the war between tie States
Judge Mackey served throughout
the conflict under Gen Sterling
Price, of the confederate army, and
was chief of engineers of the dis
trict of Arkansas. Whatever other
charges were brought against him,
he was never accused of lacking
bravery.
"After the war Judge Mackey, de-
spite the fact that he had been iden-
titled with the fortunes of the Con-
federacy throughout that struggle,
went in with the carpet-bag crowd.
He was elected Judge of the 9th Ju-
dicial district of South Carolina,
and served three terms in that Ca
paclty. He was man of uncommon
ability, In manner sententious and
ponderous, yet epigrammatic also,
and many of his witty remarks still
survive. He it was who said of
Wright, the negro Judge on the
Supreme Bench at that time, that
"Wright is like necessity, because
he knows no law"
His ingenious mind could alway
devise some means for acquitting the
prisoners whom he wished to acquit
and of convicting those whom he
wished to convict, or for settling
civil causes as he might desire. One
of the solicitors of that time has told
this writer of the manner in which
Judge Mackey turned loose one after
another of a batch of negroes who
were clearly guilty, but whom Mac
key did not want to convict. He in
structed the jury to acquit the first,
because the solicitor had failed to
prove that the gun was loaded. The
solicitor in the next case proved that
the gun was loaded, but Judge
Mackey got around that by telling
the jury that they must acquit since
it had not been shown that the pow
der was put into the gun before the
bullet. In the next case he charged
that as it had not been proved that
the gun-muzzle-lcaders were then