Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1909-07-14
CONGRATULATED AND THANKS

anu W tHdC ISDl eSShI-
ed by the jury of twelve men who
tired the case against the Palmers
and Belchers, charged with the MUIR
der of the Corbins last March, Oco-
nee owes thanks for duty well done
and imparitality performed.
We havo never receded from our
position that, fer moral effect, th+
trial should have taken place imme
diatcly upon the &C mmission Of the
crime, nor have we ever doubted
that the postponcment was asked
more in hope from the effects of the
softenng influence of time than in
the fear Of perpetration of a lega.
wrong by the too tNccdy trial Of the
case.
Nevertheless, VIII IN the postpone
ment was granted, we expressed our
belief in the certainty of justice and
in the integrity of an Oconee jury.
To-day we congratulate each member
Of that jury upon the faithful dis
charge Of an unpleasant duty-a
uuly upon Iue IcSull Ol WHICH ue-
pended much.
The lives Of officers Of the law
particularly those whose duty it Is
to enforce the internal revenue laws
Are to-day safer than before the
outcome sof the Palmer-Belcher case
was known. There were those who
confidently expected the acquittal Of
the defendants, others who hoped for
nothing more definite than O. mis-
trial, and still a few who held to the
belief that verdict Of guilty of
murder in the first degree could be
the only outcome. Those who look
ed for acquittal and those who ex-
pected a mistrial mistook the sturdy
manhood OF the upper portion OF
Oconce county. The jury in the
main was chosen from the citizens
OF the mountain section Of the
county. Why? The reason is obvi-
GUS. 1t was in this section that tho
deceased had most often been called
to perform his unpleasant and dan
gerous work. 1t was the defense's 8
prerogativo to select the men to try
the case, and they looked unto the
hills, whence came their hope-vain
hope, for back in the very heart and
depths of those hills there Is sturdy
manhood hidden beneath rough ex-
terror, hearts as big and true, as
just and loyal as the hearts of any
people on the face of the earth.
True, there are those in these same
hills who still hold to the idea that
it is their inalienable right to make
whiskey, and that the government
has no right to interfere; those who
look upon the men who enforce the
Federal revenue laws as deadly enc
mics. 1t is also true that others
there are in those same hills who
have higher ideal Of life than
pOtte. ing about the swill barrels and
utensils Of the unlawful distillery.
Back i'm the heart Of the old Blue
Ridge Mountains we have as good
men and true as are to be found
upon the American continent, and IL
was from these that the men to pass
judgment upon the slayers OF the
Corbins were chosen. They have
discharged well their duty; Oconec
can proudly say to them, "Well done,
good and faithful servants"
We congratulate the gentlemen of
the juries who handled the two MUIR
der cases tried at the term of Court
Just closed. Justice has been done,
yet in both cases it can be truly said
that justice tempered with mercy
was mrted out. There is not one Of
the defendants who could not come
upon the same ground we occupy
and thank the men who tried them
fot the evident mercy shown not only
in the rendering of the verdicts, but
in the fixing Of the sentences.
1t Is to be hoped that when the
terms Of those who did not get life
sentence have expired they will come
forth better men and women, and
that the one whose life will Justly be
spent In confinement will be able to
make peace with his God as his
country has made peace with him in
saving his neck
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