The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1910-03-05


From The Daily Item, March B.
There was falling off In the
crowds at the court house yesterday.
Some have mentioned the big court.
meaning the criminal court. If the
crowds have anything to do with
making court big court" the no.
lice court now in session in Sumter
deserves that distinction. 1t certainly
could not be much larger, the cana.
city Of the court house will not per-
mit.
There has been a marked change
In the expressions Of many who are
attending the court. At first many
good citizens thought the matter
would be farce, and that it was a
matter Of impossbility for the pro-
hibition law to be enforced. That be-
lief no longer exists. All men, good
and bad, are beginning to know thai
there is such thing as enforcing the
law, and having healthy public sem
timent in favor Of law and order.
There is a marked change in the
defendants also. When first arrested
some seemed to take the matter as a
joke and tried to laugh i. off. Some
thought that it would just advertise
their business, possibly. and let peo.
PIE know where booze could be had.
The smiles have left their faces and
they are looking the stern facts in the
race. Some see chaingang sentences
and stripes before them. They see the
disgrace staring them in the face
and they tremble.
This weeks work on the part of the
city authorities has been one full of
good, both for the town and for the
young fellows who were being led eff
by the desire to make what they were
pleased to term easy money. Some
who have been hauled before the har
CT Justice were just beginning a career
;r CRIME and this will be a lesson 70
them. They have been made to feel
ehe slrong hand Of the law, and in the
future they will be found following
honorable business rather than wear
the stigma Of being an ex-convict
Considerable time was consumed IN
getting jury for the trial of the
Charles Lawrence case, which was set
FOR Immediately after the dinner
hour. Lawrence is a negro boy about
lS or 20 years Of age. He employed
as counsel two negro lawyers, John
Adams, of Manning, and M. ]. Fred
erick, Of the local bar.
In drawing the jury eighteen names
were put in the hat and drawn out.
The following is the drawing:
r.. X. Wilder, accepted. Z
w. A. Brown, defendant objects.
L. w. Folsom, accepted.
w H. Yates, defense objects. /
E. K. Friar, defense objects.
j. H. Levy, city objects. J
j. M. Chandler, defense objects.
NJ. Levi, city objects. \
Sam Sanders, accepted. Il
E. T. White, defense objects.
L. W. Jenkins, city objects.
A. H. Wilder, accepted.
W. F. Shaw, defense objects.
George Foxworth, accepted. '
L. p. Lyman, accepted.
{. c. Beck, city objects.
j. d. Blanding, city objects.
upon the reconvening Of court all
the jurors were in their places. but
Mr.. Lyman being unwell, asked to be
excused. Upon consent Of counsel on
both sides the case went to trial with
the other five gentlemen acting as
jurors. Mr.. r. X. Wilder was appoint
ed foreman.
The first and only witness calleld
was Detective Connor, who worked
up the case. Mr.. Connor testified that
he went into Mr.. Scotts store. near
the freight depot, and asked a negro.
named House, or Reese, if he had any
"hlskey. The negro told him he did
not have time to get him any. but
that he would get a fellow to bring
nm some. Reese went out. In a
short while Charles Lawrence came
IN and said, "Are you the man who
wants a quart of whiskey?" Mr.. Con-
nor told him that he was and Law.