The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1910-03-22
J THE SESSIONS COURT.
snring Term Convened Yesterday
With Special Judge James
J. Caldwell Presiding.

Tho REGULAR spring aerm of the
.,oneral sessions court for Newberry
county convened yesterday mornnng'
Snacial Judge James J. F. Caldwell
Of the Newberry bar, presiding II IN
The absence of Judge Charles IT,
Dantzlar, of Orangeburg, who was
unable to be present on account OF
illness. Major Caldwell was ap-
pointed by Governor Ansel, upon I. the
Recommendation Of Chief Justlce
Jones, after consultation, with 0ne e
Newberry bar. It Us an unusual anu
hieh compliment for a member OF tne
bar to be appointed special judge ror
= term Of court held at his home'
and Major Caldwell's appointment
is a recognition of the eonsplcuous
ability which has characterized MS
work As a member Of the Legal pro-
fession.
Court Organized.
When court convened yesterday
morning Solicitor Cooper, Stenogra-
. 7,her Auu, Clerk Of Court Goggans'
sheriff Blford, and all tho other OIL
soers of the court were In thear
i places and ready for work.
Judge Caldwell's commission was 5
read bv Clerk Goggans, and the grano
iurv was organized with Mr' W. H.
Shelley as foreman.
Charge to Grand Jury.
1n his charge to phe grand jury
Judge Caldwell said that 1t was not
his purpose to debain the members
of the jury longer than was absolute
" necessary. in the public interests
AZ he realized that this was very
busv and a very important season. OF
the wear with most persons, and es~
pecially will the agricultural portion
Of our people: He said the grand
inrv was the grand inquest OF the
county, appointed by law above all
others to look after the Interests OF
tba neople Of the county at large
and ID was unavoidable that they
should be kept here at least tor a
little while in order to discharge
those duties.
He said the members Of the grand
iury understood possibly as we'll as
could be explained to them, the gen.
| eral scope of their duty. They were
to pass upon bills Of Indictment hand
led out by the solicitor, and were 10
look after the public interests, par
ticularly in the line Of the public Of
ices and public buildings.
The County Jail.
In speaking Of the county Jau'
Judge Caldwell said:
Il wish to call your attention TO
the condition Of the county jail as
it has been reported to me. ACCORD
ine to the accounts which I have re-
ceived. the Jail IS In very bad con-
ditiou indeed. While there are IRON
calls for the confinement Of prisoners
Z of a. certain kind, they are re" ln
n,nnber and entirely insufficient tor
the confinement of anything hke'
frequently, half the number OF prls-
.onens there confined. And the etner
,,l.cas of confinement are so insecure
chat any man Of strength and indus
Ery with a particle of ingenuity, can
hardly find difficulty in working has
way out, unless there is a guard kept
over them all the time, and there Is
mo provision of Law by which any
guard should be kept over them. l
have no doubt that the sheriff, from
nv knowledge of him personally, and
from his public record, has attend
: ed to his duties faithfully IN regard
to the jail, but it was absolutely I'M
possible to prevent the escape OF prs
oners in those cells whose limits are
of wood entirely. There have been
escapes from the jail more tna'D on00'
and about two or three weeks ago.
YOU may recall yourselves, two prls-
oners escaped-men who were eharg-
ed with serious crime. Sometimes
the sheriff by his industry and as
tuteness, has been able % reoapture
prisoners. But that is a thing mol
to be counted upon, and these two
prisoners who last escaped-that IS
about a fortnight ago-have not been
caught yet.
$50 I insist that you inspect the
Jail, that you do it carefully, and
confer with each other and with any
persons who can give you assistance
as to the proper means Of securing
prisoners, and that you render to the