The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1911-03-11
THE JUDGESHlP ISSUE.
SUPREME COURT INSISTS ON ITS
CONSTITUTIONAL LIGHT.
Letters are Made Public-WantCd
Newspaper Men To Publish Cores
pondcnCc i'm CasC-Thc Conway
Court.

tween the supreme court and Coy.
Blease is no nearer final solution
than on the first day when the chief
executive sent note to the judicial
department of the State stating that
ne would appoint special judges who
were his friends regardless of the rec
Ummendation of any one.
GOV. Blease has received a letter
from Chief Justice Jones appointing
+. l.. Wilcox of Florence as a special
Judge for that county to take the
place of Judge ]. G. Klugh, who is
i'll. Gov. Blease said that he did not
know what disposition he would make
of the matter.
He did say, however, that he
hoped that the newspaper men would
be honorable enough to publish the
letter from the chief Justice"
A letter which was not givn out
by the chief executive from the chief
justice, which stated conclusively
that the governor had gone beyond
his jurisdiction in making up a list
OF "eligibles" was several days ago
sent to Gov. Blease.
The following is the letter received
by Gov. Blease yesterday from Chief
Justice Jones:
Being advised that Judge j. c..
Klugh. because of illness, is unable
to hold the court of general sessions
for Florence county, commencing on
Monday. March 13, 1911, to which he
was regularly assigned, and there be-
ing no other circuit judge disengaged,
now. pursuant to section 2,743, 1 code
of law, l respectfully recommend that
you issue a commission to f. L. Will
cox of Florence. S. c.. learned in the
law, as special judge, to hold said
court"
The following copy of a telegram
received from the Florence bar by
the chief justice, was also sent to
Gov. Blease:
Hon. Ira Il. Jones, chief justice
supreme court of South Carolina:
am directed by Florence Bar Asso-
citation at special meeting today to
say that deeming it necessary that
the regular spring term criminal court
be held here next week, there being
Is prisoners in Jail, unanimously rec
ommend +. l.. Wilcox as special
judge to preside this court. L. G..
oliver, secretary"
There was no court in Conway last
week because Gov. Blease refused to
commission a special judge. The
docket was crowded. there being over
20 prisoners i'm the Horny county jail
awaiting trial. and the law requires
that the governor of the State shall
commission special judge upon the
recommendation OF the supreme
court. There were no circuit Judges
disengaged that might have been as
signed by the supreme court.
These facts were presented to Gov.
Blease and he refused to appoint a
special Judge.
ON three occasions Chief Justice
Jones recommended, according to
law, the commission of c. p. Quattle-
baum for special judge.
Every request of the chief justice
for the appointment of special
judge was ignored by Gov. Blease.
The following kilograms which
were exchanged in the controversy
are given.
The following is the telegram
from the Conway bar to Chief Jus
tice Jones;
Twenty prisoners in Jail. heavy
docket, how shall we proceed.
"B. w. Wait Secretary"
To which following response was
made:
"B. w. Wait, Secretary, Conway, S. G.
Telegram received, can do notn-
ing but urge governor to appoint spe-
cial judge as recommended, which I
am doing. Judge Copes assigned 10
Richland court. Judge Memminger
too i'll To serve. Ira Il. Jones, C. j."
The telegram to the governor was
az follows:
Gov. Cole l.. Blease, Columbia. S. G.
Received following telegram from
Horny bar: Twenty prisoners in Jail
heavy docket. how shall we proceed
| urge you to Immediately commits
sion {. Il. Quattlebaum as special
Judge as recommended by me at the
request Of Horny bar. No circuit
Judge being available"