The Semi-weekly leader. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1905-1941, 1911-09-06
The Judge S Charge.

The Judge then proceeded to give
his charge to the Grand Jury, such
au one as has not been heard in the
Lincoln County Court House in
many day. 1t ranged all the way
from pleading supplication to a
fervent. caustic and virulent ar
raignment of the law-breakers.
His respects in no uncertain terms
were paid CourteO Officials as we'll as
Grand and Petit Jurymen who have
not stood up to the rack and done
their full duty. The Judge did not
mince words with the jury, at sew
eral different stages in his address
telling them, land waiting in
silence for reply, when discussing
various violations Of the law) that
there was q single member on
the jury who thought he would not
indict. that now was the time to
get up and be excused, as he did
not want that kind on the jury,
and placing responsibility when dra-
matically proclaimIng that If
every citizen would do his duty,
there would be nothing for the
Grand Jury to investigate and
Court could adjourn in less than
week."
LADIES ASKED TO RETIRE.
The Judge paused a moment, in
looking over the Court Room, and
asked all the ladies' present to re-
tire as he desired to talk to the
jury on unlawful co-habitation,
and was going to be SO plain that
he preferred that they be absent.
Instances were then recited of this
practice, one of them being at the
last term of court when two little
white girls, thirteen and fifteen
years of age, were brought into
court as result.
"You. gentlemen of the Jury, if
you have any red blood in your
veins. and are not chicken-hearta
or towards, will see that this thing
is stopped. | want you to COM
mence at the top and go to the bot
tom. If you begin the other way,
you will never reach your goal.
INVESTIGATION TO BE MADE
OF ELECTION METHODS.
Judge Miller spoke two hours
and the latter part of his charge
was most sensational and thrilling,
half of the court room. which was
crowded. rising from their seats
and crowding to the bar in an
effort to hear every word that
was uttered, some even stand
ing on the benches. He stated
that up to this morning, he did not
intend mentioning the alleged elec-
tion corruption and use of money
and whisky in Lincoln county elec-
tions, although thoroughly familiar
with the state of affairs as publish
ed in the SemisWeekly Leader. He
had changed his mind since getting
to Brookhayen on account of the
personal solicitation of private
citizen. He then read the law
from the Code. citing fines and
imprisonment for both buyer and
seller of votes or influence.
Conditions may be as bad in
other counties as they are in Lin
coin. but have never heard of
them, although 1 have heard,
when In various places, Of the cor
Eruption and rottenness Of Lincoln
county politics. / have been read
ling The Leader. published in
Brookhaven. for the last three
months and 1 want you, gentlemen
Iof the Jury, to ferret out these vio-
Ilations of the election laws.
One of these articles was letter
written by a farmer to Estus G..
Smith, now Sheriff and then q
candidate. Offering to sell bis vote
and influence.
When Judge Miller stated that
be was going to call the name Of
each Grand Juryman and have him
stand Zip before the audience and
make public ayowaI Of bis intention
to prosecute these violations Of the