Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1912-01-05
FRIDAY, JANUARY S, 1912.

ness fees and mileage shall not be paid
witnesses for the state who testify be-
fore the grand jury In cases In which
no bill Is found. II a true bill Is
found the states witnesses will re-
ceive the customary fee Of so cents a
day and travelling expenses OF five
cents a mile one way. No bill, no pay,
Is Judge Cages order. 1t is said to
have been the custom here so long
that the memory Of man runneth not
to the contrary to pay the states wit
nesses in all cases regardless Of the
jury's action. One attorney was so
confident that Judge Gage was ex-
ceeding his authority that he planned
to bring suit in behalf Of four Witness
es who were unable to collect fees or
mileage because in the case in which
they appeared-that Of Chris Hudgins.
accused Of assault and battery with in
tent to kill, sent up by Magistrate s.
S. Timer of Pacolet-the grand jury
found no bill. A hurried scrutiny Of
that 1t was in the discretion Of the
judge whether the witnesses should
be paid or not. Solicitor ]. c. Otis
frankly said he considered It unwise
not to pay the states witnesses II the
grand jury found no bill. Judge Gage
said the purpose Of his ruling was to
discourage the sending Of trivial cases
up to court. It will be remembered
that Judge Gage recently wrote a let
ter In explanation Of his charge to the
Newberry grand jury which was con-
sidering the case Of Thomas B. Fielder.
Judge Gage directed the grand Jury to
be satisfied beyond reasonable doubt
before finding a true bill. AS 1t was
thought that all the grand jury needed
to be satisfied Of was reasonable guilt,
Judge Cages ruling caused some COM
ment. In defending 1t he wrote that
experience had taught him II was USE
less to try case II, after only the
prosecuting witnesses had been heard,
the grand jury retained doubt as to
the guilt Of the accused.
Columbia special to News and
Courier: Four brass gates in the rail-
ing around the desks in the house of
representatives will be among the
more important improvements to be
installed In the state house this COM
ing week, in preparation for the 1912
session OF the general assembly. Two
additional gates on each side of the
aisle were provided for by a resolu-
tion adopted in the house last year,
and Mr.. ]. s. Wilson, sergeant-at-
arms Of the house, expects that the
Gibbes Machinery company, to whom
was awarded the contract for this i'm
provement, will get to work Tuesday
on the task. The gates will be similar
In form. structure, and purpose to the
two gates already in use in this rail-
ing. When installed they will greatly
facilitate entrance and exit Of the
members Of the house from their re-
spective desks. With just six days more
before the gavels Of the house and
senate fall. bringing the two branches
Of the general assembly to order for
the session Of 1912, Messrs. Wilson
and ]. Fred Schumpert, sergeants-at-
arms Of the house and senate respec-
lively, began to work Friday morning
with large force of laborers, prepar-
ing the two assembly halls for the
coming Of the members next Tuesday.
There are many minor matters to be
attended to, many little preparations
to be made, and considerable cleaning
up to take place. before the halls will
be In fit condition for the assembly Of
1912. In addition to the four brass
gates In the house Of representatives,
Mr.. Wilson Is having general clean
ing-up to take place, both on the low
er floor and in the galleries Of the
house. The radiators are to be re-
touched with polish the brass railings
around the upper floor and all the
metal parts In the furniture Of the
lower floor are to be cleaned anew for
the session, and things will be put
generally in apple pie" order. A
similar transformation is taking place
In the senate chamber, under the in
structions Of Mr.. J. Fred Schumpert.
Mr.. Schumpert has been sergeant-at-
arms of the senate for sixteen years
past, and that these sixteen years have
not been spent for naught Is attested
by the experienced manner in which
the chamber Is being gotten in shape
for occupancy Of the senator's. In ad-
dition to the cleaning up, rubbing up
Of the brass portions OF the furnish
ings, and other odds and ends In this
connection. Mr.. Schumpert has been
responsible for several greatly needed
and admirable improvements in the
furnishings Of the chamber. Prepar-
ations are being made for the remov-
al of the offices Of the state and Fed
eral agricultural departments, which
have up to this week been operated In
two committee rooms Of the house and
two committee rooms Of the senate.
Mr.. Ira w. Williams, state agent for
the Federal department, will move his
office from the agricultural committee
room Of the house. and arrangements
are being perfected for the removal
Of Commissioner Watson's offices from
the rooms they now occupy. AS soon
as these removals have been complet-
ed, the carpets will be again replaced
in the lobby Of the senate. the hat
racks and other useful furnishings
placed where they will serve the con-
venience Of the senator's, officers and
visitors to the upper branch Of the
assembly. Promptly at noon on Tues
day, January Q. the two houses will
be called to order by their respective
presiding officers