The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1912-03-13
THE MARCH Term
GENERAL. SESSIONS
COnvenes I'm Court Room
of New Building.
HEAVY DOCKET
TO BE CLEARED
Judge Sease Makes FOrcefuI Charge
to Grand Jury Urging Increased Ed
ucational Facilities, Better Roads
and Justice to all Classes Coming
Before the Court.

Though the entire building is not
completed, the March term Of the
Court of General Sessions convened
In the new court room Monday morn
ing. The contractors made rush
during the latter part of last week and,
by great effort, were able to turn the
beautiful new court room over to
the officials in an almost completed
state. Only a few finishing touches re-
main to be made in that part of the
building.
The court organized promptly with
Judge T. S. Sease, of Spartanburg, on
the bench, Solicitor Cooper and the
county officers at their accustomed
places and Stenographer John *. Aull
OF Newberry, at his desk Several ad-
ditional petit jurors were drawn to
fill out the places made vacant bv
those of the regular venire who we're
unable to attend
Judge Sease, in his charge to the
grand jury for the incoming year.
took occasion to make some very point
ed and forceful remarks. He stated
to them that, outside Of their duties
OF acting upon the bills placed be-
fore them by the solicitor, they had
other duties to perform He stated
that the court was organized to ad-
minister justice by furnishing those
that are guilty and clearing those that
are innocent. He said that the court
was as much refuge for the weak
and innocent as it should be a terror
to the criminals. He said that the
grand jury was not only to act upon
cases brought to their attention,
through the indictments handed them
by the solicitor but that where they
were cogni2ant of law breaking, and
no individuals had special cause to
take out warrants in order to put a
stop to the evil then it was the duty
of the grand jury to take action it.
self and have the proper warrants
taken out and the guilty persons pros
ecuted
In connection with that part of his
charge which dealt with the duties of
the grand jury with reference to the
county officers and the county money,
Judge Sease laid special stress upon
the needs of education in this state.
He said that the grand jury should
make thorough investigation into the
books Of the superintendent of edu-
cation to see that the money allowed
him was being properly applied, that
they should investigate the work of
the county school trustees to see if
they were doing right by the schools
and that they were employing teach
ers with more regard for worth than
for relationship to influential mem
bers OF the community and that they
should do all in their power to en-
courage the education of the youth
of the county in every way. He said
that the superintendent of education
should be man selected for his fit
ness for the place, although, he said,
that to get n competent man to take
such position it would be necessary
for some one to take it at a sacrifice
to himself for the "pitiful" salary paid
was not large enough to command a
man Of the right calibre. Judge Sease
stated that he was in favor of com
pulsory education law, that If the
whole people are educated that the
law will be enforced and If they are
not educated that 1t will be trampled
upon. If the people were throughly
educated, he said. the criminals would
have been long suppressed.
B Continuing upon the work Of the
rBrand jury as 1t applied to other coun-
ty officers, he stated that their books
and works should be given as close
attention as those Of the superintend-
ent OF education. The supervisor,
through whose hands the largest sums
OF money pass, should have his books
thoroughly examined. In connection
with the discussion of the examh.a-
tion OF the supervisor, Judge Sease
urged that the county take steps to
get better roads. Though, he said, the
supervisor was in all probability do
ing all that he could with the money
allowed him, he did not have enough