Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1913-05-06
#iseellaneous Reading.
BLAMEs IT ON THE LAWYERS

BLAMEs IT ON THE LAWYERS
Governor Blease Says Prompt Action
Of the Courts Would Prevent Lynch
ings.
Commenting upon the action Of the
sheriff Of Chester in bringing prisoners
to the penitentiary on Friday for safe
keeping, Governor Blease said:
THE Chester sheriff insisted that his
prisoners should be brought here and
lodged in the penitentiary. The sheriff
of Florence recently had to slip some
prisoners around by Charleston to get
them here, and the Newberry sheriff
had to bring one Of his prisoners here
not long ago for safe-keeping;
1.-The situation in this state Is due to
the laws delays-to delays in getting
case to trial, appeals upon technicali-
ties, and delays in getting a final de-
cision in cases. 1t is getting to be a Sc
rious proposition and unless the courts
or the legislature provide some reme-
dy, fear for the results. We have now
the Bethune case from Clarendon-the
murder Of white man by a negro
four or five times sentenced to death,
and each time the sentence set aside
by some frivolous technicality Of law.
We have the case of the murder Of the
little boy at Florence on appeal on
some technical ground Of a frivolous
nature. We have the horrible and bru-
tai murder Of the two little boys near
Bennettsville, in Marlboro county-an-
other conviction with death sentence,
and trivial appeal holding off the ex-
ecution. Recently there was another
horrible crime in Florence, and a most
brutal and outrageous murder in Ches-
ter-negroes killing a white man. Now,
just upon the heels Of that, comes this
awful tragedy in Hampton. No wonder
the deputy sheriff Of Chester, the home
Of a law-abiding and peaceful people,
who seldom are aroused to that pitch
where they take the law into their own
hands, begs to be allowed to bring his
prisoners to this city to be placed in
the penitentiary, on account OF fear OF
lynching.
How long the white people Of South
Carolina are going to stand this condi-
ton Of affairs, don't know. When ne
groes assault their women, when they
burn their property, when they murder
their neighbors, they sit by as law
abiding citizens, and allow the law to
take its course, as they are advised by
the great upholders Of law and order to
do, and the course of the law Is delay,
delay, delay Negro societies take up
collections for and contribute to the
defense Of those who assault white wo-
men, murder white men, or burn white
mems property. Lawyers are found
who go beyond the scope Of an honor
able attorney, and accept this petty
chicken change as fee to defeat or to
delay what they know to be justice,
even where the issue Is between the
white woman and the negro brute.
Then, when the white people, realizing
this fearful condition, not knowing
what moment the crime Of all crimes
most terrible may be brought home tol
their wives or daughters, or what mo-
ment their lives may be taken or their
property may go up in smoke, get
aroused and take the law into their
own hands, the newspapers and others
come out and yell, "The murderers,
the hoodlum, the anarchists, take the
law into their own hands"
"I know that 1t will be charged, as 1t
has been charged, that I am in favor
of lawlessness, and my record Of par
dons and paroles will be pointed to to
bear out the charge. care not for this
charge, because the records prove 1t
untrue. I have paroled great many
people, by my record speaks for itself,
and It speaks In loud and no uncertain
terms. In very rare instances-only In
two or three cases-have the paroles
which have granted been violated. 1t
is not the people have paroled who
are committing crimes. 1t is the kind
of people who would never secure exc
cutive clemency from me who are COM !
mitting these recent horrible crimes.
When 1t comes to the issue between the
negro and the white man, the records
will show what has been my course as
to executive clemency. When 1t is ne
gro against negro, or when 1t Is white
man against white man, or when 1t is
white man against negro, the record
speaks for itself. When 1t comes to
negro placing his hands upon white
woman, or upon a white man, or upon
the property Of white man, the record
speaks for itself.
when are the courts going to awake |
to the necessity Of pronouncing their |
DEGREES speedily upon the people who
commit the kind Of crimes which are
now blotting the fair name Of this state
and putting the stamp Of their disap-
proval upon appeals upon technicali- |
ties which are trifling and frivolous,
and the only object Of which Is to de-
lay and If possible ultimately to defeat
Justice? How long will the legislatures
permit It? No man can say, but 1t can
easily be seen that the white people are
getting restive and extremely impa-
tient under these conditions. And when
it reaches that point where summary
Justice Is dealt out, those who deal 1t
out because of this outrageous condi-
ton of affairs, will not be nearly so
much to blame as those who are de-
feating. the ends Of justice by aiding
and countenancing the delays in the
courts"