The Lancaster news. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, 1913-03-11
SPRING TERM OF
COURT IN SESSION

Opened Yesterday Morning
With Judge Gary on the
Bench-Charge to Grand
Jury-Number of Minor
Cases-Sistare Case Being
Tried This Afternoon.
The March term of the circuit
court for this county convened
Monday at 10 o'clock, with
Judge Frank B. Gary presiding.
Solicitor j. X. Henry and Court
Stenographer Harry McCaw
were on hand.
This is the first time Judge
Gary has presided in this coun-
ty, having been recently elect
ed to fill out the unexpired
term of Judge Klugh, deceased.
But before his election he had
presided many times as special
judge. He has also had much
legislative experience, having
served sveral terms in the low
er house from Abbeville county,
being at one time speaker of
the house. He has also been
United States senator.
Judge Gary;s charge to the
grand jury was business-like
and to the point. He said he
had no doubt but that a part of
the grand jury at least had been
instructed by his predecessors
as to their duties but as these
were important it would not be
amiss to hear of these duties
again. He stressed the fact that
the affairs of the county, it's
officers, finances, roads and
public buildings were in charge
of the grand jury and if there
was anything wrong with any
of these it was primarily the
fault of the grand jury. The
nature and effect of the oath
taken by them was commented
upon. If any member of the
jury knew of his own personal
knowledge and through infor-
nation derived from others of
.lny violations of law, it was the
Sworn duty of such juror TO
make it known. That the way
to vindicate the law and protect
society was to punish crime.
He advised the frequent ex-
animation, by experts if neces-
sary, of the books of the var
ious county officers. That no
honest official would object to
this, but should gladly seek
such examination, that no off
cial, as a usual thing, started
out to do wrong, but usually
went wrong by being careless.
His Honor told the jury that
the three most potent causes of
crime were blind tigers So
called liquor, pistols and ignor-
ance and that it was the duty of
the grand juries of the differ
ent counties to take such action
as would correct these evils.
The rot-gut blind tiger stuff
should not be dignified with the
name of liquor. That you
would usually find a man with
such stuff in him carrying a
cheap kind of pistol ready to
deal out death and destruction
in his path.
The third potent influence, as
His Honor states, is ignorance.
An intelligent, educated citizen
ship will see to it that the laws
are enforced, but if they are
ignorant and have low ideals.
crime will be the order of the
day. The judge said that he
would be glad to have the grand
jury make such recommends
tions along these lines as it
thought proper.
A number of true bills for
minor offenses have been found
by the grand jury and one for
murder against against j. Has
kell Sistare.
The following cases have
been tried:
State VS.. Joe and Mary Moore
for assault and battery with in
tent to kill and carrying con-
cealed weapon. Not guilty as to
Joe and guilty of assault and
battery of high and aggravat-
ed nature as to Mary. Sentence
500 fine or Imprisonment for
five months.