The Anderson daily intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson, S.C.) 1914-1915, 1914-01-14
COURTS CONGESTED

HHueTsOH Is GROWING III litigation
and in crime as well us in material
matters OF Il better kind We have
seen for scmc time a discussion OF
the merits OF bill proposed by Sen
ator Wilton H. Earle OF Greenyille
&c divide this circuit and 10 group
Anderson with Oconce o. ] Greenville
with Pickens. AT first we gave little
thought To the proposition. but up
on Investigation We find that the
courts are in "a dcpioraOIe condition.
The grand jury OF this county has
already turned iii true bills enough
10 keep the petit iures busy for four
weeks. There are upon the dockets
cases against sellers OF liquor and
other malclactOrs that will never be
tried There is a custom OF dippos-
Ing OF Jail cases first. and this leaves
the appeal cases and the liquor cas-
es never to be heard Some remedy
is needed. We have asked for in
formation on the subiec. and Solici-
tor Proctor A. Donham has furnished
US with the following statistics:
Il most heartily urge the passage
OF such bill, for as conditions now
are it is impossible to keep the calen-
dars in Anderson and GrcenyIllo
counties any where near clear. The
criminal dockets especially have new
er since have been solicitor, which
Is now five years, been clear, and MS
time goes on they continue to get
more clogged.
There are now on the Anderson
docket 81 more cases, with over flf-
ty Eew indictments to be handed out
at the coming term. The Grccnville
docket Is in similar condition. You
can readily see what tho result Is.
The great majority of the cases can
not be tried, for by the time the jail
Is cleared and the capital felony cas-
e. tried the term is at an end. BY
the time the next court convenes, the
same condition exists with the same
result. The consequence is that
many cases, which IL they could be
promptly tried would net a return to
the county, are never reached for the
reason that the witness get scat
tered or the prosecutors SO discour-
aged theY..drop their casss.
'In the event that the case is r.
nally tried and convicted, the county
has been put, in all probability to j
more expense in costs than the fine
will amount to. .
For the reasons above stated. dis
pensary cases in the two large coun-
ties are seldom ever tried. and arei
not disposal of unless the defen-
dants agree to plead guilty. if a
small fine Is imposed.
II know 1t TO be true of greenwich
and | am informed that in Andersonl
too, 1t is ten or twelve months be-
fore a case, cam be reached on the
civil docket. "a
"It Ia my candid crin.cc ha .ha. e>. el.c:,;. 4.
the circuit be diHded, putting An
derBon aud oconee in one circuit,
and Greenvlle and Picaens in. the
other, the additional expense incur
red thereby would he more than Offset
by the prompt dispatch of business.
rhe State would be saved money ana
The moral effect of speedy trial for
criminals would be a healthy and
beneficial one for the community.
Il see by the papers that at at
tempt to establish county court
may he made This in my opinion
will not bringqs the relief needed.
first, becausefthe probability OF the
people voting 1t is slight, and second,
,ecauseSit would not affect Ander-
son county, which is as badly in
iced CT relief as GreenvIlle is"