Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1915-11-16

and called on Sheriff Hendrix Rector,
the well-known official around and
about whom Greenville county poll
ticians have been making such a sur
during the past three years. The edi-
tor had never met the famous sheriff
and was curious to know what kind
of a man he really is. The sheriff, al
though busy at the time Of the call,
received the editor with due courtesy,
and discussed quite freely and frank
ly such subjects as were broached, po-
ntical and otherwise. The editor had
formed the notion somehow, that the
sheriff was a 250-pounder six-and-a-
half-footer, of fierce and uncivil mein,
calculated to frighten the timid, and
make people of quiet, law-abiding
habits take the other side of the
street. But this impression turned
out to be all wrong. He is a medium
sized man Of rather slim build, clear
complexion, piercing eyes, and self
reliant, self-contained manner that
seems to attract rather than repel.
The editor explained that he did not
have any intention Of writing up an
interview or anything Of that kind;
but there was just one thing he want
ed the sheriff to answer, and the sher-
iff said to fire away. II do not know
anything about Greenville county poll
tics" began the editor; "but do know
that you are storm center over here
and 1 want to what the trouble Is. Do
you get drunk on Saturday nights and
raise cain? Do you owe everybody
that will let you and not pay anybody?
Have you got two or three wives and
a lot Of children who cannot acknowl-
edge their daddy in public? Or what
is the matter anyway" The sherin
listened until the question was COM
pleted and then with an amused smile
replied, that he denied all the charges
and all the implications. About the
only thing can tell you" he declared
with impressive earnestness lis that
there is a little bunch Of people around
here, not more than a hundred Of
them in all, who are obsessed with the
idea that they are called upon to run
everything according to their own no
ton, and that the laws Of the land
are to be applied only where it suits
them and held in allegiance where they
want it otherwise. And to me, all
people look alike before the law,
whether they have standing or pres
tige or not, and Of course, l don't
suit" The sheriff went on in matter
Of fact manner to tell how the legis-
lative delegation had put him on
straight salary, taken the Jail and diet
ing of prisoners from under his con-
troll, deprived him Of the right Of ap-
pointing his own deputy even, and
how it takes more than he can make
to run the office properly. Il have
been virtually without any income for
nearly a year, he said; but I am still
holding the fort and ready for a test
of the question as to whether the leg
islative delegation owns the people or
the people own the legislative delega-
ton" The sheriff told how the grand
Jury had recommended the purchase
of an automobile for the sheriff, and
that no attention was paid to the rec
ommendation until afterward 1t was
decided to buy two automobiles, one
for the sheriff and one for the super
visor, and the sheriff declined to take
his under the circumstances until he
found that otherwise 1t would be turn
ed over to the rural police force,
which has been set up as kind of
opposition executive institution, over
which he has no control. The editor
spent less than ten minutes with Sher-
iff Rector, and the one thing that i'm
pressed him more than anything else
was the fact that while the sheriff is
cognizant Of numerous obviously un-
fair things that were being done to
him by members Of the legislative del
egation and other political opponents,
he showed but little, If any bitterness
of feeling He seems to be able to
see quite lot Of humor in 1t all. and
he seems to have an abiding conf
dence in the sympathy and approval
Of a majority Of the citizenship OF
county.