The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1915-06-22
NEWS And VIEWS FROM
CAPITAL OF THE STATE
GENERAL INTEREST IN THE
CHARLESTON SITUATION
The Prohibition ElectiOn-Otts Did
Not Send Out "FeelerS" on Race
for Governor.
(By John K. Aull.)
i to The Herald and News.

the Charleston grand jury in refusing
to return true bills in the liquor
cases given them for consideration
last week, has been the subject OF a
great deal of interest in the capital,
where the Charleston situation has
been closely watched A knowledge of
conditions in Charleston, coupled with
the remarks of Judge Moore, seems to
preclude the idea that the failure of
the grand jury was because of any
lack of evidence Thirty-two no bills
and one true. bill were returned, the
true bill being against a negro. The
solicitor mol pressed that Indictment.
Judge Moore, according to the News
and Courier, "said that in his opinion
there was sufficient evidence against
a number of persons charged with vio-
lating the dispensary law to bring in
true bills against them. In regard
to the action of the jury he said that
seven members were able to keep true
bills from being returned, and that he
hoped that there were not more tnan
seven members who opposed return
ing true bills in the blind tiger cases.
Judge Moore based his statement on
tie large amount of evidence which
had been obtained by the officers and
which had been given to the grand
jury. That the action was more on
account of prejudice than on ques-
ton of right was declared to be the
belief Of the court. Jurors who had
taken this stand were roundly scored
by Judge Moore in his remarks WREN
he said that conditions existing here
were deplerable when so much eVl-
dence could be produced and but one
true bill out of thirty-tnree indict-
ments returned"
That prejudice" of which Judge
Moore spoke, is no new thing. 1t
has prevented prosecutions of liquor
cases in Charleston for twenty-five
years, ever since the dispensary law
went into effect. Governor Tillman
found that same prejudice" while he
was chief executive; Governor Evans
put the metropolitan police in Char
lesion on account of it; Governors Ell
lerbe, McSweeney, Heyward, Ansel
And Blease found that prejudice"
In Charleston; and it remains today
under the administration of Governor
Manning.
That the dispensary law ought to
be enforced in Charleston, as else
where in the State, all good citizens
will agree, and it is the duty Of all
good citizens to lend their efforts to
dat end. But the prejudice" of the
grand jury of a county against the
enforcement of a law is a very serious
obstacle. The grand jury is body
of men of the community, supposed
TO represent the sentiment of the COM
munity. They are drawn by the officers
of the county, elected by the people,
from the voters of the county, and
when such a body, for whatever rea-
son, through all tie changes of
twenty-five years, steadfastly refuses
to return true bills on indictments for
the violation of a certain law, the
enforcement of that law must remain
at a standstill, so far aS prosecu-
tions in the courts for its violation are
concerned. Of course in the matter
of selling liquor, there is the raiding
process, and the Injunction process,
both of wheh have been invoked, the
raiding process continuously since
the dispensary Law been in op-
GRAFTON, and the in.4-otlon process
repugnant to the spirit of our govern
ment-intermittentIy and spasmodical-
" for a while.
A liquor law in a coast town, which
has not the sentiment of the people
believing it as benefcient law. is
very, very difficult to enforcement. That
vessel filed with fine liquors which
was captured in Charleston harbor
not long ago came from Savannah, in
6se prohibition State of Georgia.
Other governors have earnestly
tried to enforce the dispensary law in
Charleston, just as Governor Manning |
is trying to enforce it, and the action !
OF the Charleston grand jury last
week recalls their efforts, This. thing