The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1915-10-15
BLIND TIGERS INDICTED
IN CITY OF CHARLESTON

| Shai aiiSoIoh pIouSnC In true D1lIs
against % blind tigers. Henceforth
prosecution of this lawless element
has failed at this initial point and
these indictments are hailed as the
beginning of new day in our chief
city. Presiding Judge Mendel L. Smith
warmly congratulated the jury upon
its good work. He is quoted as say
ing: Mr.. Foreman and members of
the grand jury, want to congratulate
you on the manly and faithful dis
charge of your duty. Your action.
will take place as one of the grandest
in the history of South Carolina"
Commenting on these true bills The
News and Courier says:
at is not simply that % persons
are to be placed on trial charged with
violating the liquor laws which makes
what happened yesterday so deeply
significant. The significance lies in
the fact that last smashing blow
has been dealt to the dangerous view,
long sedulously encouraged in this
community, that class of lawbreak-
ers ought to be shielded because the
law which they defied was not what
the community as a whole thought
best. We believe that the new atti-
tude of the Charleston county grand
jury is fairly representative of the
changed attitude of the community
toward this class of lawbreakers."
Much of the credit for this good
! work must be given to Judge Mendel
l.. Smith, whose charge to the grand
jury, we are told, made a profound
impression on all who heard it. We
quote here on the closing paragraphs
of this noble utterance. They contain
message to all grand juries. He
said:
Mr.. Foreman, no people have ever
yet prospered in the history of the
world who have disregarded the sane
tity of private rights, or ignored the
necessity for a uniform public justice
You may build and equip school
houses, you may rear church spires
heavenward, you may advance in ma
terial growth, but unless there exists
in the body polite profound respect
for law and firm belief in the ne
cessity for its enforcement, that civ
ilization is sooner or later doomed t |
take its place with others that hau
been wrecked in the pursuit of falst
ideas.
"A citation of criminal statistics il
very interesting and lat times, brings:
to us much humiliation in this State
but unless local conditions are under,
stood they sometimes do an injus.
tice. The observation of the court
however, is that there is growing upon
the people of this State today a re-
spect for the law, and a firm demand
for its enforcement everywhere, which
has scarcely been equalled in our his
tory. =,
Administrative measures of lo-
cal Significance may he -a-rteSN ~
community may have it's bond iss6eS
and it's local taxes and enterprises,
but the administration of justice and
the enforcement of law is matter
of Statewide Importance and con-
cern, and the non-enforcemento of it is
a reflection not only upon the COM
munity which permits it, but upon the
sovereignty of the whole State.
"The court appeals to you, gentle
men, to discharge a simple duty; if it
leads to the finding of no bill on
these indictments, let it be from a
sense of duty as becoming the Dig
nifty of the grand jury; if your duty
leads you TO the finding of true
bill have the manhood and courage to
say so.
Earthquake, storms, shot and she'll
which have come upon your city have
never yet wrecked your industries,
paralyzed your energies, impaired
your resources, thwarted your ambi-
ton or crushed your hopes. The ac-
complishment of your people has add
ed much to the true glory of this
State; you have given jurists, states
men, soldiers, authors and scholars,
and from your midst have emanated
high ideals, excellent culture and true
patriotism; therefore, you cannot at
this day and time afford to disregard
the law.
"Take these bills, give them care,
full consideration and if there is
probable case made out against the
defendants, let your finding be Of such
character that the petit jury may be-
come the arbiters of the guilt or in
nocence of the parties charged in the
trial Of the cases where both sides will
have an opportunity to present their
case. When you have passed upon two
or three make report to the court.
You may retire. Baptist Courier.