The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1915-02-25
COURT OF GENERAL SESSIONS
Has a Busy Term Here Judge l.
w. Bowman PreSideS.

mas q BUSY 1Srm nefG- a JuUYS As
w. Bowman Presides.
A point of law was raised Eerc
Monday when it became time to
open the court of general sessions.
1t was finally decided by Solicitor
Stoll and Clerk of Court Britton to
open and then adjourn the session
until Tuesday. This was due to the
fact that Monday was Washington's
birthday, legal holiday, and Judge
II w Bowman of Orangeburg had
notified the Clerk of Court that he
would, on this account, defer open
ing Court until Tuesday.
At the usual opening hour. ll:0O
a. M, Judge Bowman was robed and
in the seat of justice. 1t is his first
term as Judge on this circuit. and
| he has made an impression that will
be favorable to him throughout all
the years that he may preside here.
Upon opening court here Monday
he admonished the grand and petit
Jurors in manner that was most
impressive, not only to themselves
but to every law-abiding citizen in
this county.
In addressing the grand jury
Judge Bowman made few remarks
as to the violation of the dispensary
law, stating that he had no patience
with this sort of practice and that if
anyone came to trial for that Of
fence and was found guilty by a
jury he would impose the maximum
punishment, but that if a similar
offender of the law came UP and
confessed his guilt, he would deal
with him asleniently as the law would
permit. He evidently had in mind
the large number of such violators
that were to come before him, for
it was the greatest number that has
been brought before any Judge OF a
general sessions court here in the
past three years. And we especially
regret to note that among. the Of
tenders was white woman.
As an instance of the Judges lem
iency along this line, he imposed a
fine of S1O0 or three months on the
chaingang upon Jas Cooper, an ap-
pealed case, then he suspended the
rest of the sentence, provided the
accused would pay fine of s25 and
promise never again to engage in the
traffic. This was done at the earn
est solicitation of counsel for the
defense, Leroy Lee, ESQ, who made
a pathetic plea in his behalf.
In beginning his eloquent charge
to the grand jury his Honor admon-
ished them to make haste slowly;
not to kill time" and put extra ex-
pense upon the county; that the
courts session costs the county from
so cents to S1.00 a minute. At the
same time he cautioned them not to
be too hasty and unduly consider
any case that came before them.
THE grandest word in the En-
glish language is duty, and when it
has been properly and conscientious
ly performed, you, gentlemen of the
grand jury, have attained a high
honor"
Judge Bowman also cautioned this
new grand jury to be diligent in
every duty pertaining to the welfare
of the county. He said: We want
no milk and water men as grand
jurors, but men who have the cour-
age and manhood to enforce the
laws of the State.
He also instructed them to visit
the iail and see that all prisoners
were properly cared for; that the
inmates of the county poor house
were properly fed and clothed.
Gentlemen, tell you that you
are the grand inquest of your coun-
tv and that all the interests of the
county are in your hands, Then in
closing his address Judge Bowman,
in an eloquent way, paid high trlb-
ute to the school teachers and ad-
vised that every rural school in the