Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1917-12-05
!. j. .s... !. !. j. !. !. ]. j. J.
i. THE MA ANSLAYER AT THE j.
i. WHEEL. j.
.S.% i. !. 4. !. j. !. j. j. j. i.
w y '' '' II u
stGrcenville News, Nov. 27.)

the killing Of human being by All
automobile driven in criminally
reckless manner.
The first instance was the slaugh-
ter OF an aged woman returning from
worship, who was struck down by an
automobile whose occupants remain
unidentified. The second was the kill
ing yesterday of Chief Sam Heath, Of
the United States Navy recruiting Of
fee, by a negro driver, who, accord
ing to the testimony of switnesses,
was not only driving at dangerous
rate Of speed and on the wrong side
of the street, but was also drunk. 1t
Is said that on the principal thor
oughfare Of this city he was going
mile 4 minute. That he was using
the car against the order Of its owner
Is an additional aggravating circum-
stance, although this practice is not
uncommon among drivers.
II the driver who killed Chief
Heath Is proved to have been as reck-
less as represented, and as drunken,
the full limit Of the law should be
imposed upon him. That, we under
stand, is manslaughter, carrying at
the most twenty years Imprisonment.
With a working acquaintance with
the reason Of the law now existing,
We nevertheless are of the opinion
that If the crime was committed as
| alleged, in all cases of this type the
guilty party should give his life in
the death chair for the life that was
blotted out by his criminal reckless
ness and lawlessness. 1t Is a fixed
principle of law that man Is pre-
sumed to know and intend the con-
sequences of his acts. When a chauf-
feur drinks liquor he knows that it
may render him incompetent to ope-
rate a car carefully and may cause
him to kill his fellow-beings. The
automobile Is necessary and useful
adjunct Of life, but in the hands Of
reckless, drunken man it can be con-
yerted into terrible engine OF de-
structfon. If it is possible under the
law to do it, the existing statutes in
this State should be so amended as
toEmake the killing Of human be-
ing by drunken or otherwise gross
~ reckless driver constitute the
crime OF murder and call for the
death penalty.
It.55$SWhere will death ride next? That
ljsSbeyond human knowledge, but
iSsolhebody's wife, somebody's father,
somebody's child, somebody's mo-
ther may be the next victim. Who
knows? Nobody Is safe as long as
careless and drunken drivers go un-
molested and undeterred upon the
public highways. If the fear of death
were put into such persons, that
| might render the community more
secure.
Whoever, with wanton reckless
ness or under the influence Of LIQUOR,
drives an automobile is a greater
menace~t the public safety than the
drunken locomotive engineer at the
throttle would be. There Is no tell
ing what tragedy may follow when
drunked chauffeurs go at large in
| tho community.
Nothing can help poor Chief Sam
Heath now. For him we can do
nothing, but we can do something to
Eprevent the recurrence Of such trag-
edies. We can provide by law for
increasing the penalty in such cases
to life imprisonment, If not to execu-
tion. We can provide by law for the
licensing Of all automobile drivers.
| requiring strict and conclusive proof
that they are not addicted to the use
Of fntoxicants and that they are care
full and competent drivers. These
things can be done If the force of
public opinion Is exerted upon the
next Legislature. The State Of South
| Carolina is permitting unfit and un-
trustworthy persons to operate auto
mobiles upon the public highways,
contrary to the welfare Of the peo-
pie. The public safety is in jeopardy.
| We cannot entirely prevent these
| tragedies, but we can diminish their
number.
If full Justice could be secured in
this case, the man who sold the IL
quor that negro drank would be ar
raigned beside him, not as an acces-
sorry, but as joint principal. The
| moral Of yesterdays tragedy needs
no elaboration, for 1t Is as clear as
the sun.