Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1918-09-24
REV. HIcKsoN CONVICTED.

Rev. i. G.. Hickson, the well known
baptist minister Of Gaffncy. who was
indicted sor q time ago for violation OF
certain provisions OF the cspionag"
law. was tried in the United States
district court before Judge c. y.
Mood and a jury last Thursday and
Friday and convicted on two counts.
Mr.. Hickson was represented by
Mcssrs. j. X. Henry of Chester, and }.
G., Otis of Spartanburg, and the jury
in the empaneling of which all the
talcsmcn from Cherokee county were
excluded, was made up OF the follow
ins:
+. W. Ross, foreman; J. X. Caskey,
ID. :. Gibson, ,Ionnic Edison, w. l..
Leslie, T. \. Barron. W. f. Hendrix.
Il. r. Fuller, w. w. Robinson. c. W.
Ouarles, l.. NJ. Clyde. W. NJ. Harvey.
There were seven counts in the in
lictmcnt, which was based partly on
things the defendant was alleged to
have said TO individuals and partly on
things he was alleged to have written
and published in the Baptist Courier.
/. That il was wrong for the Unit
ed States to he at war with Germany,
and the whole propaganda was a mon
ey-making machine; that woodrow
Wilson was nothing short Of an infer
nal scoundrel and that he was getting
his drag; that by declaring this coun.
try in a state Of war with Germany and
lringins the people OF the United
Stotcs into such n bloody conflict,
Woodrow Wilson should be assassi-
mated.
>. Practical reiteration of the first
count.
3 Woodrow Wilson ran for second
term on a peace platform. but was for
war all the time. and no sooner was nc
elected than he showed his cOlors: that
Woodrow Wilson was for war all the
time and should he assassinatcd; that
the Bernstorff matter was all newspa-
per lies; that the English were shoot
ing the Sein Fciners down by lining
them up against a wall and shooting
them without any regard for anything
that was right: that he, r. c. Hickson.
was surprised that intelligent men
would take the newspaper and read it
and believe what Is said in II about
the summarizing warfare Germany was
warin- against the United States.
4. Practical reiteration Of the
third count. -
5. Alleging threat against the life
of Woodrow Wilson, was withdrawn.
G MY country. right or wrong,
could never have come from anywhere
lut hell. when the flag OF my coun-
try is never sacred except when used
ms n red flag In the bull pen to tease
the beast to fight. and patriotism is
defined. to compel me to kill my enc
my, | demand the right to insult the
flag. and declare myself traitor"
Z. Practical rciteration OF the sixth
count.
the testimony OF number or witness
es although from proposed testimony
that was ruled out as we'll as testi-
monv that was allowed to go in 1t ap-
pears that some Of the remarks grew
ont of heated verbal controversies
based upon political and other differ
ences
The Jury convicted on counts / and
6. and found not guilty on the other
Defendant's counsel gave notice Of
mott, y for a new trial: but this Judge
Wood, after hearing argument. refus-
ed ON the ground that he felt that the
verdict was in accordance with the
facts presented.
The court treated the aged defend
ant With all possible consideration.
and before passing sentence permitted
him 70 make a statement. which was
quite dramatic.
Mr. Hickson said that his article In
the Raptist Courier had been misun-
derstood, and that he had had no in
tentJon of dishonoring the flag Of his
country On the contrary he held his
country and his flag In the highest re-
rar5 much higher regard than most
men hold them. and he said that he
had aIways 'labored for the welfare Of
his country and his church. So far as