The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1919-07-19

| is q Cause, and DelleVe KNOW WIld'
! it. Is. Imean no criticism when !
i make this statement; I believe, gem
! tlemen; that the fault lies in the tech
nicalities of the law as practiced by
my profession He then claimed
(! that the frequent adjournment OF
cases made for acquittals, as the
memories Of witnesses were dulled by
doubt in the minds OF jurymen. He
quoted with approval an article of an
eminent American jurist, who stated
that the reasons why there are so few
acquitrals for murder in England. is
because of the speedy trial Of the
accused.
Il believe" continued Solicitor
Gasque, that unless there is a curb
put on the sale OF so-called extracts
conditions in South Carolina will be
worse than they were in the days OF
the old barroom system
The speaker then told Of various ex-
periences he had had in his circuit
with venders of various compounds
which produce drunkenness but which
are sold as medicines.
In this connection, he introduced the
following resolution, which was unan-
imously adopted by rising vote:
Whereas, the State of South Caro-
lima is being flooded with so-called
patent medicines, known as jamaica
ginger beef, vine and iron bitters
and various and sundry other concoc.
tions which contain a large percent
age Of alcohol and are sold as a bev-
erage; and
| Whereas, the manufacturer Of all
| these socalled medicines is beyond the
law of the State, being situated in
Richmond, Va, and other places;
and,
Whereas, the sale of such in our
State is not only prohibited by law,
but is a menace to good health, NOR.
ais and society;
Therefore, be it resolved by the
solicitors, sheriffs and other peace Of
fffcers Of the State of South Carolina
| in convention assembly by the call OF
the governor, the federal authorities
be- requested to investigate the
naanufacture and sale in our State OF
1.-The aforesaid concoctions by whatever
name known and see if the same in
this State can be prohibited and be it
resolved further, that a copy Of these
resolutions, be furnished District At
torneys Francis II: Weston, of Colurn-
bia, and J. W. Thurmond, of Edge
field, to each our members in Con-
gress, and that copy; be given to the
press of the State. -.
C. Croft Williams, Secretary of the
State board of charities and correc
tons, gave the convention some in
terestihg7 STATISTICS to show thai
| crime was on the increase. One re-
gretable thing, he said, was the in
crease In juvenile crime. II am sat-
isted," he stated. that the increase
of Juvenile crime is reflex of the
motion picture, with its blood and
thunder literature, its killing and
other technical incidents which ex-
cite the ina agination Of the growing
| boy. and alsoaf am confident that the
| increase in the number Of honlcldes
| is but q by-product of war, for his
lfory shows that following every war
there Is an increase in Killing"
Mr.. Williams said that. the boys in
the Florence school had been exam
ined and Is per cent had been found
to be mentally deficient and that of
She women imprisoned by the United
States government for crimes
against morality, when examined 30
per cent of them were found to be
below the normal standard in men
tality.
Solicitor Blackwell, of Laurens. said
that the law passed at the last ses-
sion Of the general assembly prohibi-
ting the sale of extracts, bitters and
other high percentaged alcoholic com
pounds for beverage purposes was an
absolute nullity, but that vendors in
these so-called medicines could be
prosecuted under the prohibition law.
He said that for law enforcement to
be effective the peace ot1lcer must
have to support the people OF his
community.
He told of the recent lynching of
| negro in Abbeville county. He was
shot to death and thrown into the
Savannah river. After a few days his
body came to the surface. 1t was
then cut up and the pieces thrown
back into the river. Although the
sheriff and the coroner's jury have
been. investigating the killing and
nave inserted advertisements in the
newspapers. they have not succeeded
In getting shred of evidence. When
he goes before the Abbeville grand
jury. he said. at the next term of
court, he cannot get bill for he has
nothing to go on.
Sheriff Cannon Blease, Of Newber-
ry. said that he had no trouble in pre-
venting the sale Of extracts in his
| county, because he had prosecuted!
several merchants and they. had been
| fined and had ceased carrying the
compounds. When he finds that a
merchant has larger stock than ne
thinks is necessary for medicinal
purposes, he seizes it and takes the
matter into the courts.
South Carolina is faced with a
proposition it has never had before, .
said Solicitor Mann; at must handle
an army Of discharged negro soldiers