The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1919-07-19
CRIME IN STATE
ALARMS OFFICERS
Record Of LaWlessness During
Past Year Is
Shocking s.: E
GOVERNOR COOPER
HOLDS CONFERENCE

O11CIl11S c1IlO OO41S4COAS ApA OoH
| Views on Situation and Sug-
gest Possible Remedies
Columbia, July l6.-Tighening ur
of the machinery Of the law, close,
cooperation between the people and
their peace officers and a more
stringent prosecution Of and curb pu'
on venders of certain extracts con-
| tanning large percentages Of alcohol
were. advocated and a solemn warning
was issued against vagrancy among
the members $of the negro race and
the carrying of obscene pictures, prin-
cipally by returned negro soldiers. by
speakers at the convention Of sheriffs
solicitors, magistrates and foremel; OF
grand j,,ries here today The conyen-
vention, which was called some weeks
ago by Governor Cooper in order to
discuss the Iawlessness throughout
the State and to enact plans for q
more thorough law enforcement, was
Representative and was attended by
peace officers from every section and
county of South Carolina.
Governor Cooper, who opened the
convention with a speech telling of
its purposes, said atrhere was about
one homicide in South Carolina fol
every day of 1919. and that some
thing had to be done TO ameliorate
such conditions. The various speak
ers voiced an earnest desire to assist
the governor IN maintaining lay in
the State and there was a eoncensuS
|oT opinion that should the people give
proper cooperation crime could be
fstamped out. -
The question Of prohibition occupied
a deal Of the time Of the convention
and there was plenty Of evidence on
hand that the State was being over
run with illicit distillers, but that the
sentiment for a rigid enforcenient OF
the prohibition law was growing
hourly. The thing that gave the peace
officers the most concern; they claim
cd, was ffhe Sale st Jamaica ginger
and other extracts with q high per.
centage of alcohol, and a resolution
was adopted calling on the federal au
thorities to investigate the man ufac-
ture and sale Of these so-cailed med
fcines. - - - :. : - <sN
Another question which gave the
peace officers "a deaf Of concern was
the disinclinatfon of the members Of
the negro race to work Solicitor p
Mann, of the Firsr Judicial Cir
cuit said that the government in
drafting the negro into the 1nilitary
service had succeeded in making a
vagrant out of him after his dis
charge: Solicitor Homer s. Black
wen, 'of the Eighth judicial Circuit,
said that a paper published at Balti-
more had been circulated lately in
.aurens county and that one issue OF
his paper. which he read, had advis!
ed the negro that, as they could not
get justice, to get a double barrelled
sfiotguin, 200 rounds OF ammunition
and proceed to '.geta the members Of
the white race, as the negroes are in
the majority in the South.
Governor Cooper called attention to
the frequency with which negroes,
principally returned soldiers, are be
ing arrested with obscence pictures
on their persons Various speakers
issued a warning that Unless the car
rr1y5ing of such pictures is stopped Sc
rious trouble will be experienced.
The convention was presided over
by s. K. Henry, of Chester, solicitor OF
the; Sixth Judicial Circuit, as chair
man, and j. Wilson Gibbes, of Co
lumb!a, clerk of the house Of repre-
senfatives. was elected as secretary.
Following the opening speech OF
Governor. cooper, capt: ]. Eimore
Martin, sherihf Of Charleston County,
said that without the sentiment OF
the people behind him, the sheriff
could: do nothing. He Told of the COS
opera tive efforts of Gen. LEONARD
Wood, the offscers Of the army, the
municipal and county authorities and
the State constables which succeeded
In cleaning up Charleston to such an
extent that Capt. Ellis of the steam
ship Hartford. and army officers told
HIM that lin the city and County OF
Charleston the enforcement Of the
law was second to none in the coun-
try. He said that it was the duty
of the peace officers offCharleston to
keep the city clean for the soldiers
and sailors who were fighting for their
country, and this was done. He gave
high praise to the magnificent work
Of Mayor T. T. Hyde and his police
department.
Frank ]. Simmons, foreman Of the
grand jury of Charleston, said that
Charleston was never cleaner before
in its history, that the grand jury was
doing its duty wi1hoGt discrimination
and that an indictment meant some
| thing. He said that the laboring peo.
ple-and he is one of their leaders
we're desirous Of a proper enforcement
Of the law, for it meant proper pro.
lection to them and their families.
'We have a sheriff and solicito,
! who are absolutely fearless in the en-
forcement of the law" he said. We
have a mayor who will compromise
with no one: and now Charleston i:
as clean a city as there is in the
country 1t used to be that people