The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1920-09-11
SHERIFF HURS
COMMENT OMAN
Suppression of Disorderly
Houses
EFFORTS HE HAS MADE
TO ENFORCE Law
Resents Insinuations That Have
Tendency to Discredit Him,
As An Of'.lar ~ of tie law

The Daily Item did a good service
in its issue of September 4th by pub
fishing the law pertaining to the sup.
preston of disorderly houses.
The impression appears to list I'm
the minds of some excellent 'ople,
that the duty of enforcing that law
rests primarily and exclusively upon
the sheriff and other peace officers o1
the county. Such is not the case, as
can plainly be seen by reading the
statute, at least so far as the initia-
tive is concerned. Peace officers cam
| not proceed except by order of the
court. ...r ~
When legal process is placed ia the
hands Of the sheriff, II then becomes
his duty to execute such process.
Private homes are jealously guard
ed by law, even the homes OF Grim
inals and lewd women. we often hear
| the assertion that Law is made for
| the protection OF criminals, rather
than for the punishment of crime"
That of course is mistake. Nearer
approach to the truth is found in the
maxim Better that a hundred guilty
persons escape than that one innocent
protected from persecution by over
Jealous and prejudiced officers armed
with a little brief authority. Law dr.
| rects and controls the administrator
of Justice; the apprehension and pun
ishment OF crime.
One Of the safeguards OF the law
| forbids an officer to make an arrest
under a warrant sworn out by him
self. Take the law here in question:.
1t requires that proceedings shall be
instituted by the attorney general, the
circuit solicitor, the county attorney
or any citizen who may desire TO.
prosecute an offender. Nowhere does
it say that the sheriff may take out
such process. Nevertheless, and within,
a short time after my appointment TO-
the Office. of sheriff, did apply TO the
l solicitor for process under this law.
| That process was served on the irt.
mates OF every house forbidden by
the law, SO far as / had information,
4 During my administration three Of
| these places have been closed, and
we have kept watch over all OF them.
In efforts to seize intoxicants and
secure evidence. search has been made
from time TO time. Only once did we
find liquor, and only once did we find
more than one woman. In this case
the woman gave five hundred dollars
| bond, in cash, shut up shop and left
the county. 80
In all other instances, no LIQUOR was
| found and only one woman, and she
the owner of the house.
| l have personally conducted several
OF these raids, using at various times
members of the rural police force or
| OF the city force. and because / have
not trumpeted around the country
what j have done does not mean that
l have not done my duty.
l have heretofore refrained from,
going into the newspapers, and would
not now do so, except for the insinu-
atoms that have been published for
the evident purpose of discrediting me ,
as an officer. ... .. ~
Zeal without know ledge is likely TO
do more harm than good. try TO
know and keep, the law, lest 1 also be
breaker of the law. But 1 am ready
to obey the orders of any court hayfnE
jurisdiction Of these matters. No
rea sonable person would ask for more
than that.
c. Nj. HURST.