The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1921-09-16
WOULD PROSECUTE
MEMBERS OF MOB
GREENWOOD JURY CHARGED BY
JUDGE FEATHERS TONE
City Officials Said to Know Members
of Mob, and Others
Facts

Greenwood, Sept. 12.-Declaring
that the time is not far distant when
no mans life or properesss safe
unless something is done to stem the
tide of lawlessness and mob rule,
Judge C. C. Featherstone delivered
powerful charge to the grand jury
and scathing rebuke to mob leaders
at the converting of county cours this
morning. The special charge to the
grand jury grew out Of failure of the
city or county authorities to appre--
hend members of a mcb of ABOUT 15qsS
men who took two negro women from
the city Jail in defiance, of the law
and whipped them. The negro Wo-
men were charged with slapping the
faces and beating two white women
with umbrellas on the streets about
two weeks ago, and the mob took them
from the jail shortly after their ar
I rest, carried them TO acart farm
house, about three miles from town,
whipped them severely and then
brought them back to jail. Judge
Featherstone urged that members of
the mob be brought to trial as speed
lily as possible.
"GraLsing for the sake Of argu-
ment that the negroes deserved the
punishment the men who took the Wo-
men from the jail had no right to pun
ish the women, and in SO doing so
they treated the law with defiance and
contempt" F" Judge f'eatnerstone de-
c,ared, and they should be made to
pay the penalty for so doing" he
urged the grand jury to use all their
power to bring the men VINO composed
the mob to trial.
$50 far as 1 am aware, no effort
has been made to bring these men
to trial." Judge Featheresone contln-
ued. ''No private citizen has sworn
out warrant, possibly through tear
of the wrong doers, but you and l.
gentlemen of the jury, are sworn Of
cials of the law and as such we must
do our duty as men. 1t is your
ibounden duty to investigate the facts
in this case. 1t ought to be an easy
matter to get the facts. The city
officials know the men or some OF the
men who took part in the mob. There
are others who know the facts. Will
see to it that in your investigation
YOU have the full support Of the law
and if necessary l shall provide you
with the necessary writs to bring be-
fore your body any witness to testify.
"Tf there is any one on the grano
i,rv who is afraid or who believes
that in certain cases men have the
RIGHT to take the law into their own
hands ard thus openly to DEFY the
law, let me know and I shall excuse
him. To follow the law is our only
5,one of safety. One offense OF the
character I have been talking about
NAV seem a small thing but the spir-
it of defiance to law, if left alone,
grows stronger and stronger, day 10y
dav, and scme day We Will awake to
the fact that y mans r.sh:s are safe.
1t is history that such violations OF
law always go farther than :ney IN
tended. A mob begets a mob.
at is tine for eye,y one VINO i YES
his home and country to stand up
boldly for the enforcement OF law.
A passive seat.me::t in favor OF law
enforcement is not enough. Men
must be active in l-v enforcement
regardless Of the consequences. IL
is time for eve.y citizen to DO MS
dutv. | have tried to DC nine and
NAV the Almighty help US to acquat
ourseles like men,