Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1921-03-09
Court Proceedings, Judge Gary
Makes Able Charge to the
Grand Jury.

Grand Jury.
The spring term of court of gener-
al sessions convened Monday morn
ing with Hon. Frank B. Gary of Abb
beyilleas presiding judge. All of the
courtSohicials were promptly at their
respective posts except the clerk, Mr..
w. 81 Cegburn, who was unable to
attend to his duties Monday and
Tuesday on account of rheumatism,
but was able to be at his post this
morning. Mr.. Cogburn's deputy clerk,
Mr.. Paul Cogburn, assisted by Mr..
W. Az Strom, discharged, the duties
of the clerk in very satisfactory
manner.
This, has been Mr.. Callison's first
appearance at Edgefeld as Solicitor
and he has discharged the duties in
an eIninently satisfactory manner,
handling the business of the court
with ability and dispatch.
Judge Gary made practical and
forceful charge to the grandjury up
on their duties. He said the people
look ito the grandjury to have the
laws enforced and to see that the Of
fcers of the county do their duty. 1t
is not only the duty of the grandjury
tospass upon the indictments prepar-
ed by the solicitor but it is clearly
their duty to present any violation
ofsthe law just as if it were present
ed to them through the regular chan
mel. Judge Gary also stated that the
grandjury should make any sugges-
tions that would lead to be the better
ment of conditions and society. Ere
quently no notice is taken of such
suggestions by grandjuries but final
lyathey are taken up and enacted into
law. He cited as instances of this
kind the law which separates the
races on railway trains, the stock law
and the compulsory education law.
When these were first suggested they
did not meet with popular favor but
public sentiment steadily grew until
III allied into laws which are
sau sappaEtsd .sz the PEG
Judge Gary charged the grandjury
that they have control of the public
school system of the county and no
conditions should be allowed in pub
lie schools that ought not to be there.
He urged that frequent and thor
ough examinations of the county Of
fees be made, especially the magis-
trates, who frequently get their books
mixed up. Magistrates should be re-
quired to bring their books to Edge
field periodically to be examined.
The grandjury has control of the
public roads of the county and the
county that does not improve its pub
lie roads will lag behind. Better roads
improve the citizenship by enab-
ling them to mingle with each other,
as well as making it possible for
them to get their produce to market.
Judge Gary stated with emphasis
that it is the duty Of the grandjury
to see that the officers enforce the
law, to the end that criminals be pun
ished to protect the innocent. Judge
Gary said: "You either have a Uto-
plan condition here, being law-abid-
ing people, or your officers are not
doing their duty" He said that in
some counties whiskey is being dis
titled on nearly every spring branch,
while only few cases have been pre-
sented to the court in this county. He
spoke in the strongest terms against
the small number of citizens who will
make whiskey of concentrated lye
and other such stuff and sell it to our
boys-"stuff that will make a man
drunk three days after he drinks it. !"
He stated that this unbridled making
of liquor should be stopped. 1t is a
condition that the law abiding people
in one solid phalanx should put down.
Judge Gary called attention to a
new factor that will be felt in the
selection of our officers of the law
He stated that women now have the
ballot and that woman's vote counts
lust as much as mans. He said that
woman everywhere stand for law and
order and that hereafter when an Of
fcer fails to do his duty he will be
weeded out by the women.
The solicitor handed to the grand,
Jury number of indictments and
true bills were found in the following
cases: