Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1921-11-25
RICE TO GRAND JURY
DepIOfeS Increasing Number Of
HOniCideS in South Carolina.
BLAMES JURORS FOR The CONDITION

vict Murderers-TeIls of Cases Where
Murdcrers Who Shot Victims In the
Back Escaped-Judse Says Man Who
Escapes With One Murder VIII Kill
Again-Asks Aid of Grand Jurors in
Teaching Regard for Oath.
Dep,oring the ever increasing num-
Der of homicides in South Carolina and
! laying the blame at the door OF petit
juries who fail to convict, Judge Hayne
| f. Rice made a powerful appeal to the
York county grand Jury to return TO
their respective homes determined to
use their influence with their neigh
bors who from time to time are mem
bers of petit juries, in seeking to show
!. them their duty to convict man-slay-
ers, before he dismissed the grand
| jury Tuesday afternoon. 1t was heart
TO heart talk that the judge had with
the grand jury-a talk similar to one
! that he said he has made to every
grand jury he has had the pleasure OF
addressing in, South Carolina this year.
. Gentlemen said he, this ever in
creasing number of hOmicides in South
| Carolina is a matter that has caused
me much concern. Rarely ever does
the South Carolina man who commits
murder pay the penalty that the law
provides. | have noticed that if one
who commits a murder is allowed to go
| free he will in most cases commit an
other murder at some time or other
in his life. This thing has worried me
no little ever since / have been on the
bench. When man kills another with
malice in his heart and is allowed to go
free, some other man is going to meet
death at his hands.
State Is Notorious.
$50 long as we allow this thing to go
on so long will South Carolina have the
name of being the worst state in the
! Union in the.pumber of diabolical hon.
icides. 1t has been charged that man
can be brought up for stealing a horse
or a cow or a hog and be convicted,
but if he is charged with murder he
will go free. There is much truth in
that charge. q
| II have tried three cases that recall
Just now where men were killed by be-
! ing shot in the back. The murderers
came into court and pleaded self-de-
/ fcuS"-thc only dcfcns" that they could
make. They got away with it because
in a case where the murder is cold
hloodcd and brutal the only defense is
self defense. They we're acquitted be-
cause. the juries that tried them had
very low conception of their duty.
You have heard it said, and so have
/. that there is no justice IN the court
house. If it is true whose fault Is it
but that Of, the petit jury that tries
the case? This thing of turning loose
men who are guilty of dastardly mur-
ders is bound to react.
Petit jurors" continued Judge Rice,
seem to-think that they have al right
| to do as they please with n case, re-
gardiess of the law and the evidence,
and in my opinion it is this feeling on
the part of petit juries that is respon--
sible for the ever increasing number Of
homicides.
Punishment Reduces Crime
Il haze heard people say that pun
/ ishment doesn't reduce crime. To my
mind such a statement is nonsense. To
| the average man life is dearer than
anything e,ss. If man knows that he
will pay with his own life for the kill
, ing Of his fellowman he will think a
! long time before he kills.
There have been too many mis-
carriages of justice in South Carolina.
| This state has a reputation throughout
! the Union for failure TO convict mur-
/ derers. Until petit jurors get higher
! conception of their duty-until they
| learn that they are TO be governed in
| their verdicts purely by the law and
the evidence and without fear or fa-
vo.'. tins unsavory reputation that the
/ SJalc HIS III ttSSiiN W lllui utl 10 S'iiiS
! TO increase instead Of decrease.
/ Il would impress upon you members
Of the county's grand jury of inquest
I t. discuss this matter of hOmicides
with your friends and neighbors.
would have you to impress upon them
/ the Importance of doing their duty in
murder cases and in striving to teach
/ them to regard as holy and sacred the
I oath that they take to try cases solely
/ upon the Ii. y and the evidence.
No Fault of Solicitors.
Il am convinced that scarcity of con-
victiuns is not the fault of the solicit
/ ors of the state. We have in this state
solicitors who are the equal in ability
and energy Of the public prosecutors of
[ any other state. Too often have | seen
/ these solicitors make out clear cases OF
murder only To have the murdercrs
walk out or the courthouse free men by
verdict of Il jury Of twelve.
II would like To- talk to YOU gentle
mon or the grand jury longer" said
/ Judge Rice in conclusion: but | know
that you are tired. and that you are
, anxious 10 return to your respective