The Lexington advertiser. [volume] (Lexington, Miss.) 1904-1985, 1946-10-24

mere Inc nearing Is SET lOT MONDAY
morning at nine o'clock in Lexing-
ton.
The action of the writer (talking
to a witness) was reported to Judge
Davis by Deputy Sheriff Harvey
Majors, who is employed by Sheriff
w. l.. Murtagh.
We did 10 violate q law %. but
O rule of Judge Dovis' court.
Wouldn't we see q great improve
ment in general conditions if oil the
laws of Holmes County were given
the some attention by the Sheriffs
office that the rules of Judge
receive?
We would not deliberately violate
a rule of anyone's court.
For the past year in Holmes coun-
ty we have waged an unceasing
campaign for law enforcement with
special reference to enforcement of
prohibition and gambling laws. We
have attacked bitterly and unceas-
ingly the present administration Of
Sheriff Murtagh. We at first asked
him to clean up Holmes county, then
begged and pleaded with him to do
so, finally demanding action.
All our efforts have been directed
to better conditions and increase
public confidence in law and order
which applies equally to our courts.
Little has been done.
But we sholl never stop trying.
For some time the ~bootleggers of
Holmes county have been operating
with what amounts to practical i'm
punity from the law. The few times
they were caught all they have had
to do is to get them a lawyer F. pre-
ferably one who could get them a
Favorable" jury -. and 1t only
takes one or two to get a jury.
But a new day is here.
Now the ~bootleggars do not feel
they have to hire a lawyer.
Last week in Circuit Court in
Holmes county we had the case of
q man being accused of the possess
ion of slot machines.
In spite of the fact that 1t is gen.
erallywknown the man over q long
period of time had been operating
a b~ootlegging joint with slot mach
ines, the slot machines displayed
for weeks at a time in open plate
glass windows for all the passing
world to see, a Holmes county jury
found him mot guilty"
Testifying on the stand against
the bootlegger was a reputable cit
izen.
The jury took the word of the
bootlegger.
And he didn't even have to hire
q luwYer.
Another case in Holmes county
Circuit Court last week found a
white man being tried for shooting
a 16-year old negro boy. The white
man claimed the boy made a move
toward him.
Reputable witnesses on the stand
declared the negro boy never even
dropped the basketball he was
bouncing until he fell down dying
in the street. The Mayor of the town
white man was definately under the
influence of intoxicants.
The negro boy was popular with
for they made up a pool of money
and hired counsel to help the state
prosecute the man.
But the Holmes county jury try
ing the man found him mot guilty"
We wonder if God sees Il that
way.
The great majority of white PEG.
pie regret and deplore the circum-
stances surrounding the death Of a
slightly built 35 year old Holmes
negro man. Two of five white de-
PENDANTS in the case for manslaugh-
ter admitted to the Sheriff they had
whipped the dead negro but claimed
they did not kill him. There were
no witnesses to the whipping nor
his death.
It is generally conceded that none
Of the men involved, all reputable
men, would deliberately kill any
one. But they did admit whipping
which naturally made them suspects
when his body was found in a lake
in another county.
In this case the Sheriff, Mr.. w. l..
Murtagh, performed the duties of
his office admirably. He made as
complete and thorough investigat-
ion as anyone could ask. The negro
mans body had been found in the
lake and buried in an unknown
grave when the Sheriff was notified.
Promptly he started the investigat-
ion which resulted in six white men
being jailed in three or four days.
District Attorney Howard Dyer
and County Attorney Pat M. Bar
rett prosecuted the men with all of
the evidence at their command but
they did not have enough evidence
to establish the guilt of the men.
The men involved, we know, re-
greet the negro's death. Even if they
arn't guilty they still have to live
with themselves for the rest of their
lives.
Perhaps this case will result in
more serious consideration being
hold for the personal rights of oil
mes. white or block. II Is q situation
demanding DELHI srute consideration
from thinking men Cnd women
everywhere.