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LAW ENFORCEMENT CON FERENCE HELD. Governor Discusses Problem With Officers. Methods to coordinate the energies of the various agencies for the en forcements of laws in the State and divers ways of quickening the public pulse and stimulating public senti ment for law and order were debated from every angle in the conference in Columbia yesterday of solicitors, sher iffs, magistrates and foremen of grand juries, called by Governor Cooper. That there is a pronounced senti ment sweeping over the State against wilful disregard of legal restraint was almost universally expressed. In sev eral instances there was eloquent tes timony to the awakened public con science. One instance in particular was the message brought up from Cbarlestont Sheriff Elmore Martin, and Frank J. Simmons, foreman of the Charleston grand jury, both paid wholesome tributes to the potent moral force which has been given and the remarkable results attained through the war period through com munity cooperation on the law en , forcement program. Another tribute to the awakened sense of obligation of juries to con vict and of the citizen to give moral and active support to those charged with enforcing the laws was brought by Chief State Constable Eichelber ger from Florence. In his reecnt work he has brought 86 indictments to the attention to the grand juries. In each instance a true bill was hand ed down and 83 convictions were pro cured against three acquittals. There has been an improvement of at least 75 per cent., Mr. Eichelberger said, in public sentiment toward assisting officers to take hold of violators of the law. Two particular problems over which officers have much anxiety are those of dealing with extracts that may be used as beverages, the negro soldier who has come back from France with altered views as to social equality. To further strengthen the hands of the officer in dealing with lemon extracts and other bitters, used as beverages, a resolution was adopt ed, appealing to the federal govern ment to investigate the manufactur ers of these goods, now flooding the State. The resolution offered by So licitor L. M. Gasque of Marion mads: Wants Investigation. "Whereas, the State of South Caro lina is being flooden with socalled pat ent medicines, known as 'Jamaica : ginger,' 'beef, wine and iron' bitters and various and sundry other concoc tions which contain a large percent age of alcohol and are sold as bever ages; and "Whereas, the manufacture of all these socalled medicines im beyond the law of the State, being situated in Richmond, Va., and other places; and, "Whereas, the sale of such in our State is not only prohibited by law, but is a menace to good health, mor als and society; "Therefore, be it resolved by the solicitors, sheriffs and other peace of ficers of the State of South Carolina, in convention assembled by the call of the governor, that the federal au- j thorities be requested to investigate the manufacture and sale in our State of the aforesaid concoctions by what ever name known and see if the same in this State can be prohibited ; and 1 be it resolved further that a copy of the resolutions be furnished District Attorneys Francis H. Weston of Co lumbia and J. W. Thurmond of Edge field, to each of our members in Con gress and that a copy be given to the press of the State." Committee Will Act. At the conclusion of the general discussion of conditions, Solicitor J. K. Henry of Chester, who had been ' named as chairman of the meeting, appointed a committee of five sheriffs to communicate with all sheriffs of . the State to ascertain in just what way the State may come to their aid in furthur strengthening the hand of the officers. In some counties it was j ascertained yesterday that rural po-1 lice were greatly needed and more deputy sheriffs. In others there was urgent assistance needed from the federal revenue officers. Members of this committee are: Elmore Martin, Charleston, chairman, who offered the resolution; Sam D. Willis, Green ville; John V. Powell, Marion; John P.- Hunter, Lancaster, and Cannon G. Blease:, Newberry. These will report' to the governor who will take what ever steps necessary to bring the de sired relief, whether it be acting on his own authority or bringing the mat ter directly to the attention of the general assembly. When taking the chair Solicitor Henry emphasized that officers who failed to do their duty were imperil ing their own lives. "Our own self preservation depends on our enforce ment of the law," he said. The g task was to create public sentii that would see that the law was forced. Later in the conference there considerable debate as to the mei incident to the returned negro diers' social equality desire. Soli< Henry has no fears of the ne There will be sporadic outbreaks 1 and there, but the negro probier not greatly intensified, he thinks, should Educate People. "The greatest trouble is the 1< conscience of our own people, t; lack of a sense of responsibility suggest that each of you go h home and organize thoroughly educate the people up to the nd sity for their active cooperation , moral support in the enforcement the law. Let the private citizen une stand that he owes a duty to the St and if he doesn't perform it, he' slacker and a traitor. Teach th Jhat it's a duty to enforce the 1 against a friend as well as against enemy. A few years ago it was < honorable to report a blind tiger, some places they don't back us ; as they should do. In others we do | that support, and where we do I land is always 50 per cent higher Solicitor Edward C. Mann of Matthews said severer Ipunishm? should be dealt out to the white s dier back from France and par; ing obscene pictures than that met out to the negro. What better cox be expected of . the negro, if t whites had T?O higher sense of dv to society. "If you find a negro wi these picutres, take them away frc him and arrest him. If you find white man, he ought to be tarred a: feathered." This officer greatly fez ed that service during the war hi greatly increased the number of ?v grants among the negroes. Solicitor Homer S. Blackwell Laurens has also made certain o serations concerning the negro pro lem. From the Laurens postoffice 1 found that 35 negroes were receivii a Northern newspaper, filled with i flammatory articles against the whit' of the South. In one case the negrot were urj:;ed to lynch the lynchers, 1 procure Winchester rifles and 2C rounds of ammunition each. M Blackwell was of the opinion that tl law relating to the sale of extrae should be either replaced or luv\ teeth pu:; in it. It protected the deal? in extracts instead of punishing, I said. Refuge for Lawyers. Solicitor Gasque of Marion pointe out tha; ?'.wo reasons conducive t failure to enforce laws in the Stat were the technicalities of the lav which was the refuge of the profei sion and constant postponement o trial. Ht regarded the conference on of the most important acts of Go1* ernor Cooper's administration. Jus now the sale of extracts is proving serious menace to the State. Ever little corner or cross roads store i carrying a stock of from $100 t $200 worth of extracts, some of i with an alcoholic content of 80 to 9' per cen:. "We've either got to curl the sale of these extracts, or we'l have a worse condition than when wi had barrooms." Sheriff Blease of Newberry sah the firsr. killing of a white man ii Newberry by a negro since he becami sheriff teven years ago took place las Monday night. He brought with hin photographs and a description of th< negro recently mustered out of th< service and charged with the shoot ing. The Newberry officer did not thinl there vas a drug store in Newberry County that would violate the extrad law. He had procured the convictior of one white man and later two otheri pleaded guilty. He had seized aboul $900 worth of extract and would nol return it until compelled to do so bj law. If he found any of the papers referred to by Solicitor Blackwell, he would make him stop it. Charleston Improving. Frank Simmons, foreman of the Charleston grand jury, said Charles ton had passed through a great trans formation. Out of 58 indictments placed in the hands of the grand jury, 56 true bills were returned and of these 53 were convicted. His criti cism was that the fines imposed were too light. He had never voted prohi bition but when the opportunity pre sented itself, he would be glad to grasp lt. The foreman of the grand jury of Calhoun County also brought a good report. Of 18 prisoners at a recent term of court, 12 entered pleas of bein.? guilty. The court adjourned within 'four hours after it had con vened. There were no charges of mur der or assault and battery. C.' J. Kimball, recorder in Colum bia, made an interesting report of the cases brought before him. Before the troops went to France practically all the men in service brought before him were whites. Among ti .e returned soldiers who came before him, near ly all are blacks. He has had five with-, in the last few weeks before him for having obscene pictures in their pos session. ^Others who made interesting talks were: Sheriff Padgett of Colleton Sheriff McCain of Richland, Sheriff Miller of Lexington, J. S. Morse of Abbeville and Solicitor Timmerman of Lexington. J. Wilson Gibbs of Columbia acted as secretary of the convention. Has Enviable Record. One of those who followed the dis (eussions with keenest interest yester day was Sheriff Hunter of Lancaster, He has held the office of sheriff in his county at different times for 33 years and is regarded as an exceptionally good officer. He said: "I seldom have many prisoners in jail at a time ; have only two now, but this does not mean that we do not have a good deal of trouble at times |n Lancaster County. We have had several good white men killed by ne groes in the last few years. So I wel come -cooperation in putting a stop to crime if possible." G Croft Williams, secretary of the. State board of charities and correc tions, brought an intersting array of statistics as to the increase of crime over the State. These showed that there was an average of nearly one homicide in the State a day. Violations of the prohibition law showed a steady increase. For the quarter ending March 31, 1919, there were 71 commitments for offense, while in the quarter ending June 30, there were 193. There was also a steady increase recorded for the crime of larceny. Abbeville-Greenwood Mu tual Insurance Asso ciation. ORGANIZED 1892. Property Insured $4,268,300. WRITE OR CALL on the under signed for any information you ma; desire about our plan of insurance We insure your property against destruction by FIRE, WINDSTORM or LIGHT NING and do so cheaper than any Com pany in existence. Remember, we are prepared tc prove to you that ours is the safest and cheapest plan of insurance known. Our Association is now licensed to write Insurance in the counties of Abbeville, Greenwood, McCor mick, Edgefield, Laurens, Saluda, Richland, Lexington, Calhoun and Spartanburg. The officers are: Gen. J. Frasei Lyon, President, Columbia S. C., J. R. Blake, Gen. Agent, Secty. and Treas., Greenwood, S. C. DIRECTORS. A. 0. Grant, Mt. Carmel, S. C. J. M. Gambrell, Abbeville, S. C. J. R. Blake, Greenwood, S. C. A. W. Youngblood, Hodges, S. C. R. H. Nicholson, Edgefield, S. C. J. Fraser Lyon, Columbia, S. C. W. C. Bates, Batesbrrg, S .C. W. H. Wharton, Waterloo, S. C. J. R. BLAKE, GEN. AGT. Greenwood, S. C. February 1st, 1919. THE CONFEDERATE COLLEGE 62 Broad Street CHARLESTON, S. C. A BOARDING and DAY School for Girls. Begins its session October 1, 1919. Historic Institution situated in a healthy location."'' Advantages ol city life with large college yard for outdoor sports. A WELL PLANNED COURSE of stud ies in a home-like atmosphere. A BUSINESS COURSE open to seniors and elective courses to Juniors and seniors. TWO DOMESTIC SCIENCE courses, giving practical and theoret ic knowledge of cooking. A well equip ped LIBRARY. For catalog and furthur informa tion apply to the College. COTTON SEED! Work your crops and bring in your Cotton Seed later. I am in the seed market for the summer months and will pay Gov ernment prices for all sound seed. I| keep hulls and meal always on hand. M. A. TAYLOR. 5-28-19 WANTED: A second-hand cane mill. 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