Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1856-08-29
Herbert the Murderer.

Judge Crawford of the District OF COZ
umbia, has fully entitled himself to
place in the next edition of /" Atrocious
Judges" BY his charge to the jury in the
case Of Herbert, which was substantially
that a man may provoke an ARRAY, and
finding himself likely to be worsied' may
lawfully end the encounter 10y killing his
antagonist. Thesam charge would have
acquitted Brooks for the murder of Sum-
ner, if it had happened that, falling to
disable him by the first blow, he had found
II impossible TO pound him as much as he
pleased without first shooting him dead.
But we must not allow our disgust at the
Judge TO diminish our adherence of the
criminal whom he has screened from pun
ishmeni, and t0 help in maintaining
healthy public opinion in regard to him,
we call attention to some of his anteee-
dents,
This is not the first, nor yet the second
crime of his commission, which, ii pun
ished according to its deserts, would have
subjected the Hon. P. L. Herbert to a
very unpleasant structure of the wind
pipe. To say nothing Of his gambling,
ballot-box stuffing, debauchery of various
kinds, and divers other black-leg deeds.
which, however infamous III themselves.
sink into comparative insignificance by
the side OF his works of blood, there are
now at least three well authenticated ca
ses of murder to which he has been g
party either as principal or accessory.
His first murder, that has to oul
knowledge, was committed while he wa
in College at Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Ii
there got into an afray with fellow
student and stabbed him to death with ;
bowie knife. For this he was obliged II
flee to Texas, which was then place O
refuge for all sorts of desperadoes, whel
lac older States refused to harbor then
any longer.
Our Congrcssman'S drst taste of bloc
made him ravenous for more, and he di
not long delay his appetite for slaughter
While he lived in Texas, few mile
: from the town of Richmond, on the Br;
zos river, quarrel occurred between tv
gentlemen named Colin Cooke and Jon
than d. Waters. Waters resolved
murder Cooke, and for that purpose stal
or ed over to his house, accompanied by Jol
Waters and P. T. Herbert. They we
armed with double-barreled shot guns a
revolvers. After reaching the house,
was agreed that Herbert and john "
tiers should rush in and seize Cooke, a
OIL prevent him from using his arms. as
was noted fer being a brave man, and
-7--- : ------.- They accnrtlino
opened, they rushed in, seized their Y
tim, and held him securely until Wat
could take aim. They then released hi
and Waters fired. Cooke was not xii
the first discharge, but leaped over
bed and was about seizing his weapo
No when he was shot down by the confer
OF the other barrel. In the agonies
death, he exclaimed, give NE some II
ter" when his murderer drew his rev
> yer, end deliberately shot four balls il
his dead body.
His last murder-we hope it may
the last-was that of Heating, the ia
rby in regard to which are too fresh in
minds of our readers to need recapitu
lion. And yet this man against VIII
the blood of three OF his fellow isen er
!. from the ground, is permitted not only
. live, but to occupy a seat in the Congr
mas OF the United States. and with an inn
n of dence as matchless as his guilt he hr
fol- defiance from that seat at the public $
~ a timent of the country. He may csc:
Id a from the justice of human tribunals.
.3th he will have TO meet his victims oI
more before tribunal where there IS
respect of persons, and where Sena
Butler and Judge Crawford will h.
enough business of their own to attend
without attempting -vainly to screen
from justice.