Republican vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1857, 1857-07-04
Iron the Rockingham Re gister. ]
The Randall Case.

We have received the following statement
in relation TO the proceedings against Ran
DIAL from gentleman residing near Port
Republic, who though not himself concern
ed in the arrest, trial. or execution has had
opportunities of acquiring correct knowl-
edge Of facts in relation to it. So that his
statement of facts may be relied on with i'm
plicit confidence:
We are fully satisfied that in no portion Of
the Commonwealth is there greater respect
for the laws Of the land, Or less disposition
! 10 usurp the prorogatves of official justice
or to interfere with its regular administra
ton, than in the neighborhood in which
those unhappy disturbances have arisen that
resulted in the execution of JEFF. Randall. -
We think that every candid man who will
calmly look into the facts in the case, and
! all the circumstances attending it. however
repugnant to his feelings Or principles the
practice Of Lynch-law may be, can come to
no other conclusion than that the people here
have manifested great forbearanee towards
Randal-that they have long borne with his
lawlcss conduct-that when the crisis had
arrived, tAcy tried by peaceable means to
induce him TO leave the neighborhood-tha
they raised money to send him and his fam
lily out of the State-that after he had refa-
.sed to 90. and had threatened to kill more
than dozen Of our most valuable citizens
every exertion was made to obtain legal ey-
idcnce upon which to found an Indictment
for some Of the numerous crimes of which
he had been guilty: but owing to the fact
ofhis having generally employed negroes to
execute his robberies and ineenaarsm. and
the refusal of his white accompliees to test-
! e. against him, no such evidence could be
obtained that they finally resortcd to the
fatal necessity with very great relgctanee-
without any feeling of malice or personal
ill-will but were actuated alone by the con-
yiction that neither the life or property Of
any one who had taken part in his arrest, or
given him offence, would be safe-that he
and his Gang Of desperadoes and negro ae-
complies would not hesitate to waylay and
murder, and burn and destroy the property
If any individual that Randall would desig
nate. Randall was not executed as pun
ishmeat for the crimes he had already per-
petrated, but because it was considered to be
Il necessary act of self-defeRee
Before Kendall came into the neigbbor-
hood, it was tie most quiet and peaeeahle
part Of thc county. Theft by 4 white man
vas rare occurrence We have often sect
hundreds of Farreis Of -four. sometimes more
than thousand at time, lying for days
and nights together. on the beach below tie
forks ofthe river, waiting for boats to carry
hem cT,-rot one had ever been stolen be-
fore Randall located himself between. this
place and the mountain. But no sooner
was he fixed there, thaa stealing from the
beach became 50 common that for several
years past po cue has thought i safe TO leave
any thore without . watch over it. f'atlbe-
ries ami thefts have Keen Of frequent oecpr-
sencc IN onr rcighborhood Cor several years
past and within the last twelve months
greatly on the increase Our negroes have
been corrupted. and use', as instruments to
pluuder their masters, OF to burn and dos-
troy the property Of our neighbors. How
many Of thca, have been employed by him
d spies. informcrs, and carriers Of stolen
goods, II Is Impossible even to conjecture
Yet we know that Randall know Of almost
every thing that was said or done in the
uoiehb,9hood, in which he had any interest.
Il would iii volume TO relate all that we
have heard and believe to be true, Of this
mans atrocities Information, which al
though not le gal evidence, yet 50 eoyrobora-
ted by facts and circumstances clearly as
certaued. as 10 leave no doubt whatever Of
their truth, prove conclusiyely the existence
ot an organized band of desperadoes and
tocues, (both ~hie ami biack,) Of which
Randall was the head and director, or TO use
his own phrase, I'm King There is
reason to believe, from information reeeiv-
ed, oorroboratcd 10y known facts, that for
several years past he has been trying to
organize a band strong enough to set this
community at defiance. it is notorious
fact that ever s,nce Bill Jones, Ga bully OF
great strength aud bad Character has been
living with him, his holiness has greatly
increased, and his yillainies become much
more common. He has often boasted that
"eyery man in the noighborh0od was afraid
OF hin;' boast, which in one sense was
certainly true; a dread of private revenge
or robbery.
In order to give the distant publlc some
idea ID this man character we VIII cite
few instances our q many oil MS a'foei',es,
fandal came l'''o she he's'iootiioou u
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