Dayton daily empire. [volume] (Dayton [Ohio]) 1850-1865, 1865-05-13
Oslnthimn
AssnssInation

sasslnations "a subject upon which the
Republican party in this section ought
we think, to have very little to say. 1t is
only about two years and half ago that
tho kind hearted Bollmeyer, who never
sought q quarrel in his life, and who
never willingly gave moments pain to
any of Gods innocent creatures, was met,
while returning home early in the morn
ing with his market basket on his arm, by
an abolition fanatic, with whom he had
never quarreled, and against whom he
never had uttered threat, who accosted
and insulted him, and at moment. while
Bollmeyer was telling him not to shoot,
with the open palms OF his uplifted hands
extended towards him, sent bullet crash
ing into his brain. This tho Journal of
yesterday calls personal rencounter,"
in which, as jury of twelve men unani-
mously decided, the killing was excusable,
because it was done in "self defense"
We reproduce the article of the journal.
We have rarely seen, even in its columns,
any thing approaching it in impudent
mcndacity.
"Thc Cincinnati Enquirer is ns unfortunate
in its reminders to the Dayton Journal as il
is malignan ut in spirit II cites to the journal
the killing Of Mr. Bollmeyer as an assassina-
al.
zans do not claim that that was any thing
more than n personal recontre, and, besides,
the survivor was tried for his life before
Jury, aud unanimously acquitted on the
ground oi self defense. The Enquirer, by
citing this case, coniesses the weakness of its
argument
1t would be exactly as appropriate to
call the assassination of Mr.. Lincoln a
"personal rencounter," and to speak Of
Booth as "the survivorW The killing
of Mr.. Lincoln was an abominable as
sassination, and the killing of Bollmeyer
was just the same.
Oh, but 'the survivor was tried for his
life and unanimously acquittedP' Did
the journal ever hear anything about the
farce which it calls the trial of "the sur
vivor?" We have heard-and the "hon-
orablc men" who managed the affair for
the criminal, can tell the journal if we
are misinformed--that this "trial" was had
in county overwhelmingly republican in
its politics-that the Clerk and the Sheriff
who made up the jury were republicans
that every man upon that jury was re-
publican--that a republican Judge sat
upon the bench, and permitted the bitterly
partisan people of that place to make a
hero of the criminal in the face Of the jury
the men in crowds to shake him by the
hand, and the ladies to present him with
boquets-that the Judge never in all the
eight days of the trial referred to him once
as "the accused" or "the prisoner, but al
ways as "Nr. BroaOR, that on ono Oc-
casion he, the Judge, took pains to shake
hands with "Mr. Brown" in the presence
of the jury--that he permitted one OF the
"honorable men" aforesaid to argue to the
Jury without noticing it in his charge al
the conclusion, that "Mr. Brown" thought
Mr.. Bollmeyer was rebel-and if he aOas
n rebel, MIR. Brown did no more in killing
him than that for which we applaud "our
boys in blue" for doing in the South.
The verdict Of acquittal was Of course
under these circumstances foregone con-
clusion. The effect of it was to convince
many Democrats that republicans could
commit any olIense against their property
or persons to which their bad passions
might prompt them without danger Of
legal punishment. Another effect was to
reinstate Brown in the regards Of the re-
publican portion of the community by
whom he is perhaps mole highly cOnsid-
cred now, than he was three years ago. His
name appeared appended to tho call Tor a
Union Convention in February last. and
in all respects he seems to be regarded by
his political friends as most estimable
and worthy citizen.
We hope, for the credit of our fellow
citizens. that they believe the statements
made by the Journal to be true. IF the
SLAYER of Bollmeyer was not actuated by
political frenzy and hate, and If the kill
ing was done in self-deiense their conduct