The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1872-10-29
THE CLARK-FEwELL CASE AGAIN.
Rhoda Fewell has published the follow


II CLARK-FEWELL. CASE AGAIN.
Rhoda Fewell has published the follow
ing card
The Alexandria Gazette of yesterday has a let
ter written from Brentsville, October Is, In which
IL is said i attempted TO escape from the jail
at that place on Sunday last. I most emphati-
cally and unequivocaliy deny the charge, end
instead OF making any such attempt l have
shown conclusively to several persons who have
visited me since that time, and In the presence Of
the jailor, that / could have gotten out ut any
time I chose to do so. l do MT wi. h to escape,
but expect to be discharged by a jury of my coun.
trymen, and not only discharged but justified In
have done and believe that said letter was
case. L. N. FnwpLL.
There are two remarkable points in this
card calculated to awaken unpleasant re-
Elections in the public mind.
/. IfFewell could escape at any time from
the Jail as he states, what is to be thought
of the administration Of justice in Prince
William county? 1t seizes a man accused
of crime who has voluntarily returned to be
arrested, confines him in a narrow cell and
leaves the Jail open 50 that he can be con-
veniently shot through the grated door Of
his cell i! 1t allows him to be brutally
murdered in broad daylight. Then when
it has arrested and indicted the murderer
it goes through the farce of confinement in
a Jail from which she can escape al any
tin'e!!
2. Jewell does not try to escape, because
he is confident Of being not only discharged,
bit justified for what he has done. The
previous history of this case would seem
to give ground for such a confidence on his
part. The way has been smoothed for
him to commit q cold-blooded and brutal
murder, and, as he says, the doors were
left open for his escape, the trial is to be
a mere farce! A jury sworn to execute
the law are to perjure themselves by setting
it aside and justiitfying the crime they have
sioor1a TO punish! The character OF the
dead man is to be forever blackened with
no chance for defence, and an assassin is to
be let loose on society.
This is the assumption which this card
contains. If it is borne out by facts, the
State Of Virginia and the county of Prince
William will be blackened with disgrace.
If there are extenuating circumstances in
this case, they are proper subjects for ex-
ecutiye consideration, but let the jury stand
by its oath and the taWs of the country.
As to Fewell's previous performances, a
reliable correspondent writes: @
Rhoda Jewell has been one of those despera-
does developed by the war, whonever has known
law.
He broke up. a temperance meeting in May,
1857, by q most wanton and outrageous assault
on the speaker, a gray-headed old man, Leoni-
das l.. Allen, of Ohio, who came here with iigh
testimonials from President Lincoln, President
Johnson, Generals Grant, Sherman, Howard and
others.
Last winter he broke up a meeting gotten up
by the Ladies' Memorial Association, u in honor
OF his comrades, "the Confederate dead, i" to re-
pair the Confederate cemetery here, &c, by an
assault on the door-keeper, and forcing himself
through the door and the audience, armed with q
club, and cursing and swearing, putting a stop
to the charades and tableaux. and causing the
women engaged in them 10 faint.
These are but samples of his actions for nei-
Their has he been punished.
And this is the man who sets himself up
as the avenger of virtue! who, guilty of
outrageous crimes against the public pence,
confidently expects immunity, through the
efforts of a powerful counsel and a per-
jared jury! We wish no i'll to Rhoda
Jewell. We hope he may live to repent of
his terrible crimes, become q good man,
and undo some of the great wrong he has
done. But in the interest of public JUS
tice and public safety we protest. For
the voiceless dead, who can make no de-
Tense, and with whom the county of Prince
William and the State of Virginia has vio-
lated its most sacred covenants, we claim
what justice the law can yet give to his be-
reaved and sorrowing friends.
As public journalists our duty is clear
to point out and denounce the danger which
threatens, when the fountains of justice are
corrupted by passion and prejudice, and
juries are called upon to violate the law
they have sworn to enforce. The Press
has no more sacred duty than this. 1t has
ample power to correct the dangerous and
growing abuse which gives to a jury the
attributes Of a legislature, and empowers
it to decide, not merely upon evidence, that
a crime was committed, but also upon the
adequacy of the ~provocation to justify it.
Such a construction makes the jury trial a
miserable mockery of justice, and sweeps
away every law designed to protect human
life. If it is accepted every mar must
right bis own wrongs, and take his chances,
and society relapses into bloody conflict,
confusion and chaos!
t.-u ... s.