Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1872-09-19
MURDER NOT A REMEDY.

The circumstances of peculiar
barbarity attending therecent shoot
ing and killing of the man Clark
in the Jail at Brentsville. Va. by
the brother Of the girl whom he is charged
of having wronged. may serve once IN brt
to direct attention to the terribly demor-
allied condition of public opinion which
can render in any community, such al
occurrence possible. The case. in its gon
eral features. is like many that have hap.
peneS i'll other portions Of the country
The story is the old one Of private ven
geauce, summarily aud fearfully taker
for domestic wrong, Tor which the lav
unhappily. is supposed to furnish no ade.
quate remedy. Che circumstances tend
ing this last deed of blood, however, are
of character so unusually barbar GUS a:
to be almost, if not absolutely. exception
al. The victim, Clark, lying half dress.
ed in his cell in the county jail, wai
aroused by the sudden appearance at the
grated door Of the apartment of the broth.
er of the girl, who, thrusting a pistol be-
tween the iron bars, deliberatel began
firing upon the wretched prisoner, the lat
ter vainly lodging from side to side OIL
the narrow cell, being wholly without
means of escape or defense. Clark has
since died from his wounds, and his slay.
er, Jewell, now occupies the cell.
1t is not necessary. of course, to say
one word in extepaation of the enorhit,
of Clark's conduct, whatever that n1ay
have been, in order to find fitting terms
of condemnation for the act OF his slayer.
1t is needless to say that no brave man
could have taken the life of his worst en-
envy in the manner in which Fewell shot
Clark to death. But there are other and
more important considerations suggested
by this case, as another of recent occur
renee. added to the long chapter of in
stances, fortunately too common, in
which men acting under sense Of SINH
lar injuries, real or imaginary. constitute
themselves at once judges Of facts and
law, of the guilt of their victims, and of
the measure and Kind of punishment to
be melted out, and executioners of their
sentences. 1t is an act to be reprobated,
as are all attempts by individuals or mas
ses, toitake the law into their own hands.
and to substitute their own Wild ideas of
justice for the redress which the law NAV
afford.
But it is said there are some cases, and
this is one of them, which are outside the
pale Of all law, aud in which society Of
fers no redress. But it may be asked,
are such cases bothered, or is thoir occur
renee prevented, by the toleratien of acts
of private vengeance such as Fewelps
To pursue the inquiry further. and find
out what lies at the bottom of this idea of
redress above and beyond any which So
ciety has it III its power to afford. is it
any compensation to the injured woman,
in any case. to know that her seducer's
life has paid the forfeit of, it may be, her
Jolly and his crime, and that her shame
is consequently blazoned over all the land
by the greater notoriety which the story
has acquired Is the burden of sorrow
e sting upon her family and friends light
ened because those of the sedueer, equal
ly rinnoceut. have been plundged
into equal or greater grief? Or is faith
rr, son or brother in prison, aud in peril
Of bis life, any equiva lent for daughter
or sister ruined ? Only by the most ex-
traordinary con fusion of IDEAS can any
notion Of 'redress" be associated with
train of events alike criminal and appall-
ing
Yet, so long as an unhealthy and per-
versed public opinion is supposed t, justi-
fly resort to assassination in cases of Sc
duction, what hope is there for any other
or better remedy? The very existence of
such public opinion is barrier against
any remedial legislation, for its supposed
Justification of private aud hwless ven
geance is based upon the assumption that
the law gives no redress. We canaot ex