The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1873-03-17
"Killfng No Murder"


George Hall shot Amelia Speckley dead. as
ss che was returning home from school. Ine
cause of the murder WAS that Miss Speckley
did not answer love letter which Hall haa
written to her. Hall is eighteen years olo,
and Miss Speckley was fifteen. Their families
move IN the first circles.
Another tragedy added to annals al-
ready too black with crimes. Another
moral application OF the doctrine that The
habitual carrying OF deadly weapons is
wise and necessary precaution. Another
lesson on the advantages OF precoclous de-
velopment, stimulated by dime novels ana
the dramatic apotheosls Of crime. Again
an incontrovertible proof that the American
youth is capable, at the most tender age, OF
attending 10 his own interests, and Of
ayensipg his honor like man-even on q
woman!
or course in such O case as this, the plea OF
temporary insanity" will secure the acquiL-
tai OF the murderer. Eloquent advocates will
plead his cause, and this will be the nature
oftheir appeal to the intelligent and respecta-
BILE Jury 'Could one in the full possession
" OF reason, shoot down, in cold blood, the
" woman who is all the world to him. How
" can it then be credible, gentlemen oil
"lhe jury, that this boy, standing on the
F." threshold OF life, in the glory OF dawning
" manhood, should wreck oil it's promise
by the commission of crime from which
{" the most hardened wretch would shrink?
.It is admitted that his hand traced these
vows of love and undying devotion. Can
it be conceived that, few hours later,
81 The same hand could ruLhlessly destroy The
"temple OF God, which his soul had
" chosen for it's shrine? This is too mon
" slrous for belief Surely here is indisput.
able evidence OF young, sensitive
"mind, thrown from its balance by the
" intensity OF it's emotions, maddened by The
" contempt and dsdain OF scorniul woman.
Humanity and justice alike demand
"the release OF the suffering prisoner Let
"him who has been the victim OF such
untoward circumstances be allowed 10 re-
"trieve an error induced by The impelu.
"osity OF youth, and by spirit too deli
"cately strung TO meekly endure atlront"
But to the grave, where that cold. still
form lies shrouded and hushed forever,
there comes no whisper OF release, no prom
ise OF the earthly renewal Of lille blighted
before It's radiance had shown. The penalty
OF maidenly modesty and wise reserve is
Death-borrible sudden and inexorabe.
The justification OF murder is the popular
creed that men hold in their own hands The
redress of all their imaginary or actual inJu-
ries. "Honor" asserts that the Creator,
who has proclaimed that vengeance be-
longs to Him, and that He will repay,
is too tardy in fulfilling His promises
to satisfy arrogant, spirited man. What
marvel is it then that the boy, who
hopes soon to claim place in the exalted
order OF mature men, should be eager ~
attest his fitness for promotion by display
ing an utlerr disregard OF others lives, and
a Jealous solictude to secure, ut any price,
his own selfish aimsf These qualities, as
he is taught, enlitle him to respect as ga
man OF unsullled honor" 1t is not incom-
palible with the transcendent purity OF
worldly Honor that ii should he stained with
blood. Honor, the immaculate, acquires
o more resplendent ustre by being plunged
in the crimson food. Immersion in that
awful Styx secures, among men, the name
OF invincible to the modern Achilles; but to
God and the hero alone is known the vuner.
able spot which cannot be steeled against
the barb, and on which the man who is but
mortal, alas must go hating through life
until the wound testers unto death.