Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1874-10-09
From the Ashevil.e Citizen
Murder by a U. 8. Marshall


The killing of Mr.. Andrew Woody, a
highly respectable citizen OF Madison
county, a few days ago, by Deputy
Marshal Rice. has already been an
nounced in the Citizen. Mr.. Rice i'm
mediately came to Asheville, and, un-
der a writ of habeas corpus, was allow
ed to remain simply in the custody Of
the Sheriff of Buncombe until the case
could be investigated by His Honor,
Judge Watts, which was done last Sat-
urday. The case was thoroughly ex-
amined into, both sides being ably rep
resented by counsel, the result of which
was Judge Watts refused bail and COM
mitted Rice to Jail to await the action
of the grand jury of Madison. 1t
seems that there is a law Of Congress
allowing the pets of the administration,
whenever they commit outrages against
the citizens of State, either by the
taking of life or the destruction Of
property, which is done quite fre-
uuently, to swear they can't get justice
in the State Courts, and have their
cases tried by the Federal Court. which
is generally understood to be a safe
asylum for all such lawbrcakers.
Quite a number of men have been
killed in this district during the last
few years, and the parties have sworn
themselves out of the State Courts IL
every instance, we think, and as often
have they escaped any punishment :.t
the hands of the Federal tribunal 10
which they fly. So far from any pun
ishment being melted out to the Of
tenders, in enc instance we have heard
of recently the guilty were actually a.
lowed to compromise the matter out
OF the Court and end the matter.
Was ever such proceedings heard Of
before in the annals Of Jurisprudence :?
Is it wonder that these peculiar rep
resentatives Of the great Radical des-
potism are SO thoroughly careless,
even reckless as regards tie taking Of
life, wien they have every reason for
| believing they can fly TO the Federal
Court and there be judicialiy washed
! of their SINS" and turned loose 10 kill
again
Why is it that U. S. Marshals have
! to go armed with pistols and muskets
/ to make arrests Why is it they only
find it necessary to kill their victims?
Why do the State officers execute all
services without danger to themselves
or necessity for killing others Why
| this difference between officers OF the
! law, sworn only to execute law and
not the citizens? And why do these
| Federal pets fear to be tried by a
"jury of their countrymen' in the
State courts? But they swear they
can't get ''justice" from their own
neighbors, men who know them best,
who may know all the circumstances
of their misconduct. They swear
falsely; it is justice at the hands of tie
State courts they stand in mortal fear
of, and we'll they may
This killing of people with impunity
by the Federal crew has gone far
enough. There is limit to the for
bearance of humanity. Let few more
1nurderers Of citizens be turned loose
by the power, established as it is
claimed to protect the citizen in life
aud property, and it may become, very
justly, necessary for an armed soldiery
to accompany the official murderers in
the neighborhoods of their outrages.
We heard prominent Repul can
say the other day that he can take
any writ from any court, against any
individual in these counties and exc
cute it without killing or shooting any
one or endangeripg himself, and that
men at all tit to be officers can do the
Same thing. And this is true. Our
people are fawabiding people. Re
sistance to law is unknown, save when
committed by the law officers, and are
protected by the courts. Arm good
and responsible men with precepts,
and they can go anywhere and execute
them; but the conduct of these APP
pointees of the Grant government has
been in many instances SO outrageous,
that the people have actually learned
to look upon the whole concern as an
organization OF self-protrected oppres-
sion, sustained by the entire '"army
and navy of the government that can
give them such protection"