New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-09-28
THE LAW TO TAKE ITS COURSE.


The Times claims special credit for the
white citizens of Ouachita parish for the
arrest of travelling assassin called Hath
away. We are not disposed to rob them
Of single laurel to which they are en-
titled. If they desire praise for perform
ing plain duty, they can earn still more
by arresting the home murderers of Dink-
grave. The arrest of Hathaway il an ex-
ceptional case. He was q drunken man,
q stranger, ard had killed at the wrong
time and place, without positive orders
from the Democratic committee. Hath
away was not a voter in the parish, and
did not belong to the first families. There
was no more valueless material to make
an example Of, and he is given up to the
officers of the law. He is such q man
as a New Orleans jury would con-
Wet Of murder in clear case
while heightened merchant would
be acquitted despite the same evidence.
Hathaway shot three negroes at q time,
and where strong efforts were being made
to organize colored Democratic clubs.
Such conduct would undo the greatest
work Of the campaign, and the meddle-
some stranger, who was not aware of the
new tactics, instead Of earning the graft
tude of the murder managers, as he might
have done under other circumstances, or
by killing obnoxious Republicans, is sacri- \
feed for sentiment and thrust in Jail. He
is not lynched, as was John Gair and Babe
on suspicion. He is identified
IS the criminal and deprived of, his lib
erty. So far the citizens of Ouachita
have acted nobly, without waiting TO.
ldvice from the New Orleans Times.
We only wish they would do better |
n giving up the Dinkgrave murderer to
ustice. There is no difference in the
'alue of innocent lives. Life and liberty
re as sweet to one humble man of what
yer position or color as to another, and
s much entitled to protection; but the
rrest of the man who killed Dinkgrave
1ould do more good for the community
han the arrest Of dozen tramps like
hathaway. 1t would lessen the occur
ence of such particularly a.rocious
rimes. Dinkgrave was Republican
,ader and organizer in his parish. He
as notified that if he did not leave the
arish that he would be killed. He did
OF leave and he was killed. Weigh
lis premeditated murder with the
3ontaneous and drunken crime of Hath
way. and Immediately can be seen which
mirage convicts the community, and
here the responsibility rests. Let an
,sassin Of Louisiana, one to the manner
orn, be arrested and hung for murder,
I'd the effect would be beneficial. Young
en- who hope to gain political power by
lch deeds, would hesitate before going
1t in broad daylight and shooting an
,offending citizen. That such murder
s are not hunted down and given up by
e witnesses is why We can say that
o citizens Of Ouachita, and of
her parishes, have not yet done
cir whole duty. Democratic retribu-
On, to be called justice, must not dis
inmate. Of two criminals it must not
.ndcuff the vagabond alone and elect
q other to Office. It is not because DR..
inkgrave was scholar, gentleman, a
epublican and nephew of Judge Lud-
ing that we cry for justice. For those
asons he was killed. We especially de-
re the arrest of his murderer by the q
mite people Of Ouachita as of more inn
'rtance than Hathaway, because such an
rest would be not only justice, but re- :
Ike in the right direction.