The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1876-07-20
LYNCII LAW.
The People of Putnam Justly
Tndiignant---They Demand that
the Lymchcrs Shall be IInne-
dialeiy ArrUigned and Tried
Strong Resolutions.


Strong Resolutions
The people of Putnam county be-
ing indignant at the action of the
Cabell county mob, in invading Put
nam county and taking from her
Jail, Johnston, the horse thief and
murderer, and hanging him, held u
meeting Saturday, July Sth, when
the following resolutions were pass
ed:
l. That the law is and shallremain
in Putnam county, and that
every man charged with crime of
whatever grade must and shall be
protected from mob violence, and
shall enjoy the right to a fair and
impartial trial by a jury ofhis peers,
9 That we point with pride and
satisfaction to the promptness and
efficiency with which criminal justice
has been administered in this eoun-
ty, during the whole period of its eX-
istence and We challenge the produc-
ton of a single instance in our his
tory in which crime hasnot received
its due and legak punishment.
3'Thatwemost Indignantly dcnoun-
ced the invasion Of our county by an
armed band from Cabell county, COM
posed of prominent and well known
persons, and none ofwhom made any
attempt to concealment or diguise, as
an insult to our county, an outrage
upon a civilized community, a def
ance of all law, and an exhibition of
the worst and most unholy passions
of human nature.
4. That we denounce the hanging
of Marshall Johnston as an atrocious
crime, and in the name of an outrag-
ed law we demand that the persons
charged with this great crime shall
be brought to speedy trial and shall
receive the punishment affixed by
the law to the offences Of which they
may be found guilty by a jury of their
peers.
s. That in view Of the nature and
enormity of the offence committed,
and the serious an injurious conse-
quenees toour State and countywhich
viii inevitably ensue unless the same
be promptly Investigated and ade-
quately punished, we respectfully
request the Hon. Joseph Smith, Judge
of the Circuit Court of Putnam coun-
ty, to convene a special term of said
court in the month of August and
have q grand jury summoned to at
tend.
6. That we demand of the Prosecut-
ing Attorney of this county most
searching and thorough investiga-
ton of the facts connected with the
crime which has been committed and
Il most prompt, vigorous and uncom-
promising prosecution of every one
Of the offenders, without fear, favor or
partially, pledglng to him the hear
ty cooperation, and the undivided
support of the people of this county,
in all his efforts to bring the guilty
to justice,
I. That in order more eiIectually
to carry ont the determination of the
meeting an Executive Committee of
five be appointed, consisting of the
following gentlemen, viz: Col. ]. l..
Mclean, S. T. Alexander, Esq, Hon.
J. j. Bright, }, j. Thompson andGen,
Geo. G. Bower, who are hereby in
structed to confer, advise and consult
with the Prosecuting Attorney of the
county, employ additional counsel if
in their judgment it be necessary,
and generally adopt such mcasurcrs
as may to them seem proper, to the
end that the majesty Of the law may
be yindicated and the guilty be pun
ished.
s. That we feel a just pride in re-
cording the fact that no citizen of
Putnam county was implicated in
this ncfarious transaction, and we
hereby most solcmnly pledge our
selves to the employment Of every
legal measure to blot out the stigma
inflicted upon our county by the APP
prehension, trial and punishment of
every one of the participants in the
crime.