The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1877-06-11
a Dangerous Character In Our
Midst.

On Saturday evening last, Geo. Robin
son, the man who killed John Scar
borough few years ago IN gambling
house in this city, anl who was sent to
the penitentiary therefor for two years,
but was pardoned before the expiration
othis sentence by Gov. Jacob, and who
has figured repeatedly ever since in the
criminal records Of the city for various
offences, made wicked and entirely un.
provoked attack on Mr.. Halstead, the
local editor Of this paper, and on no
other pretext than that he had published
Robinson's name in the regu-
lar court report in the list
of those against whom indictments
hal been found by the grand jury OF the
county for keeping faro bank and for
gambling. Both Of the morning papers,
~ is the custom, had published the list Of
indicted persons, and in neither paper
WAS there a word Of comment nor any
sign or designation whatever calculated
to give prominence to Robinson's name.
Aud yet for this publication, 10 the rcgu.
lar discharge Of their duty, one OF the local
editors of said papers was severely as.
Saulted and his lie endangered, and im.
mediatelystherCafter the. other was ap.
preached and threatened with the same
punishment, and would perhaps have SUI
fered similar assault but for the fact
that the asssilant was under arrest when
he met with him.
The remarkable feature OF this most
Hagrant circumstance consists in the fact
that man who has been as notorious in
and out Of print as Robinson has been for
years Fast In this community, should SO
far dare to presume upon public for.
bearance as to attack u peaceable citizen
who had never done him harm or wrong
in any particular, and who without
malice or prejudice had simply copied and
published as was his wont, and as is the
the custom, the records OF the Court in
which RobinsOn's name happened, AS it
had happened many times before, to ap.
pear in the criminal role. Such an as.
Eault, 80 unprovokcd and so almost
deadly in its venomous character, is an
occurrence that under the circumstances
appeals to the public with great force for
redress. One OF the safeguards Of society
4the publication Of the public records
in criminal proceedings, in order that
every citizen may be made familiar with
the names and doings Of those against
whom he should be on his guard. And
when for simple discharge Of duty in
this important direction, man can be
assaulted, bruised and manned in u pub.
lie place, in open day, in the presence OF
acrowd so completely ierrorized by the
character OF his assailnt as TO be incapa.
pable Of interference 10 prevent his mur.
der, We may well ask what protection we
have save to arm ourselves and be on our
guard against such brutal dcsperadoes.
Especially does this question come to us
when We seq that in less than 81 hours Nf-
ter making such an assault, and in spite OF
his vel! known character, Robinson is
turned loose upon our streets to renew his
attacks upon those whom he has already
threatened. We call such protection to
a1clety sham and II mOCkery. Here
Ia mAn Of infamous and dangerous
reputation, who had made an assault OF
very aggravated character, who had
immediately thereafter threatened an
other man with the same punishment,
who had resisted an officer in the dis.
charge Of his duty, and yet who ID out
and probably gone from the city, and all
the penalty he suffers is the forfeiture oil
a few paltry dollars-pCrhaps fifty all
toid-in the way Of bail. Shame on such
an administration Of justice!