The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1877-10-11
LETTER FROM HARRIs0NBURG
HARR1soNBuRe, VA, Oct 8, IS

man said he talked to him on the pre- vlous day
noticed several quill rivers on the qui vive Der
uty Marshal Peter Raderwas glad OF 1T, as
wanted aiwelidug, 4he has concluded to set som
lone else. IffO 81 rs .,iA,ae. So b. Minor
, The, ,Munchansen rumors about the resuscita
ton of Shifiett have revived conversational II
terest in the celebrated Lawson murder trials
as so frequently during the tendency of thes
trials, most favorable mention was hourly made
Capt. John Paul, our efficient Commonwealth
Attorney. If anything was needed to establisl
his standing as one OF the best and abiestprose
cutors in the State, if not OF this dayhis earnes
and self-sacrifcing devotion to- the arduous an,
trying duties of his RESP onsibie position dufipi
the late epidemic of crime in this county, hal
surely earned for him that esteem in the minds O
our people Prom the moment that the first init
Inatien of this most horrid m urder reached his
ears, he has DEVOTED himself frstto the direction
Of the efforts to detect and Err est the perpetra
tors, and when discovered and secured, to- liei1
conviction. In their prosecution he was ndefati
gable sand relentless, and when the end waf
reached, and the full measure Of his unpleasant
duty had been fulfilled. in the true mobility anf
manliness Of his nature he allowed his heart &
assert itself, and as he saw criminal after crimi
nal standing IN the presence OF the law to receive
its sentence, the sympathetic tear not absent
from his cheek, and he showed that he felt fol
the sorrows Of the innocent ones thus cursed
through the crime of the husband and parent
| The community has never witnessed more bril-
liant display of professional ability than ex-
hibited by Capt. Paul against the eloquent and
devoted Roller, the indefatigable Berlin, and the
earnest watchful Raglan All that human inge-
| nuity and talent could do was done by the coun-
sci for defence to release Anderson Shifett Silas
Morris and Louisa Lawson from the meshes OF
| the law, but these criminals, by their own mis-
| deeds, had placed themselves within the spring
of the lion of the tato, and there escape for
| them. Admitting, as truth compels us to do,
| IL at Messrs. Roller, Berlin and Raglan did them
selves all credit our the peoples attorney rivet-
ted himself in the affections and confidence of the
people as a most able, fearless and imparti al
| prosecutor. M rs- 5.sf-+
Sheriff D. H. Ralston has been, according to the
| statements of Anderson Shiflett whilst living,
| and as asserted now by Silas Morris and Mrs.
Louisa Lawson, very kind to the condemned He
has been censured by some of the editors OF
Northern papers for the breaking of the rore That
censure was unmerited. Sheriff Ralston was
guided in the selection OF the first rope by the
opinions of those who professed to be experts,
and actuated by, as he thought, the most hu name
impulse to give Shiffiett quick and easy deatR
selected the three-eighths rope. 1t is equally I'M
fair in the Sherif's personal friends holding rep
feSeuIdJlVeS vi Gue press WHO tHC1i pa
pers facts as they occurred Mithoa& comment, De-
ing held in any manner responsible for the assef-
lions of the editors in their comments upon the
execution. There thirteen journals repre-
scented specially" and the Associated Press OF
the occasion, and after reading all the reports,
fail to observe where any of the specials COM
mented on the rope breaking. They all stated
the fact that the rope broke, which do not sup
pose Mr.. Ralstons friends object to as being
other than legitimate item of news. 4
The excitement incident to the executions, the
circuses, and the political campaign, keeps the
pot boiling in old Rockingham to furious ex-
tent. This week appears devoted principally to
politics. The friends of each Gen. Roller. and
Capt Paul are confident that they will win. 1t APP
pears to me that the partisans of these gentlemen
are really more interested than they them 4
selves. The thinking people Of the county will
be satisfied with the election OF either as they
are both favorably know, and tie election of Ell
ther will reflect credit on the voters of this coun-
ty There are gr eat many persons who say they
will not vote for Senator at all, declaring that
they will not vote against either of the candidates.
The candidates for the Legislature are getting
down to their work with vim. j. K. Smiths
friends claim his election, by handsome major
ity. DR.. Moffetts friends are sanguine OF his sue
cess VIM. N. Sibert, it is said will be elected GER
tain The old war horse, Col. Reuben N. Harrison,
through his friends proclaims that he will be Ell
Their first or a good second DR.. S. H. P. Mlller's
friends are confident OF their favorite's success,
and the same may be said OF DR.. Amiss, J. D.
Pennybaker, Henry Sipe, Maj. Walker and Helt-
zell. &, ..... -f
The bitter fight waged against Hon. John F.
Lewis by the Shylocks lead by the Old Common
aoealth is doing him an immense amount OF good.
The hue and cry of Republicanism, urged against
lin will mo- eVnrVtimn the
aoealth and its followers charge, "any Democrat
that votes for Lewis is Republican to the core,'
they cement the vote the stronger. Were
Senator Lewis DESTROYS of an election there would
be no better investment than for him to fee the
Commonwealth to abuse him every week. The
sensible portion of the Democracy see it, but
they know that there is no use to demonstrate
with the gentlemen from Delaware and they
are to use an expressive term Letting the thing
rip" They say thatif Senator Lewis is elected
they will have gentleman to represent the views
of nine tenths of the taxpayers, and who can
NEITHER be bought by the bond holders money, or
frightened or bamboozled by the Statesmen
who do the lobbying at Richmond.
The Harrisonburg Guards who have gained
such an envious reputation for discipline and
proficiency in drill, WILDE deprived for several
months of the valuable services OF Capt. o. b.
Roller, that gentleman having gone to the Uni
versity of Virginia to complete his legal educa-
ton. The Guards, during Capt. Rollers absence,
will be commanded by First Lieut.. Jno. Donavan. |
Rival companies in the State need not ''lay the
JUNCTION to their soul" that this temporary
change will be to their interest," for Lieut.. Dona-
van is not only an efficient drill master, but an
accomplished gentleman who possesses, to an eX- |
traordinary degree, the fullest confidence OF every
member of the Guards. The Guards, at their
regular meeting last night, accepted an invita- |
ton to attend the Winchester Fair, to be held |
next week. The resignation offered one week
ago by Lieut.. Donavan, was voted down by
unanimous vote. -af
A young lady met me the other day, and SAID,
"FAx, what is the meaning OF keen-oh." WIFI
my usual amount of stupidity replied do not
know that the expression keen OH" means more
than an extraordinary degree of smartness exhib-
tied by some one ''she would not accept the dlh-
milton, saying cit was not applicable, for father
bought two dozen Of eggs from country-man,
and when he counted them he found he had TWEEN
ty-ive, he held the extra egg up, and said keen
oh!' They say, they must count great many
eggs in one of the brick buildings of the burnt
district.
The clover seed crop is reported as seriously in
jured this year by the grss hoppers. rms crop
as the readers of the VIRGINIAN will remember
two years ago was in this county extraordnar-
~>-o-N
q few weeks ago, but the "hoppergrass" has in
terfered with the calculations of the farmers In
this connection it is worthy Of remark that be-
tween the Vandals and the hoppergrass nearly all
of the shrubbry and rose plants in the Cemetery
ar destroyed Up tD I9Fl 9.k
Silas Morris health is failing. On Sunday last
he appeared quite unwell. His wife is with MN
in the Jail His counsel, it is claimed have DIS
covered some additional evidence which. If it be
true, relieves Anderson Shiflett from the crime
of having been the principal in the Lawson trag-
edy: and also ,exonerates Morris from the compll-
city. Mrs. Lawson continues to assert her lnpo-
sence of all knowledge OF the crime.
The few desultory remarks about the deserted
graveyard in last weeks VIRGINIAN aroused the
ire of some of the "brethern' owning the grave
yard on West Walter street. We visited that grave
yard last Sunday, and found it almost surrounded
with hedge ,and three cows peacefully pastur-
ing therein. We are obliged to our friend for the
item. We can new boast of two graveyards which
are anything but credit to our town.
There is degree of mystery surrounding the
sdoipgs'' Of the re-adiusters. They canvas and
hold private pow vows but have been unable to
''diskiver' what they propose doing. Their &C