The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1879-04-04

Who are safe from the Murdersrs - -
In another column will be found q statement
of tbs mprdes of sudss J. NJ. Elliott Of the
Court ofapptais Of Kenipcky, ThisstrociOus
crime was eonshsft{eda Ast6adayin the streets Of
Frankfort, Ky and for what! Because in the
conscientious discharge Of their duties the Jud
assassin in law suit which had been tried and
decided against him twice before. A few days
ago Col RIA. fAlston was hunted down and
shot in coll blood in one Of the public Offices Mt
Atlanta, Geo, because he would not violate con-
tract he had made in the interest of his client.
Again, q Texas desperate, occupying the position
of railroad detective, insults a lady at n rail
road station and when demonstrated with by
the lady's friends shoots down one, Mr.. B. {.
Porter, and dangerously wounds another.
Following quick upon each other the rccitals of
these awful crimes have been published in al,
most every paper upon the American Continent,
feeding the morbid taste, SD fearfully growing
among the people, with that exciting, lawless
and demoralzing food upon which it thrives
and becomes debasing to humanity. To add
to the terrible effects Of these crimes upon the
already vitiated minds of the people they were
wantonly committed by men who moved in So
cial spheres above what may be called the ordi-
nary classes Of society, and their own wealth,
assisted by that of their friends, together with
the prestige family and high social, political,
and often religious position, arc to DC used Law
ishly to shield them from the merited punish
mcnt Of the law aud the demands of justice
peace and morality. ,:.
So common is the escape Of such high crimi-
mails from the punishment due their crimes, that
already we hear of bets being made that the
murderer Of Col Aston or Judge Elliott or o..
c. Porter will not be hung-tha, Imprisonment
only, and then, by tho powerful influences we
have stated, q pardon, will be the result
Tho people are becoming agitatel at the ap-
parent leniency shown to crime in high places,
and are fast getting to believe that wealth FAM
lily and position secure immunity from punish
ment, while those in the ordinary walks of life,
possessing neither of taose, pscs,iges 70 plead
FIR them, are made public examples of for
similar offences committed by them.
This is sad condition Of mind for tho peo-
pie to be in, aud augurs no good for the tran
qniity and morality of our country in the fu-
ture. If left 10 grow it is likely 30 eyeope tho
poisonous fruit of communism in its most dead
ly form. Bat bow are we to tarn .he tile 3
Something must be done TO stay the red hand
of the murderer nnd stop the commission OF
other heinons crirncs, we care not by whom
committed. The peaceablc and la~ abiding cit
izcn of any and every class and condition. must
be made TO feel assured that his Ffc his perso,
an property are secure from the attacks of tho
violent aud lawless of every grade and position
and to this the bench, the bar and the iuries-
generally representing every condition Of citi
zenship-must combine in one honest AMI dc.
tcrmincd effort TO honor :hc law by enforcing It's
penalties and making it bear with equal force
upon every one who shill dare to violate il,
however high or low his position in society
1t we so OH numbering at the pace we aye nOw
travelling, without the law cnterposing its pow
crtui arm TO suppress the crime, our Judges, Ju-
rors, lawyers AMI common citizens viii he in
danger OF the assassin's bullet Whenever they
dare discharge their duties in accordance wish
law and the conscientious convictions CT duty
t" society and their fellow men. Iu short when
we look upon the record of crime for the past
month, oil over the country, shudler at the
thought that murder is running rampant over
the land, and that neither age, sex nor condition,
is security against the murderous attacks of tho
violent .'genteer' assassin or the low bred and
debased dcspcrado.