The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1879-06-07
THE RED MEN.

Lawless bands Of Regulators, styl-
ing themselves "Red Men" have been
for some time operating in Wetzel,
Marion, Wood, and other counties of
this State, numbering, assassinating,
tar and feathering, prowling around
at all times of night, with masked or
red-paintcd faces, calling up citizens,
notifying them to leave the State,
DC, dc. All this done, too, under
the pretext of enforcing law and Civ
ing offenders speedy justice And
only few nights ago, these midnight
providers came into Battelle District,
Monongalia county, and calling from
their beds at midnight, two of our
most respectable and responsible
citizens, Solomon III. Shriver and A.
Jackson Santee, and in the coolest
manner possible, notifying them that
if they did not leave the State with
in a specified time, the mob would
return and murder them. This all
done in the presence of their terrified
families.
Now this thing has gone far enough
and too far. 1t must be stopped.
The law must be vindicated. This
State must not be given over to ma
rauders and murderers. This State,
with the motto: Montdni Semper
Liberi, Mountainous are always
Free" must be governed by law, and
the violators of the law must be fer
reted out and punished. We want
more ENROL Tenants and Capt
Garrisons in Monongalia, and we
mistake very much the temper and
character of Sol. Shriver and Jack.
Santee if they don't hunt out and
prosecute these dastardly and out
rageous offenders against our citi-
zens to the very extent of the law.
In the Wheeling Daily Register of
last Friday, the following editorial
appears, which we reproduce and cor
daily endorse:
The ssRed Wen" Must go.
We publish in another column an
interesting history of the ''Red Men"
organization of desperadoes and their
depredations, by q Wetzel county
correspondent. The facts set forth
in this communication are worthy
of serious consideration by the law
abiding citizens of West Virginia,
as we'll as by the officers who have
the responsibility of enforcing the
law.
Our correspondent is right in say
ing that such an influence spreads.
There is nothing spreads so quickly
as spirit of outlawry. 1t is like
a devastating fire, which leaps upon
the winds from spot to spot with
quick and subtle surprises, defying
and discouraging all efforts to sup
press it when it has once gotten un-
der Roadway.
The honor and reputation of our
State depends upon the prompt and
decisive stamping out of this monster
now infesting the sparsely settled
portions of our State. There should
be no dallying or compromising with
such a spirit. They should be made
to know that the supremacy of law
reaches to the most unfrequented
nook of the States territory. If it
does not, it is the fault of the author
tiles who are chosen and commits
stoned for the purpose of protecting
and defending with the arm of the
law the most humble and secluded
dwelling in the State. They have
the whole power of the commonwealth
at their command-its purse, its
sword, its legal processes, and the
hearts and hands of all it's citizens
| who love their homes and value the
laws which protect them.
No matter what the provocation,
when these desperadoes take the law
in their own hands, and resort to
mob violence, if the civil authorities
do not act at once and effectually, in
bringing the offenders to punish
ment, let it be understood that the
whole power of the State government
will be brought into requisition to
assert the majesty of the law. Let it
be understood that no desperate is
authorized in any event to administer
the laws of this State. Let it be prac-
tically demonstrated that the senti
ment of our people is on the side Of
law and order under all circum-
stances. Let these bloody thirsty
night-prowlers find it too hot for them
in West Virginia.