Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1879-02-05
AmnrIns In The Knaxri,,e Ini,.

lator, Hut. AmRrirP, whose depreda-
tions around his Bloupt county
haunts, where John Cooper was killed,
| j. r. Sny der shot, ard other acts of
| !awlessness committed, are known 10
our readers, and whose capture last
week by Deputy Sheriff Fresh0ur was
noted by Us. was brought over from
Maryville yesterday by Sheriff a M.
| Rule, turned over to Sheriff Reeder
! and corfiGed in tie Knoxville jail for
safe keeping until be is srraigued be-
| fore the bar of justice. Such course
was deemed necessary, for it is known
that plan was already on foot to ef-
feet bis rescue from the Mary vile jail,
which would no doubt have been &C
complished ere long.
Everybody has heard aud read OF
Hut AmaTine, in fact he has acquired
something of national regulations,
consequently he attracted no little at
tentiOn aud there was general ruah
to get peep at him. He is man ~
years of age, according 10 his own
words, al average mOuntaineer in ap-
pearance, not very mean looking
man, but rather rough, from cons ant
exposure and lying out in the noun
taiHs.
Gen. Cooper went down to the Jail
yesterday evening TO see him and had
little chat with him, TO which the
writer had the pleasure Of listening.
Amarine declined 10 come cut OF his
cell for the interview, preferring to
peep through the small aperture in
the door, He preserved something of
an insolent, dOn't care -, indie
pendent mood throughout, though
he conversed tOlersbiy free. He was
evidently considerably cowed, and
hadn't calculated on being taken. In
fact he said, if FIeshOur hadn't have
been just as quick as he was, he would
have failed. He, as a matter of
course, protested entire innocence
and ignorance Of the shCotiDgs
of both Cooper and Snyder, ard, TO
hear him tell it, he is as innocent as a
new born babe. In fact his language
was, that he had never in his life lifted
his hand to harm any man. He was
utterly unable, however, to explain to
Gen. Cooper who was so deeply inter-
ested in his Illicit distillery, which
the revenue officers were after, as to
wound one of their mum Der and kill one
on two successive nig hts. His only eX-
PLANTATION was that absurd and ex-
ploded theory, which his excusers
have been constantly parading TO the
public, that the Cfficerg were shot by
some of their own men. Well, what
else could he be expected 10 say? Who
would expect man charged with so
grave crime to confess all, while
there are any hopes of esCaQ,? He
would Of course deny the charge, and
use every 10 effort invent some ex-
cure 10 get himself out. He you'll be
poor |, oil if he didn'l.
Now, if we were possessed nf hat
50 wonderful newsFapcr cr'erFl,se"
exhibited by some, AID Is. Of the in
clination TO use every such OppOriu-
nifty TO make a defense Of, and manu-
facture sympathy for, violators of the
United States laws, aud a correspond
ing attack on the efforts of the Govern
ment AMI its servants to enforce those
laws, as is also possessed by some
journals, we might give lengthy "in
teryiew,n embodying all those serreo-
typed statements" etc., to accom-,
pIish that end. We are proud to say
that we do not represent that kind of |
journalism, however, and it is just |
such journalism that has much to do
with keeping up these violations and
depTedations. Without laws, we could |
not exist as q civilized nation, and un-
less the laws we have are enforced, what
are they good for. AT the same.
time we are as far from favOring an act
of Injustice or oppression to the hum
blest citizen OF the country, as any
one. Aud, in the language of General
Cooper to Amarine, We want justice
done; if he is guilty let him be pun
ished, if he can prove himself limo
cent let him go free.
1t has been freely circulated aud
published, also, that Amarine has the
sympathy of all citizens of B!0unt
county. This we take OCCASION to
deny on their part, for Blount
contains as good citizens a. any other
county, and while many of those who
have known him personally during
his career of lawlessness have had
something OF a kindly feeling for him,
ii is far from them to sympathize with
AMI uphold him in his acts of iawless-
ness. Although he had large circle
under his control and influence
now that the clan is broken up they
will be as law-abidiDg as any other
citizans.