The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1879-05-23
SOUTHERN BATHOS.
An Illustration Of Southern Brutality
and Sentimental BOsh.

Nothing more significant of the rules
which govern society in the South could
be devised BY the most pitiless carica.
turist than the scene which occurred IN
Richmond couft-room the other das
when young 1Poindexter was sentenced
for the killing of Curtis, a scene which
is now being published over the South
with enthusiasm as dramatic" and
"pat hetic." Manly boeoms from Vir-
ginia to Louisiana, no doubt, swell
with sympathy for the young hero, and
fair women envy the lady whose honor
was SO CALAMITY defended. The actual
facts, US our readers will remember, are
that young woman complained to her
lover that clerk IN a shoe store had
three times insulted her, by compli-
menting her on the size of her foot and
by squeezing her hand. The clerk was
a respectable, estimable young fellow,
the support of an orphaned sister, the
other witnesses denied that any such
unwelcome attentions were offered.
According TO the young lady's own
statement, she returned three times TO
the same shop, and sought out the OF
fensive clerk to deal with. Then she
complained to her lover, who attacked
Curtis while unarmed, and horse
whipped him. When Curtis came TO
give him the thrashing which he so
richly deserved, Poindexter drew his
pistol and shot him dead. For this the
young man was given two years in the
state prison; but before sentence he
makes the tragic appeal TO the Judge,
bewails the revolution of sentiment in
his state" which now forbids him to
shoot down an unarmed man ut the
command of a giddy girl; assures the
world that he has no sense whatever OF
guilt or disgrace in the murder, but
will be "utterly crushed" if he enters a
prison, sorrefned is his nature; and is
most emphatic in urging that his regret
at taking Curtis's life is quite enough
punishment for him without going to
Jail, or any such vulgar retribution
So pathetic was this plea felt to be, we
are told by the Richmond papers, that
"the audience wept in sympathy, and
the Judge could not control his emotion
but pronounced the dread sentence in
husky tones" This emotion and sym.
patty were not for the dead lad or his
sister left friendless by his grave, but
for the hurt feelings of the murderer
| WIN Whs oDiiScu W opchu tWO years III
prison.
Could anything more expressive Of
the old southern brutality and senti.
mental bosh be found than this youth,
posing for sympathy over the dead body
of his victim, while judge, jury and aud
fence weep around? 1t is significant
fact, however, that the judge, amid his
tears, did give him two years. 1t is to
call attention to this fact that we NAV
mention the matter at all. Before the
war such an exploit would have made
a hero of the young bully, elevated him
at once to the companionship of the
well-born, uneducated, drunken young
bloods who staggered about the Spots.
wood house, swearing by the "God Of
Virginia" Poverty brings common
sense to even such community as that
which made of these men social lead
ers, and in Richmond now, we are lee
to hope, dying in your boots is no long
er considered a comfortable or credita
BILE mode of exit n. Y. Tribune.