The interior journal. [volume] (Stanford, Ky.) 1872-1881, 1881-02-18
srANFORD. KY.


A carnival Of murlor seems 10 DO
IN progress in The West end Of this
county, a. reference to our Huston.
Vile letter will show. Three men
have been killed IN one week within
two miles Of each other, making six in
lels than year in one voting pre-.
cinct such a state Of Affairs i terri
BILE TO contemplate, and sober thought
only L. necessary 70 convince any one
that radical change, both in public
sentiment and in the administration
Of the laws. is absolutely needed and
al once. Let US look at the facts in
the murders Of one week. J. X. Nc
cormack, a native Of this county and
a Cincinnati drummer by occupation,
visits Husionville on business. lie
arrives somewhat under the influence
IT liquor, and in a short time has a
dispute with one Of his hrothcrs.in-law.
Later in the evening, W. l. Moore,
Dr.. arms himself with pistol as il
intent on murder, and passes Mr.. Nc
Cormack and q. W. Drye, who we're
talking on the street. Mccormack
made some remark which Drye did
not catch, bot which others testify
was I'm cot yonr heart out where
upon Moore, although he could see
that McCormacs was unarmed, turn
cd and fred AZ hin twice, one ball
passing through his heart and killing
him instantly. This. so far as the ex.
aiming court could ascertain, was the
sole cause that led one brother in-law
TO take the life OF another The sec.
oDd killing Is The cowardly as-assina-
Of Cam Rowsie by Bill Gresham and
John Road. I;owsie was passing along
The road from Moreland Station 10 his |
home at AlilledgeviIle, wheu these two
icr,ls, afraid 20 give their victim
fighting chance, emerge from thick.
Ct and shoot three loads Of buckshoi /
into his body before he is hardly aware |
Of their presence. lie dies Instantly, /
and the assassins, confident that they |
will be acquitted because Rowsie had
the reputation Of dangerous man.
surrender themselves 10 an officer. /
The third murder Is by a negro. who, !
seeing hi white brethren 80 handy in /
taking The law into their own hands I
and receiving no punishment therefor, |
slabs another negro to death. This il
the startling record Of oae week in oae
precinct Can the law-loying man
contemplate such carnage without
shuddcring 10 see 10 what We are driil. |
ing. True, Mccormack had killed |
two men and was considered desper-
ate man when drinking. Il is equal
y true that Rowsie was a desperate
and had shot one or more men, but
these are no reasons that they shonld
be killed like dog; and but for the
lax enforcement, or rather no enforce
ment Of the laws, their murderers
would not have dared to spill their
b'ood. The Courts. the inries, and
last, but by no means least. the Gov
ernor, are TO blame. The people too
should come in for no small part Of
the responsibility. A maudlin senti.
mcut IN regard 10 murderers, enter
iained by majority Of the masses.
and the hero worshin which some men
give to itch cattle is primarily the
caese hat induces many to dabble in
gon The Courts have lost their pres
iige and the jufies, which are not Of
tea made up Of the best men, are
swased either by iellow-ieeling or q
brihc, and in nine out Of ten cases,
they turn loose the human hyena with {
out sense or reason 10 prey again on :
unsnspecting humanity. And, II in
the tenth ease, a jury il found that is
faithful 10 their oaihs, our dear old
Governor stands with pardon in hand,
ready 10 lhwart both law aud justice. I
This is plain and unvarnished slate
ment Of onr condition. and We grieve !
10 know that il il 50 iearfully true. A !
gentleman, who has been keeping the
count, says that ID the six years and
tx months that he has lived in this y
county, there have been ffiy-four muir =
lers. No one has been hanged, and ,
'nly oDe "a poor devil who coniessed) "
eni TO the peniteniiary for life. We .
lope that the murders OF this week
sill awake our people to the enormity "
4 the crime. committed right under
heir NOSES, and that a reyulslon 10 "
eminent will follow. A few legal u
Iangings would pat an end TO this OF
eign Of the assassin and lift the ozark th
nj bloody ground to the position Of al
law-abiding Stale, which her educa. "a
ion and advantages entitlc her.
Ia Garfield do not recognize the dis \
inguished services, in his behalf of dc
Ir. Hendricks and John Kelly, by
he gin Of iai Offices, he is a base IN
rate. Without their assistance he 10,
ould never have been elected Presi-
ont, and as he owes the powerful in. 'h'
uence that has been thrus; upon him