The Brookhaven ledger. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1882-09-21
EDlroR BRooKnAvEN LEDGER

EDlFDR bRoOkHANEN IlEDNERi-
Sometime about the first of April last,
there appeared in your esteemed paper an
announcement that the Sherifss Office had
been forcibly entered and some valuable
papers taken and destroyed, which was
rather startling announcement to us
country people, that any one in or about the
good city of Brookhaven was so base or SO
low as to be guilty of such violation of
the laws and against the peace and dignity
of the State OF Mississippi. We have anx-
iously looked and fervently hoped that the
guilty parties would be found out an" the
laws dispensed to all such wrong-doers.
We patiently waited for the converting of
the Circuit Court of Lincoln county, fully
expecting and hoping that the ones guilty
would be fcrretted out by the Grand jury
and the full penalty OF the law placed up
on then. But 1t seems We have hoped and
waited in vain, MS the Circuit Court has
been in session, the Grand Jury sworn and
empanneled, and up to this time you have
not published the (what would be- crafty
ing informa alton that the culprit had been
indicted and arrested and would have to
suffer for so dastarlly an act.
Now, We wish to know through your col
umns whether this was really SO, or was i,
simply an april fool you were playing
on the country people? And il it is fact
that the Sherifl's office was felloniously en-
tered and important papers destroyed, why
has not some effort been made to bring the
guilty party to justice? We have heard a
great many rumors about this breaking in
to the Sheriff's office, and hardly any two
agreeing only ON one particular point, and
that is that there were no locks broken nor
injured no window sash broken nor injured,
and only some Certain important papers"
destroyed, and to all appearances they were
burnt in the fireplace of the Sherih''s office.
Again, we would like to have a full his
tory as to the facts, and look to you to give
it to us. We have always been taught tina,
breaking into houses or public offices and
wantonly destroying or carrying away any
thing belonging to either private party,
county or State would come under the
head of felony or larceny, and that such
was against the peace and dignity of the
State of Mississippi, and was punishable I'M
der our laws, yet it seems this case has been
overlooked by the courts. Why this?
We do not desire that unjust or unreason-
able punishment should be inflicted upon
anyone, but we DO desire to see the suprem-
acy of the law maintained and that no
guilty party" go unpublished. In closing
this already too long communication, per-
nit me to say that if it was only a hoax or
April fool, and have taken all you said
about it in your paper as serious, you are
to blame; besides it shows you what regard
we have for every local county matter YOU
publish. Ii have been hoaxed in this
please don't laugh at me too much but rath-
er throw around it the mantle of forbear-
ance. If, when l hear through your col
umns that it was no April fool but fact
you may hear from me again; but if have
been made dupe of, will get myself away
into complete obscurity and never let you
know where ! am, and will in future take
everything see published in your paper
as great big hoax, and keep my pen dry
and my mouth shut Ior all time.
RICHARD.
In reply to Richard would say that the
breaking into the Courthouse, to which he
refers, was not an April fool. 1t, like many
other crimes, has gone UNPUBLISHED because
there was no clue to discover the perpetra-
tor OF the deed All crimes are not punish
ed. Two years ago or more Mr.. Russell
was shot and killed, in the southeastern
part of Lincoln county, while blowing in
his field. No one. we believe, was ever in
dicted for the offense, and the murderer is
still at large. 1t was much graver crime
than that OF robbing the Sheritf's office OF
papers that could be replaced.