Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1883-05-05
THoMPsoN-DAvis SHOOTING.
A 81. Louis Editsr's Opinioa OF Ken
tueky Civilization.

st. Louis Editor's Opinion OF hen.
tucky Cistlilatisa.
ST. LoUIs, May 4-The Pest. Dispatch has
this to say, editorially, Of the Thompson.
Davis killing: As Kentucky can general.
ly be relied on to furnish about three sen.
sational tragedies in o week. ii is hardly
worth while to pass any further comment
on any OF them, except TO say that the Ken.
tucky e0as Of mofsis can be understood
viyal, amid civilized times, OF q barbarism
which elsewhere fingers only in such wild
communities as Arabia or Mon ntenegro, or
other lands where the owning Of woman
ss q chattel in the happiness OF life, and
the destruction Of man in its glory. But
the trouble wish this peculiar code IS that
in the attempt to perpetuate il in an other.
wise civilized community it has lost the
perfection
without acquiring the milder features OF
settled law, and this weakness in the theo-
~ was illustrated in the last sensation with
whicn Kentucky has furnished us, the
shooting of Davis by Thompson. The OF.
fense which Davis expiated with his life,
taken from him without trial, without a
moments warning, was that he had been
suspected Of dcbauching the wife OF his
slaNeE. lnls - tue ii
communities, but with this difference. that
the sayages take good care OF their wives,
and do not allow them to be exposed in sit
uations where their precious, but feeble,
virtue might be tempted. A man who
knows that his wife is an irrespon-
sible being. but who, at the same time
Holds Her Honor NO Dear
that he slays without remorse any one who
is suspected of her dishonor, should watch
very closely over such a chattel. The AZ.
rican savage, who stands ready TO brain
both wife and paramour when his fierce re-
venge is challenged, keeps his wife at home
He would never dream Of leaving her alone
in great city, knowing that she was the
victim OF weakness which left her help.
less at the mercy of all men. There Is an.
other feature of savage justice which is
somewhat lacking in the Kentucky code.
The savage law, which gives to the indiyid-
ual power Of life and death, and which al
lows 10 injured husbands the right OF eI.
acting dracOnian reparation, holds the
slayer TO strict accountability If he
Kills an Innocent Man,
The same law which forfeits a life TO him
forfeits his life to the family Of one whom
he kills without cause. Public sentiment
in Kentucky to-day is deep in grief and
sympathy for the misfortune OF favorite
son who annihilated an innocent man un-
der mistaken impression, but, II public
sentiment in Kentucky would bic TO the
level OF Ashantee justice, IL would enforce
the Ashantee penalty and thereby induce
subsequent victims OF conjugal misfortun
TO be more sure OF their evidence before
making sure Of their
Aim with the Revolver.
But. as we have said the kentucky code
can be understood only by those who prac.
tice it. II seems to suit the people down
there, and its hold on their minds is not at
all weakened or in any way affected by the
progress OF civilization elsewhere. To all
the rest of the world the Thompson Davis
shooting scrape is a celebrated case" but
in Kentucky Il will probably he obscured
within a week by some new illustration OF
savagery. and the comments OF unchival.
rous outsiders will probably have no other
result except to make the people OF that
commonwealth cling more deyotedly TO
their peculiar institution.