The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1883-02-22
The Verdict in the Amiss Trial.

detailed in another column, the Jury IN the
case of Geo. W. Amiss, charged with the |
murder of John j. Burner, rendered
verdict yesterday morning of voluntary |
manslaughter and fixed his punishment at
confinement in the penitentiary for four
years. The general expression of public
sentiment was for seyerer verdict. some
the first degree would have been the proper
measure of the crime committed. But the
jury was composed Of twelve intelligent
gentlemen, chosen from distant cities, free
from the bias and prejudice which have
prevailed here ever since the bloody trag-
edy occurred. They were eminently pre-
pared. by reason of their intelligence and
perfect freedom from all external influences,
to weigh the evidence and the law as pre-
sented in the trial, and to award just
judgment in the light OF the facts as ju-
dicially brought to their attention and
which demanded their investigation and
conclusion. The verdict of these twelve
impartial citizens Of the Commonwealth,
acting under the sanction of their oaths,
and not the unrenecting opinion of the
populace, should he accepted as the award
that the evidence and the law in the case
justified. Indeed, the community, chatting
under the stigma that the crime and its.
cause infiict, wanted victim, and instead
of reaching to the source of the tragedy
and applying the correction there, ven
geance was centred upon the unhappy
fall which public sentiment had tolerated.
1t is not our purpose at this time to indulge,
in any spasmOdic sentimentality, or to criti--l
else as it should be, the Haunting and tim
or arraign the community for the existence
of an evil, without whose presence Burner
would to-day be alive and Amiss free
man. But it is appropriate to direct at
tention to the source of the tragedy, to
the Indulgence which winks at it, and sng-
gest that if similar tragedies are to be
avoided, the primary cause of the one which
has just been iudicially determined, should
be removed. Public sentiment which toll
crates such haunts of vice, should be just
enough to condemn them in advance of
wreaking vengeance upon the victim of
their wiles and temptations. Until there
is an aroused nsibility to the shame of
their existence, there can be no sufficient
atonement in unmeasured condemnation
of the crimes which they breed and thirst
for revenge upon one who lies in the GRIM
inal's cell by reason of their presence.
We detesG the depraved morals which this
| sad story unfolds all around, and are as free
| to condemn the murder OF Burner, and to
condole with his stricken family, as any OF
those who have uttered their wrath against
'Amiss and reflected upon the jury for the
leniency. of their verdict. But this is no
mitigation OF our own responsibility for
| the existence Of the cause of the misfor-
tunes and offenses which we are called
| upon to condemn and deplore. We should
be just enough to take to ourselves part
| OF the censure for acknowledgements which
| produced such unhappy results, and re-
| fleet whether or not there is power in the
laws and public sentimental take step
forward in the abatement of the source
which is liable at any time to entail other
crimes. as tragic and fatal as the one that
fas passed into history.
I Golden Wedding of Bishop Gloss
brenner
| We are indebted to the Spectators Church
vile correspondent for the following account
of the Golden Wedding of our venerable
friend:
On Wednesday last, 14th inst, quite a num-
Der of persons gathered, by invitation, at the
pleasant home of Bishop j. J. Glossbrenner in
| this villa ge, to celebrate with him and his es-
Unable wife the fftieth anniversary of their
marriage-day. This venerable Bishop has been
4 laboring increasingly in his Masters vineyard
for half a century, and through all these years
he has had ever at his side a faithful helper to
aid and encourage him in his arduous labors ;
to bear with him his sorrows and to share with
him his joys. Now, since the day of their
usefulness is far spent and the shadows are
lengthening behind them, this devoted couple
stand at Lifes west window, hand clasped in
hand. looking toward the distant hills and
longing for Rest
that waits for them somewhere
Beyond the star-ltt spaces OF the air.
Bishop GlOssbrenner was born in Hagers-
town, Nd, in 1918. At very early age he en-
tered the ministry of the United Brethren
church and came to the Valley of Virginia,
where he has passed most Of his life. In 1845
he was elevated to the highest position in his
church. and has performed faithfully ever
| since the duties of his sacred Office. On the
18th day of February, 1888, he was married to
Miss Maria M. Shuey, a natlye of this county,
daughter of Christian Shuey and sister of the
late Rev. Geo. A. Shuey. Mrs. Catherine
| Shuey, the mother of Mrs. Glossbrenner, is
still wing at the advanced age of SO years. OF
the five daughters of Bishop and Mrs. Gloss
brenn er, three are living. The eldest, Catha-
rine, married the Rev. D. K. Flickinger, of the
| United Brethren church, and another, Victo-
| ria, became the wife of Rev. VIM. B. Yonce,
| now professor in Roanoke College,Va Both
are lead. Cornelia is the wife of Capt. H. 81.
Hangar, of Churchville; Josephine married
Rev. j II. Turner, of the Lutheran church,
now Principal of Seminary for young ladies
at Lutherville, Nd; and the youngest, Hen
rietta Rev. Luther Fox, late pastor of Bethle-
hem church, in this county, now professor in
Roanoke College, Salem,Va Two of the chill
dren were present on Wednesday last. The
Bishop, in few remarks made before the as.
sembled guests, said that be had been married
| four times FIRST to the Lord then to the
| church next to the ministry and last TO the
daily companion of his life. The presents re-
ceived were numerous, handsome, and vaua-
BILE. We give partial list below:
| Elegant Bible, appropriately inscribed, from
| friends in Dayton, Ohio; beautiful group of
statuary, representing a scene in The Mer-
chant OF Venice" with compliments and con-
| gratulatbons of the Faculty of Lebanon Valley
College, Pa gold salt standard silver travel
ing cup from Rev G w Stinespring,of Church
vile; silver cake-basket and an elegant pair
OF parlor rocking-chairs from Mr. Dodds, of
| Dayton. Ohio pair of gold vases from Theo
F Shuey, nephew, of Washington, D G.; silver
water pitcher from Mrs II Fl Hanger. of
Churchville, and silver goblet to match from
Wallace Hanger, now student at Lebanon
College, Pa; silver tablespoons from Mrs
Turner, of Lutherville, Md; gold thimble from
Mrs Doub, gold tooth-pick and wax flowers
from MISS Florence Doub, Frederick City Md;
gold pen and pencil from Mrs Smith, Ann
vile, Pa; gold breast-pin from Mrs Schmuck-
er, niece, Fishersville, Va; gold watch-chain
from Prot Yonce, Salem, Va; two volumes of
Gold Dust" and a twenty dollar gold piece
from J Q Bumberger, Harrisburg, Pa; silver
spoons from G Victor Yonce, nephew, profess
sor in Lutherville Seminary Md gold pencil
! from John Brown, Churchville "Gold Dust"
in one volume from Mrs Beistle, Dayton.
Ohio; silver pickle stand from Miss Van Me.
| tire, Martinsburg, w Va; majolica water
pitcher from R B Dunlap, Churchvile; ele-
CANT lace neckerchief and fine silk handker-
chief from Mrs Rike, Dayton, Ohio, lone to
L.. a. L q