Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1885-06-27
The Police and the Citizen.
..stso sr.t.

IL is seldom the taking Of human
life. except when it is premediated, AZ
iecls community ~ the killing IL
Scilrieber has this. The quiet, in.
Tense feeling among all classes OF the
people indicates d sound public senti-
naent and a jndici0ns discrimination.
Repeatedly during the last ten years
this community has had its forbear-
ance put 10 the test by unwarranted
acts Of the police Every now and
then an act has been committed which
created doubts in the public nind ms
20 whether the police protected or
prosecuted. These acts have made
the community restless, and TO some
extent uneasy. Uuder the new city
government, while there have bean
some things done that were repre-
hensibie, and indeed some serious de-
partures from official rectitude by the
police, yet under the vigilant and posi-
tive administration of the city law by
Mr.. Ewing, and the hithfnl endeav-
ors Of Capt Kerrigan, the public mind
was being restored TO u normal condl-
ton. Several cases have occurred,
however. i'm the last few years which
made it necessary for the press to be
explicit as TO the rights OF the citizen
and the duties OF the police; but this
case shocks the public mind, because
OF the palpable disregard of law that
is 80 well known. The people are inn
pressed with the idea that the police
are still perversely ignorant OF the
value OF human life. What is here
said is upon the hypothesis that the
finding OF the jury was right We
would do ourselves and the public an
injustice TO express doubt as to the
finding OF the jury, and we do not
hesitate moment to say that the I'M
disputed facts, to q mind trained to
weighing evidence, leaves no room for
doubt. The fact that one OF the po-
licemen had just had scuffie with
Schrieber; that he was tripped up, not
crippled or stunned, when Schrieber
broke TO run: that he pursued and
was found ut the spot where the man
was shot, with a pistol out, the other
two policemen being also present, one
of whom put up his pistol as he walked
of; that they pursued nobody and
made no effort TO find the slayer; were
Indifferent and slow to talk, and never
have implicated any one, and when no
motive in any one else to kill him is
known, and when there were many
shots, and the man killed Immediately
after the s.riiffie with the policemen;
all these facts leave to mind used to
wc'el,ing both positive and negative
testimony not particle OF room to
doubt. <bssP
The denial is the turning point, and
makes new issue 1t is confession
thai he killing wa> without provoea-
ton. We are aware that in writing this
article we SUBJECT Ourselves TO criti-
e<ni. but we have weighed the criti-
ci-ii, and the Justice 81 il. We are
conducting ii Iaiblic journal, and it is
orr business to discuSs public ques-
Ii .Is, IN dong which private interesis
arr .iietimes involved.
L lac use oi deadly weapons by Off
GERS, and erI'ecially by policemen. has
Co '.e to b.. a matter Of the grayest
moment. The repeated improper use
OF tn" pistol in this city by policem. n
lnak..s it the duty al the city autlr'ri
tics T., look into the question oi the
right, as welit,s the policy, OF allowing
~ - 1SA 'Neat NiaNy y 49, - 49, go
officers. 81 &A ~
The killing uf this man, conceded
by the denial t., have been unlawful,
is not an or ilnary case Of homicide.
1t is the de~trucLiou OF human life. IL
Is law, with it, attending authority,
turned 10 the conimisSisn III laale<s
ac;.. II is laiI,li' ma,trr-nne of
vast moment b, the people o. this city.
1t may he difif..lfit to tindI discreet men
who will serve. in this place for the
ssiL.ry, but. If that j. 81, better increase
the salary. We have every confidence
in the bard oi puddle works and IN
the captain of the police, and we are
sure this shocking Affair will quicken
their appreciation of the great respoI,-i
sibility resting ON them.
The three men implicated, trusted
with and accepted the possibilities
of sacred duty, have become sadly
involved. Every good citiz.n is panied
at their misfortune. But we can pro-
coed no further in the line of dealing
recklessly with human life. It must
stop. We cannot stop it if the press
fails to speak The people have a
right TO demand the enforcement of
the law. II the neglect to do it has
made human life cheap the people
must wake up TO their duty; the press
must speak out and the courts must
do their duty.