Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1885-05-28


g. The temporary suspension of silver
coinage.
4. Against National control of railroads.
5. The abolition of tobacco revenue tax.
6. Steamship connection with South
America.
7. A National Department of Commerce.
8. Against tax on commercial travellers.
-.---+---~ - -
THE RICHMOND TRAGEDY.
The trial in Richmond of CIuverius for
the murder of Miss Madison, in that city on
the 18th of March last, is still progressing,
the examination of the States witnesses not
having yet been concluded. The trial has
attracted attention throughout the country
for reasons independent of it's sensational
character and sentimental belongings 1t
has surpassed the Jennie Cramer tragedy
in New Haven, of August, 1881, and very
much like that crime, may fasten upon the
accused every evidence of moral guilt with
out riveting the vital link in the circum-
stantial evidence of absolute completely in
the killing. The Baltimore Anaerican fears
the inefficiency of our jury system as a
means of bringing criminals to justice. The
amount of circumstantial evidence accumu-
lated against him is very convincing, and
vet the lips of the chief witness are closed.
Cluverius himself cannot, under the laws of
Virginia, be required to 'criminate him
SELF" In nearly all the civilized countries
of Europe the accused is the chief witness.
If he be innocent, his ready answers to all
the questions propounded by the officers of
the law soon establish his innocence; if
he be guilty, why on earth should he not
terminate himself?" Commenting upon
this idea, the Augusta Moronicle says:
The fact is that the two people who prob
ably knew how Lillian Madison came to be
found floating, Shiny corpse, in the reser-
voir that Saturday morning, are silent for,
ever. The swollen lips of the murdered girl
were sealed with death before the tragedy
was complete, and if they could tell the
secrets of the crime, the trees and tombs of
Hollywood would be her only audience.
The mouth of the accused, who listens every
day to the damaging evidence with so much
unconcern, is more compressed as circum-
stances point to his guilt, and the law does
not force him even through the ordeal of eX-
plicit falsehood which his manner has en-
abed him so thoroughly to act out.
The evidence has coupled young Cluverius
suspiciously with the betrayal of the dead
girl eight months before the killing. 1t has
disclosed continuance of correspondence
and visits through the period ending the
fatal 18th of March; it has connected Gu
verius with the forwarding of the decoy let
ter, which enabled Miss Madison to leave
her employers house without suspicion, for
Richmond; it has proven that the young
people found out each others whereabouts
by note; that they were together on the
street that they visited unfrequented SUBJ
urbs and doubtful places in each others
company, and finally that they left a street
car at nine o'clock on the last night upon
which Fannie Lillian Madison was seen
alive, making their way together towards
the city reservoir.
After midnight the prisoner returned to
his hotel and left the city for his home be-
fore daylight, the secret of the tragedy in
all probability safe in his own imperturba-
BILE bosom, and the lips which could hardly
have been made to cry out against his
shameless treatment of her in life, now
more muffied than ever against declara-
tion Of his guilt.
The fact that the defendant cannot be put
upon the stand and subjected to rigid cross
examination, allowing the jury to deter
mine from his answers, his innocence or
his guilt, forces the Baltimore journal to say
that the jury system was in feudal times a
iIledllS vi pIoltCllllS tlc pun llItl aSoloe VIC
oppressive nobleman, and as such was dear
to Englishmen. But now there are no op-
pressive lords, and the system is used to
protect terminals Sagainstj Justice. The whole
system seems to be devised to hinder a
searching investigation into crime.
THE ILLINOIS CoNTEsT.-The long con-
test in the Illinois Legislature over the
United States Senatorship was ended on
Tuesday of last week by the election of
Logan. In a speech to the members of the
Legislature, after the election Logan said: :
"In this contest, Mr.. Speaker and gentle
men, which has been an unusually close
and heated ore, l am proud to state that
nothing has transpired to mar the friendly
relations existing between myself and my
worthy opponent. For thirty years this
gentleman and myself have been friends,
and l trust we will always continue such.
Loud cheers. l believe there never has
been a contest between two persons Waged
more earnestly for their parties than this,
and yet the mutual relations remain so
pleasant. l respect Mr.. Morrison politically
and socially, and l am proud to say we are
friends, and sincerely hope we may ever be
friends. [Cheers.] AS to the other gentle
man who was my opponent for time,
can say nothing against him, nor would
want to. Mr.. Tree and myself lived neigh
bors for many years in Chicago, and have
always had the highest respect for him.
He made good contest-coming late in the
field and being little short of votes,-as ne
could make. For him 1 have nothing but
respect. In conclusion, gentlemen, desire
to say that no matter what may have oc-
cured during the contest, it has been car
ried on in spirit of fairness. No such con-
test has ever been known in this country
before, and it has appeared strange to me
that there has been SO little excitement and
bitterness exhibited.
81 leave here having no bitter feeling
towards any one who may have opposed me.
| respect man who will stand by his creeds
and his friends, and expect no more from
others than is accorded. If [ go to Wash
ington, do not 60 there with any fire burn
ing in my bosom, or feeling of antagon-
ism to any party or the present admins