Daily Republican., 1885-06-29
Saturdays Murder.

ful police off GERS has been shot down
nv A drunken ruffian within . few rods
of his own peaceable home while en-
gagged in peacssble manner in trying |
To prevent q drunken, brutaa young |
man from maltreating q woman said TO
be his wife. Wilmington has never De-
fore within our knowledge had such
bloodthirsty murder in her midst. The
circum stances of the whole affair are 80 |
dispu sting and revolving that the law
abiding portion Of the people may we'll
hold up their hands and ask whittier |
are we drifting? Here Ii an associa-
ton of men VINO determine to have an |
aer seablr, sociatle time amongst them
fslyes. This is all right. They hold
it where intoxicating liquors are con-
vsuisu.. and where 1t Is to the pecu-
mary interest Of those who hold . |
license from the State, to sell all the
liquor they possibly can be,ausethere are !
a few dollars in it for them, but. celth |
for the poor victims. These men have |
q right to drink liquor, why Of course
they have Others have right to sell
it for gain. why Of course they have, for
our laws give them that right. Bat
our laws A. the same time set limit to
the evil on the part Of those who sell.
They are not permitted to sell to minors,
sell ON Sundays, or sell to Intoxicated
persons If even these laws were en-
forced there would be some check to
the wholesale violations of law that are
daily to be met with. This young man
Davis, now in a murderer's cell await
ing trial, was one Of the party who At
tended this picnic, though we do not
know that he was q member of the As
ISOLATION that held it.
His wife went with him. Davis
drank until he became Intoxicated, and
it is said his wife also drank. There
was no regard nor respect whatever
paid by those who sold the liquor to
the law that tells them they shall not
sell to intoxicated persons. Davis
drank all he wanted without restraint
or check, aud when evening came and
the crowd began to thin out, he started
with his wife across the lots to the
main avenue leading homeward.
Though he could walk, he was in
quarrelsome state OF intoxication. He
quarrelled with his wife nearly every
step on the road. He cursed her,
struck her with his fsts hit her with
bricks which he threw at her, iourished
his revolver, deadly loaded, and threat
ened to shoot her. In this state and In
this manner, they reached Front street,
passing the house OF officer Peterson.
That off Ger was then with his family
surrounding the supper table, quietly
partaking of their evening meal,
picture OF quiet contentment and peace.
Mr.. Peterson, ever ready to do his duty
and more especially so when 1t came
to his ears that q woman was being
shamefully abused by drunken man.
He leaves the supper table circle, the
bosom of his family, the house he bull
by his own frugality and thrift, alas
never to return again until carried in 6
half hour later a lifeless corpse. M
one can accuse him of rashness ; b,
was never rash man. He went about
his disagreesble duties in quiet
peaceable manner. He was told tina
the drunken ruffian had a revolver, anG
that he should be careful. Brave MAJ
as he was, he quailed not before threat
ened danger. He was an OH GER of tn
law, sworn to do his duty in the main
tenance of peace and order, and he in
tended to do his duty. He talks t
the man crazed with liquor and gentl
admonishes him to be quiet and 2
home in peaceful manner. His a,
swer is flourish of the revolver and
threat. "Give me your revolver and
won't arrest you and take you to tt
hail." said the officer.
The rufian gave him not the revolv
but the contents Of 1t through the heal
to take life instantly, and he poise /
weap IN at the vital spot. As the fat
bullet tore through the Off cert heart,
fell to rise no more.
We wonder not that the communi
OF Wilmington is excited and feels o,
aged over such a dastardly outraI
After all, it is made more plain to /
people of Wilmington why men gui
of such murders in the Southern Sta
are summarily punished, but God +
bid thai it should ever come to this
Wilmington. The fact that Davis, at
he committed this horrible murder, n
several other persons, was permitted
be taken peacefully to the lookup, {
from that to the jail without inter
ence, speaks volumes for the peac,
character of the people of Whining
But what about the causes which le
this deadly result ? But for laws
are violated with impunity, on accc
Of the laxness of moral sentiment,
murder would not have happened.
the intention of the law that they sh,
not happen, as the law is intended
keep the illegal liquor traffic unde
straint.
With murdered police offc
unburied in our midst with
derer criminal in our Jail yet unit
and with violated laws that lead to
order and murder, 1t is time the
munity should wake up and for
barrier for its safety by the enforce
of the laws.
If the law had been strictly emf
in regard to carrying concealed d
weapons, the terrible murder tina
Cured on Saturday, and that
makes Wilmington bow her hea
shame and anger, might not hav
CURED. True, it was not known
after young Davis had used it tn,
had revolver upon his person, bu
there been a few examples ma
those who carried them before, he
have been induced through fears I
rest and punishment to have
taken one along with him. Pea
peonla h ave little TO fear from poiI
armed, and to them pistol won