Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1886-04-17
WHOLE NO. 75S.

in, but between the latter and Bone
the defence appeared too formidable.
In melee which attended the
'Squire's fruit!ess commands and re.
proaches Bone, with others, got push
ed helter sketer down the stairway on
the pavement, where, he (Bone)
avelred, the Squire kicked him in the
stomach. He was taken to DR..
Jacobs Office almost supposed
corpse. After examination the doctor
sent him home. Meanwhile, feeling
ran high on the street, and Justice
Moat was severely criticized. Monday
Mayor Wittig fined Lapp $5, and had
warrant issued for Moat, charging
hlm with an attempt to incite riot,
etc. The Justice admitted that he
had struck az Bone, who had called
him vile names. but could not hurt
him because Bone was outside the
door and he (MoaD inside. For sim
liar reason he said it was impossible
for him to kick Bone. He stated also
that he was not present when the riot
begun, consequently he not only was
not melting riot, but endeavoring to
| quell one; that he alone of the five
or six officers present was the only
one who tried to do his duty. and
was not afraid to do it. Notwith-
standing this strong statement Justice
Atkinson, before whom the case was
tried, fined Mr.. Moat 81.
On the other hand, il is alleged that
the Mayor and police permitted sew
eral prudential reasons to control
their action, as it is not safe any more
for officers to execute the laws and
! ordinances. Nobody knows how to
act in eases of emergency nowadays,
us between vindicatng municipal
majesty and laying ones self liable to
damage suit, it is deemed safer to
jump into the deep sea of anarchy than
to tackle u devil you know not of.
For instance, Lapp, we are informed,
'''iNN' VIZ l''iINt 'N'Ntlsll lIiiltS WIFI
much vehemence-"why in the -
don't you arrest me ?" But he did not
know that the officers thought of
saving the town from damages for in.
generating him in the damp, dark
lock-up; he did not think
That when on the earth he sank to sleep,
If sumber his cyclids knew,
He'd lay where the deadly mould doth weep
The venomous tear, and nightly steep
His flesh with rheumatic dew.
Nay; but some experience in the past is
not favorable to the diversion which n
real live, kicking damage suit creates,
and it is thought to be highly credit
able to the coolness of our municipal
cuStodians that we are bravcly pro.
tected against the ot-headed partisans
OF lookup coniinements. The author
tiles admit we believe, that the oues-
ton is debatable; that it is u serious
matter to hand the town over to the q
mercies of a mob, or to magistrate
on rampage, but it may be worse to
abandon it to the legal plumber of
litigants. Hence, with all these
welghty considerations they crowded
into u few brief moments an action
that would have given lustre to long
llfc~in Il word, they determined that
between anarchy and bankruptcy, the
former is the lesser evil.
The JOURNAL, while admiring the
circumspection thus evinced under
trying circumstances, is not convinced
OF its wisdom. In some affairs even
the lessons OF experience are not in
falliole guides. Each emergency has
IT'S own peculiar merits, dement's. de-
mands, dcserts--instantly measurable
by no special standard previously set
up in particular case. A hole in n
sidewalk, or a store-box blockade. can
hardly furnish in their worst outcome
precedent for ncglectlng the arrest
Of disorder and the quellng of a riot.
When anyone disturbs the public
peace there should be no ,scape from
official duty in the the premises
consideration compromising or nit
igating the neglect of tlat duty. 1t
is no part of any officers prerogativc
to consider anything but to lay the
hand Of the law on the tresrasar
The lookup and damages, or any SIM
liar ground Of contemplation, is one
,,,;+h ,,,L,.l, h., ~.
Others will decide whether in a proper
effort to maintain law and order we
are to be punished for our pains.
NEIFS FROM BETOND THE FIAT.