The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1889-07-06
A Far Greater Calamity Tin the
Earthquake.

A Far Greater Calamity Tim the
Earthquake.
Charleston, a few years 60, was
sadly shaken by an earthquake that
caused great damage and c!led out
the sympathy and help of tb people
of all sections, 1t was a terrible ca
lamity, but was not withot many
compensations. The remarkable
trial, however. of DIR, MDow. for
killing the too impetuous ad chival.
ric Capt. Dawson, and thestill more
remarkable acquittal and ne evident
local enthusiasm over tlp would'be
seducer and actual homicide, dis
close a condition of society in the
old nest of treason and a demoraliza-
ton of public sentiment that would
incline most good men AMI women
to feel that an earthquake that would
ingulf in unexplorable DEPTHS DR..
Mellow and all his Charleston adj
mirers and friends would be an un-
mitigated blessing and purifier q
the moral atmosphere of South Cab-
lima.
When the news of the killing of
Capt, Dawson was first telegraphed
all over the land, the general feeling
was that all the foul circumstances
preceding the homicide and leading
to it were so appalling, so aggravat-
ing and so unrelieyed by any REDEEM
ing manly traits in the slayer of a
young woman's unselfish and fear
less protector, that Judge Lynch
would make short and bloody work
with the offender against the laws of
God and man. We do not believe
there is any part of this country.
west of the Missouri, where DR.. Nc
Dow would not have hung as soon as
fifty able-bodied men, aware of his
crimes, could have strung him up.
But DIR, Mellow was not destined
to furnish in his own case q strong
illustration of the natural justice
there may be in Lyme Law" 1t
soon appeared that Charleston had
not only reached an elevation of
moral sentiment that would compel
just verdicts against men who have
committed great crimes, but had so
far degenerated that there was no
moral sentiment displayed against a
trial that was a hideous farce and
predestined failure from the begin.
ming, and so the man who would
have been summarily hung 10 the
wild West"-with the approval of
the best men and women-noto only
escaped conviction, but was cheered
on his acquittal as though he edj
been a great hero, instead of thu
creature who could visit the house o
a gentleman for purpose that woult
have gone far toward justifyin,
Capt. Dawson for shooting him OF
the spot. Capt. Dawson's house wa
the sacred castle of domestic peac,
and purity that DIR. Mellow invaded
1t was the wouId-be seducer's "office'
which Capt. Da wson entered with al
unselfish wrath that was entirely jus
tifiable.
But Charleston jury so careIessly
accepted without the usual examina
tions and objections. substantial,
fonnd that DIR. McDow's Office wa
his castle. and that because Capt
Dawson, unarmed, inflicted a ius
blow with light cane, DIR. Mellow
was justified in killing Capt. Daw
son. Why was such jury accented
by Charleston's official legal prosecu
tor ? Why was an acquittal expected
in Charleston from the first t? VIII,
was it greeted with the old rebel veil,
in the court room, and why is DIR
Mellow the hero of the hour II
Charleston, once proud of her society
and of its high moral tone?
Not only is he the applauded of al