Asheville daily citizen. [volume] (Asheville, N.C.) 1890-1900, 1890-04-02
A GOOD OBJECT LESSON.

Western North carolina road lett TIN
track near Hot Springs just after cross
ing the bridge at Deep Water, and th'
engine plunged into the river and drown
ing the engineer and fireman and causing
injury to others on the train. Among
these latter was negro brakeman
Pinckney Bean, who had both lex.
broken, and otherwise hurt. receiving
serious permanent injuries He brought
through his attorneys suit for damages
and the case was tried and decided in the
superior court for Buncombe county held
last week. The defense, or part of it
was that the plaintiff had signed a re-
lease to the company for all future claim
after receiving q certain sum of money in
compensation for his injuries. The plain.
tiff admitted the receipt Of the money.
but alleged that he had signed the release
in ignorance of its purport, and that the
amount was totally INADEQUATE. The
jury found for the plaintiff, giving him
$500 damages, and a motion for Il new
trial, or in arrest of Judgment was denied,
and the decision OF the jury was affirmed
The case is not a remarkable one to us,
because il is in accordance with our prac'
tice to give justice to all without refer.
cncc to color or condition. But it might
be remarkable to those whose delight it
is to charge that the negro gets neither
rights nor justice in the South. In this
case the plaintiff was negro in contest
with a powerful corporation. His case
was tried before democratic judge
argued by a democratic lawyer--he also
had n republican counsel who did not find
it necessary to take active part in the
case-and decided by Il white jury most.
II not all. of whom were democrats, and
in the whole transaction the scales were
as evenly balanced AS the most impartial
Justice could exact. II might be added,
If that were needed to give significance to
the case. that the attorney for the rail
road company IL gentleman holding
prominent appointment from the present
therefore presumably
republican. That fact only emphasizes
the total absence of partisan or race feel.
ing in the administration Of justice and
the certainty that decisions will bc
reached without reference to the social
status OF parties plaintiff or defendant.
We present this tact not as an isolated
one, nor ~ specially tn be commended,
but because it is another and emphatic
of the assertion that in the
Southern courts the negro is 1enied JUS
tice and in criminal matters is always
sure to he the victim OF hostile prejudice
1t is just the reverse; for sympathy
always runs in favor of the weak and
since the war when the ne.
gro is tree, as before the war when h,
was slave. The case of the negro wo-
man Amy, from Johnston county, who
slew her master in n fit OF rage after he.
ing subjected to cruel suffering. and was
Il led and acquitted under charge OF the
Judge that though slave she was hu.
man and subject to like passion under
extreme provocation as her owner, is
Of the principle that ami.
mates the course of justice in this aud
other Southern States. What is mctcd
nut To one is metcd out to the other
what rights are accorded to the one are
accorded to the other; what cxtcnuation
S found for the one is found for the other.
II our malirncrs would better inform
themselves they would avoid much egre.
;ious error, wrongful assertion and need
rss passion. They do not disturb our
'quaniminty, but occasion much vcxa.
.ious waste Of time and labor III congress
,rcssional effort to rcmcd, troubles
which have no existence.