The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1893-08-24
OLD PETE 60 aES OUT STRONG ON
COAL CREEK AFFAIRS.
Equal Justice viii By Melted toSOI.
der and Citizen Alike.

August 81.
The late cold booded murder of
Private Laugherty, Of Rompany G.
aud citizen Drurnmond at or near
Bricevllle, are outrages that can not
and will not be passed unnoticed.
Investigation is now being hadaand
will continue until All means of dis
covery ate exhausted Time, expense
and labor will not be spared 10 the
search after perpetrators, who are
guilty OF murder in the fret d gee,
andif caught deserve toand viii be
hanged if the law isenfolc, d.
Every citizen is entitled to The pro-
lection Of the Law lie is entitled at
all tim,s to a fair and impartial trial
by q jury Of his peere, and none have
the right, moral or otherwise, to take
the law into their own hsnda T. lynch
Is s much murder as to kill iron. am
bush, or TO kill for the sake of robbery.
1t is as much murder TO kill felon
in delibpration, and with premeditaii n
as it is To kill, in like manner, the best
cltizon in the land Whensuch things
occur tits the duty 81 all good people
to use every effort to discover, and
capture, the guilty agents and secure
fair a just inquiry by the courts
into the facts, and certain punishment
to the guilty
1t is violations not only OF official
duty but also of oaths of office for the
officers of the law, whose duty it is to
conserve the peace and enforce the
law, to be taken sides, expressing
opinions and giving interviews before
lave 'tigation with or without the pur
pose OF effecting public opinion and
prejudlcing it the one way or the
other, thereby lessening the chances
OF that fair and impartial trial guar
anteed by the Constitution. By such
course, officers show themselves to be
incompetent, but wholly unfit to par
tic pate in any way in the trial of the
accused.
WhileI am using all means in my
reach and power, aided by intelligent
honest and con c.enticus men locate
the gully in both instances, justice
and fairness will be observed and rig
idly practiced, aud equality before the
law will be the unyIelding rule.
he citizen or. soldier who shall be
guilty Of the crime shall have Justice
and right administered under the same
law by the civil courts Of the State.
1t Is my purpose, as soon as the
N cessary arrangements which are in
progress can be perfected, to remove
the soldiers from the mining prison
camps. ! think this can be done at
any early day. When this has been
done all citizens and soldiers will be
expected and required to obey the
law A failure to do so will be at Their
risk ane hazard All the participants
in any outbreak will, if detected, be as
certainly punished as caught, and the
effort to catch will be neither too short
nor compromising, 1t will be an
earnest unrelenting hunt for outlaws,
officers, soldiers and all others repre-
senting the State or proposing to do
so, failing to observe the law will be
treated just as any other violators of
the law Favors will be shown to none
but justice, impartial justice, shall be
measured TO all.
In conclusion | appeal to all good
citizens to assist in ferretting out and
bringing to deserved punishment the
murderers OF Dmmmond and Laugh
erty.
That troops have been required to be
kept at the mines to prevent violations
Of law is disgrace to those who
brought about the necessity and hui
mutations to the State, Evil disposed
persons will do wei to heed this warn
ing P. TUREEY, Governor.