Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-09-20
NODOUBT OF HIS GUILT.
Circumstances Under which Mitchell was
Twice Granted New Trial.


AMELIA COURTHOUSE. Sept, IS, 1893.
To the Editor Of the Dispatch:
In your Saturdays issue an account OF
the lynching OF Jesse Mitchell appcfred'
which. | think, did injustice TO the young
girl. who was his victim. to her Teia-
tives and friends. and 10 our people gen
orally. The information was sta.cd ID
have been derived from Mr.. Flanagan
the attorney who defended Mitchell. MT.
Flanagan is "a good lawyer and gooi
man. who I'm his zeal for his ciient, nc
lleyc has produced wrong impression.
Let MS give you few plain facts when
| think will set the matter right.
The poor girl at the lime The crime
was com nitted was scarcely twelve years
of age of slight build and dclica:e-looElng'
Of respectable parentage and In good CIR
ci;mstan ,cs. Her father was dead, but she
was well cared for by her mother anc
s,cp-father. The negro Mitchell was a
burly. brutal-looking negro twenty-five
years OF age. who was 4 hrehnS on vac
farm
Twice this man was tried, and twice co'
vlcted 10y a mixed Jury Of good and re-
sUoctabIe men. Twice was THIS poor cell
cate child brought TO court ana put
through the dreadful ordeal Of reciting
misfortune, and each timo was the verdict
81 the Jury set aside upon technicanties
Of the law. not touching the merits or the
case once again was the case set Tor
trial and The poor cir, SUNNI )ned 10 tel
her tale Of woe in public, when as silent
~ and swiftly as migrating birds cane
the avengers Of rape after the shades OF
night had fallen and took he negro
life Never I'm the history Of our county mas
q Iynching occurred before but II ever there
were extenuating circumstances II seems
10 me they existed here.
LynchinC is awful, and no good cltizen
can Justify the taking Of the law lh'o IT.
t.spoueible hand. but after all let US
ask ourselves # the law itself IL not 10
Lla,no2 The delays OF the law ana inc
miserable. shallow qui )blcs and TECHNICAL
ties which the law allows TO deieat or
UNREASONABLE delay the ends Of justice
arn believe. responsible before No.
Heaven and before the people Tor iI'
lyuchiup Of criminals. Now look AT TINS
tho first verdict In this case was set
aside by the Court Of Appeals because lhe
clerk made a slight mistake IN certlSus
the record from the County Court TO the
Circuit Court and in the second instance
tho verdict WAS set aside because the
clerk. who Is the clerk Of both the 'ouH-
~ and Circuit Courts, signed MS htIi'
~ tho writ Of "venire facias" as clerk Of
the County Court. when 1t should nave
bcan as clerk Of the Circuit Court. Let
our people demand Of the next LeElsla-
ture UGH changes I'm the law as Will pre-
vent the setting aside Of the verdict OF
a iury unless II be FOR some cause teIch-
ing the merits OF the case. AMI we S'aIi
have fewer lynchinCs, II they DO rot al
together cease I firmly believe that the
peoplc would not resort 10 this ieai vi
r,nedient if they believed that such crlm-
finals would be speedily and fairly trie1,
and that no miserable technicailty Would
bo allowed 10 defraud justice Of It's dues.
Those who listened TO the evidence III
his case and who have made inquiry INTO
inc matter do not believe that any respect
ablc witness could have been brought ior-
ward t. change the result, II there had
heen another trial This hrute's frlehd''
il Is true. had industriously tried TO CIR
culate reports prcjudicial to the previous
,beste character of this child but
all right-thinking people condemn,
"a this effort OF the brute ana
his friends 10 add insult ana
shameful wrongs TO the great crime that
has blasted the life Of the poor girl ana
cast a lasting shadow over her home ana
friends. IC"1 AN'