Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-12-25

IL Is not at all surprising that the Christ
mas Eve celebration at Jackson City in
cluded among its many disreputable feat
ares an utterly inexcusable murder. For a
long time Jackson City has been doing its
utmost to build up reputation as a great
sporting resort-has been cordial i'll its
greeting to all whose desires were unlawful
and who deemed interference with their de-
signs impertinence; as a consequence the
tough gamblers, the race touts and all
manner of disorderly people have made
Jackson City their business headquarters
In spite of the declaration of Gov. OFer-
rail- that such things should not be during
his term of executive control in Virginia
Occasionally dramatic spasms of what had
We outward semblance of virtue have been
gut on exhibition by the sheriff of Alex
Andria county and at times these have
seemed so real to give foundation for
the hope that permanent reform had been
planned by the authorities. But the fire.
Quent and long -sustained lapses have COM
PEELED decent people to the conclusion that
the law officers of Alexandria county are
insncere. To say that they are directly in
league with those who delight in defying
the statutes would perhaps be to aver
something not easily susceptible of proof,
honest there is species of honor which is
proof against the wiles of the gifted cross
examiner. but ii can be asserted without
fear of contradiction that msbehavior of
the most villainous sort is permitted by
those i'm whose hands the people of Vir-
ginia have placed power sufficient to wipe
out the plague spot the presence of which
Is doing incalcuable harm to the states
reputation. There is nothing astonishing
In the fact that the exiles from New York
and New Jersey have DECIDED to locate i'm
Alexandria county, for it was one Of the
few places in the country where their mani
fold devices for extracting money from the
pockets of fools could be operated with
q reasonable degree Of safety; the extra
ordinary phase of affairs Is that they
should be permitted to do so. 1t is under
stood that when some of the prominent
citizens of the county made complaint to
Gov. O'Ferrall he assured them that the
matter was in their own hands; that if
they would declare to him, over their own
signatures that the law was being violated
because of the sheriffs unwillingness to do
his duty, he would at once remove that Off
cial and put in his place man as to whose
fidelity and courage there could be Ques-
ton. Statements as to the sheriif's unfit
In private conversation by those who have
large interests in Alexandria county, but
for some reason or other the complaints
continue to be verbal and, SO far as the
governors ears are concerned. Indirect.
The people of Virginia must not fall into
the error of imagining that the District of
Columbia is DESTROYS of reforming Alex
andria county for the sake of reform; there
may be spice of missionary idea in the
agitation which has been. is being, and
doubtless will contnGe to be made. but as
a cold-blooded matter of fact, Washington
wants Alexandria county to be purified be-
cause with things as they now are there is
contamination in proximity to Jackson City
and TO the officials who find IL to their lik-
ing to have all sorts of misconduct proceed
under their very noses without let or hin
drance