Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1894-04-07
SUFFERING ISAAC JENKINS.
MANS inhumanity to man
Makes countless thousands moul

w. j. KILBY as to whether he will
be humane enough to remove the
$500 fine imposed by the jury OF
white men who tried the case.
1t is an admitted principle of law
that the meteing of even exact jus
tice often works hardship upon the
accused and therefore discretionary
powers are vested In the judiciary |
and pardoniDg power in the Chief
Executive.
That It should not have been exer- |
cIsed without the asking has been a |
surprise to us, and that race preju-
dice should have figured SO conspicu-
ously In the case as astounding as 1t
was manifest.
Why should this man be punished
further Has he taken up arms
against the state Has he Inn
pugned the motives of the court p
Has he waylaid a citizen? Has
he committed murder
If none of these, why has he been
bounded by the officers of the law ?
Why is he now confined In the SUI
folk jail ?
JOHN CARTWRIGHT charged him
with burning his house.
The jury of white men reluctantly
said, Not guilty"
JOHN CARTWRIGHT charged him
with poisoning his horses.
The jury of white men said, mot
guilty."
Then why is it that he is held 10 the
county jail at Suffolk? You say hesoid
a little whiskey from flask without
a license. Was this crime a capital
offense
He was fined $500. Why was 1t
not made q million dollars =? he
would have been just as able to
Ipay it as he Is the amount you
have assessed against him. In his
present feverish, excited wounded
Icondition, bis body would not
bring half that amount,-not even
as subject for scientific investiga-
ton upon the dissecting table of q
} medical institution.
Then why do you prosecute him
further
q Was he not punished sufficiently
Did you not allow him to be beat
about the head and body
he had nine gashes In his head
; four of which were to the bone.-
Was that not enough punishment
: He had two oozing bullet holes
: in his neck.
Was that not enough punish
: ment
He had an abrasion around his
neck where the cruel rope buried
: itself In his flesh. Was that not
enough punishment ?
He was covered with his own
blood. Was not that enough
: punishment q?
He walked thirteen miles to Nor
folk. Was not that enough pun
ishment =?
His neck was swollen three times
, It's normal size. Was not that
enough punishment ?
> He laid in jail, fed upon prison
food and denied the comforts of the
, most poverty stricken man. Vas
| not that enough punishment
> He was handcuffed to a thief ant
, carried back to Suffolk. Va. Was
not that enough punishment
For six months he has lain In 6
lousy, castle-like jail. Is not thai
enough punishment
8 He has been denied the privilege o
earning a livelihood for his hear
broken wife and three little children
Is not that enough punishment ?
And with all that you hold him IL
prison; demanding, Shylock- like as 4
were the pound of flesh cut from tn
region of the heart.
Search If you will the archives OF ma
tions, ponder over the pages of histo
ry, uproot the traditions of the pas
and within their darkest recesse
find If you can case which will su
pass In atrocity and brutality tn
one we have just cited.
This takes nIaca In Chrfafian Ame
lea, with it's thousands of churche
and it's millions of professed believ-
ers In the religion of the Lord an,
? Saviour, JESUS CHRIST.
Within the confines of that dull
cheerless Nansemond Co. jail thi
man listens to thepeals of the churcl
bells as they call away.
He hears the religious strains O
= sweet music and as. he no doub
huns to himself the refrain, gloriou
even in It's sadness, be murmurs COZ
corning the hypocrisy of some of tn
believers and the inhumanity @
which he is made q victim.
Visions of the treatment accorde,
I. him by Commonwealth Attorne
HOLLAND who prosecuted him Will
ignoring his.would be murderers ris
before him and he falls upon hi
knees and prays for those who hav
so deeply and cruelty wronged hin