Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1894-05-11
The Virginia Press on the Staun-
ton Trouble.
TLynchburg Advanced

LILY 1AuNuHOC'1
The people of Staunton and the officials of
the city have earned the gratitude and admit
ration of their fellow citizens. They have
set an example that is worthy Of all common
dation by their self restraint under extreme
provocation. horrible crime was commit
ted in their neighborhood, crime possessing
every element of fiendish atrocity. Such a
crime always rouses the Indignation Of a COM
munity and inflames the blood of every citi-
zen to fever heat. The first impulse is for
vengeance, and in many cases lynching fol-
lows, and the verdict is, "Seryed him right"
The people Of Staunton have pursued wise
course. The criminal is in the hands Of the
law, and the law is adequate for his punish
ment. 1t has been urged that the immediate
punishment of a criminal by order Of Judge
Lynch deters others from the commission of
like crime. Experience proves the fallacy OF
this argument. On the contrary, the natural
effect of disregarding legal forms is to beget
contempt for law and to increase rather than
repress lawless acts.
The execution of two criminals at Manas-
sas and the wise self restraint of the people OF
Staunton will 60 far towards indicating the
wisdom of reliance on law rather than on
mob violence for the repression of crime.
When it becomes generally known that the
perpetrator of the nameless crime will inevi-
tably meet his doom at the hands of the law,
there will no longer be any excuse for lynch
ing and, we predict the crime itself will be-
come less frequent. 10 many minds de-
Gently conducted trial in court and delibe
rate execution on the Scaffold carry greater
terror than the sudden outbreak OF laWless
mob, and, besides, the victim of a mob is too
often exalted to the position of a martyr
while the criminal who is hanged after fair
trial is regarded only with detestation.
All honor to StauntOn for the lesson she has
taught.
From the Norfolk Ledger
The Virginia courts. we are pleased to OBJ
serve, have recently inaugurated a movement
which, if continued, will cause a cessation of
those violent outbursts of human passion that
have, at various periods in the past, caused
the lives of the offenders to be taken without
due process of law. The
judges at Manassas and Staunton have set an
example Of promptness in the trial Of cases
which, if followed, will have the effect of
extirpating s'lynch law from our State. If.
when women are violated and other horrible
crimes are committed the people are satisfied
that summary justice will be melted out to of
tenders by the courts, they will repress their
desire to act outside Of the law, but when
they see such offenders, after lapse of time,
escape with slight punishment or turned loose
upon the community, they lose faith in the
| courts and take matters into their own hands.
The courts of the State have it in their power,
by following the example in Manassas and
Staunton. to remove potent cause for the
exercise of "lynch law
[From the Alexandria Gazette.
There ought to be two hangings instead Of
one at Staunton. The white man, born and
| raised in Virginia, who associates on terms of
social equality with negro convicts, and al
lows his young daughter to do the same, and
to attend night gatherings where the races
mix and drink whiskey and play cards togeth-
er, should not be allowed to pollute by his
presence the neighborhood in which he lives.
From the Richmond State.]
The people of Staunton deserve the thanks
| and the commentator of all citizens who
reverence the la W. and we hope and believe
! that the good example which they have set
will be followed by the people OF the South
generally. Indeed, we see in this hopeful
sign of better things. There has been strong
sentiment among the best people of the South
in favor Of ly nch law for the uncomfortable
crime, but a change for the better has come
and the sentiment in favor of maintaining the
law under any circumstances is growing
stronger every day.
From the Richmond Dispatch
The newspapers of the State, without eX-
ception, so far as we know, give hearty praise
to the authorities of Staunton for their ad-
mirable management of the case of Lawrence
Spiller. If this precedent be generally fol-
lowed Judge Lynch will have to adjourn
his court sine die. Our courts of justice can
and should meet the public demand for
prompt trial and adequate punishment Of
ravshers, and they can and should also meet
the public demand that no woman who has
been the victim of a british man shall be put
to needless torture on the witness stand.