Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-12-05

reprobated. This Commonwealth has ever
| boosted OF the purity of her Juhiciaty
and the uprightncss OF her Juries. yet "
| number who have suffered death ny w
halter, without trials or sentences OF her
| tribunals OF Justice, has created aproau
the impression that her judges ana Juries
cannot be trusted. or that her people are
! swayed by passion and uncontroiieu "
! reason; that here law Is detnroheu an"
| lawlessness reigns. ,,, A.
| know there is a crime too horripie w
mention, go black as to cry TOT venseaiI..
| but even the commission OF tna' SiHne
cannot warrant resort 10 ihop.s WI s'iIi
| for justice with us Is certain anu VIII
never miscarry " the law Is aho"eu '"
| take its course.
But lynchng has not been confined ~
! any means to such cases; ior IN tH' -, ~
fifteen years only about one thir1 Oh ,noSe
/ lynched have met their deaths up"
| charges of actual and attempted couiIhs
sion Of this shocking crime. our IL, VI
executions without the pale Oh ", hi,o
! Is long including both races; ana, wnlie
some other States have lists on srVaae.
| length. this cannot excuse us. we odliios
be Justified I'm the sight OF COD 0, ih,n
by pleading that some other peoPie arc
! worse than ourselves.
STAMP OUT THE SPIRIT.
invoke with emphasis the eNe, ,',.,s
which Is bringing reproach upon Ut, III
| honored name OF this Commnweai,stn.
! christianity demands 1t: public mota.S
| reouires il: popular sentiment eNacts u.
I recommend the passage OF an ~
/ reouiring every county or city 10 pay my
the Treasury of the state, Tor 'h. pe s,,n,
| Of the public free-school fuhu, tnc S,a'
| Of 5000 for each thousand or us popui5
! zion not exceeding $4,000. for every iyhch-
! ing which may occur within us Units .ne
same TO be provided for IN lts IN , a. a.
| nual levy. | further recommend 'hdt ~ ,
| expense of the military. If called OUT ps
I oh, of
! Of any city to protect prisoner threaten
| ed with violence. shall be refunded 10 tnc
State by said county or city out OF us
further recommend. that II any
| sheriff. taller, sergeant, constaDle'
or other officer. having IN CUSTODY
prisoner. shall permit said prisoner TO DC
! taken from his custody without exhaust
! ing all means in his power 10 prevent II,
he shall be summarly suspended from
| office By the court i'm which n qualihen,
! until a motion to remove him shail De
! heard and determined by jury
! further recommend that right OF ac-
| ton for damages be given to the prisoner
| taken from custody as aforesaid, II Nv
/ ng-if dead, to his widow, N he leave one,
if not, to his heirs-against the officer
from whom the prisoner was taken. on
his official bond; and that upon the ira
! Of the motion TO remove said oficer, or OF
the suit for damages. the burden snail
| be upon said officer to prove that he eN-
| hausted all means i'm his power 10 prevent
the taking of the prisoner from his Gus
| tOdy.
| for rape. or attempted rape, shall IN
| every case be death and that an indlct-
| ment for either offence shall have prece-
/ dence over any other case on the docket
of the court in which the indictment Is
In my opinion. If an act embodying
such provisions is passed, lynchings VIII
| no longer occur in Virginia.
USE OF MILITARY.
During the last two years the military
has been ordered into service upon me
| calls of the sheriffs 10 protect prisoners
| threatened with violence in the counties
! of Prince William. Augusta, Frederick,
| Clarke. Lunenburg. and Alb marie, and
| the timely presence of troops has had
the effect of preventing mob-violence and
| giving Virginia clean record; so var
as lynchng is concerned, Tor the years
OF 1894 and 1895. If any are disposed 10
! put a monetary price on law and
! order I will say for their benefit that
the entire cost of the military on these
several occasions was less than cents
on the thousand dollars Of the taxable
! property Of the State.
| Besides the use of the military I'm pro-
tecting persons charged with crimes ana
securing them fair trials, 1t was called
| into service at POcahontas, TaZeWeli
county when a breach of the peace ana
mob violence were threatened by large
| body of non-residents OF the state Last
| spring the miners IN the fiknofn EfElvH
! 81 West Virginia went out on strike
| because of a reduction in their wages.
The miners on the Virginia side OF me
| line. whose wages were not cur, remained
| aI work and refused to join the strikers.
| on the LIST day OF May ] received by wire
| reliable information that the strikers
would hold a meeting that day at hey,
stone; w va. arter when i poSa h WOu,e
miners from continuing at work; tnat me
Sheriff Of Tazewell county and ntty q
pulies were on the ground to resist the
| attempt but that they would be power
! less To meet a determined EFFORT by the
! strikers who numbered at least s'WV
! / Immediately sent the following tele-
graphic message TO the Sheriff OF Iaze-
wire me fully condition Of affairs In
mining region. DO you need military add
Law must be upheld al all hazards. Take
no chances.
received this reply promptly:
"POCAHONTAS VA.
perfectly quiet now. Elkhorn, w. Va.
still on strike. Would advise that
company of troops be kept I'm readiness.
AT once | wired his Excellency the
Governor Of West Virginia for permission
TO transport troops through mat STATE.
| N necessary, and authority was ini
nediately given. and. at the request Of his
| Excellency authority was granted him to
transport troops through Virginia.
WHY TROOPS WERE SENT.
on the Sd of May the following tele-
/ graphic message reached me from Poca-
| hontas mi,
| Evervthing quiet there. also in Pocahon-
| tas. as vet The strikers from West Nir-
| ginia mines propose to have public meet
! ing here Sunday. ! cannot foresee the
| result | am fearful OF trouble. VIII
| wire YOU again II anything transplres
fSignedD JOHN CROCKETT.
Deputy Sheriff -
Later the same day the same officer
Do hon N these Words
! ..West Virginia miners propose 10 hOld
! mass-meeting here Sunday. III violence
/ attempted my force would be whoiy IN
adequate. Answer AFTER mature con-
sheraton | came 20 the conclusion that
| several thousand idle and excited men,
! with free access 10 liquor meeting IN 70
| cahontas for the purpose OF coerclnS Dy
! force or threats the Virginia miners. who
/ we're satisfied and did not desire TO strike.
| 10 quit work would certainly result IN
breach eof the peace, and serious troubles,
| and as the Sheriff had Informed me tnat
| i'm case OF violence MS force would ne
| wholly Inadequate, and there being no
| troops I'm that section of the State, | de-
! termined that the rights OF virginia citl-
| zens the safety of the community, ana
| the protection OF life ana properly ue-
| manded that soldiers be placed sufficiently
! near to Pocahontas to enable the Sheriff
{ To cali them quickly TO the scene, in the
/ event they were needed. had VIVA III
/ my memory the loss of life and destruc-
ton of property In mining regions IN
| other states on similar occasions, because
| of the hardness In supporting the civil
/ authority with the military. While execu-
tives were hating blood was flowing,
/ and the flames playing | recalled the
| prOverb. Better 10 be censured by some
for anxious apprehension than ruined by
! too confident security" Accordingly |
ordered Major William r.. Simons. OF the
[ Virginia volunteer militia. 10 proceed al
1 once to Graham. distant about five miles
from Pocahontas and on the line Of the
Norfolk and Western railroad. with a