Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-09-05
REPLY TO LUXEMBOURG
vr Saunders, Of Roanoke, Defends His
Position.
ACCUSATION REPELLED.
~.oo,. obnoxious to the First Prin-
..I.s Of Augio-SnxOn ftbcrty-fhe
question or Change OF venue
abc Ronuokc Riot.

r., no Editor OF the Dispatch:
81. ,,ur issue OF the 18th instant 'here
.,rs an article In reply 10 one pup
pa hy myself In your paper OF the
.., and find myself constrained by
.-.s o. justice TO myself TO make some
.,,rs of my position from the misre-
s.,t,tions OF "Lunenburg.' He dis
.. my article. and attributes to me
...r.,nts that never POSSESSED. nor for
...s is there the slightest foundation In
Ny only object is to restate my own
.4.r so clearly that my concealed
t,,rs,ry will NOS again attempt to put
600, a false light. "Small IS the worth
INV from the light retired. Bid him
forth. suffer himself 20 be ad-
1850 and thus give me an opportunity
...,,, IN Kind TO his specious al homi-
,,5 even adj urbem arguments.
,.nv years ago. in Floyd county.
.....r wished 20 make a motion for a
.t,,-. n venue In a capital case. owing
extremely strong public sentiment
..s, She accus q. He applied to the
-..f ~ the county for certificate to
81, erect that the prisoner could not
...,in Al fair trial. which the Sheriff. to
.... g,fcr amazcment OF the attorney. de-
: n.l 90 give. ..,,,.o,.,,.or u,,,b
,....g.rshlc warmth. that II the prison.
t...I here ne will certainly be con-
,.rt.l of murder in the iirst degree py
an. ..ry ~ this county,
".,.r r.ull.d the Sheriff: 'but that
,,..I o.. - fair trial.
u. DIS. the apologlsts for the Lunen-
t,. trials. looked solely at the supposed
l- ~ the accused and results, and II
occurred % his untutored mind that
o.. ,.r6f 10 an impartial trial. even when
... rr.souer is guilty. is essential to the
derivation Of republican hberties' Many
...,tv man has b. hurried TO meil,eu
PUNISHMENT by an improVistd july
.r.r. and yet the speedy justice OF tha'
+.-, ,s not considered its most com
r,rl.t.e feature.
MISSED THE POINT.
.f.renburr" premises that | neither
,.-. m. testimony nor read a steno-
.rrn report thereof. and that. there
.. ,rv conclusions Of fact are untrust-
v...f. and he utterly disregards my as
..-,..n that the guilt or innocence OF the
....f could in no wise affect the case.
Al. mart " my argument l. based upon
o.. r.f that the prisoners were inno-
rf and IL required the strangest IA
..fe o. miss the point. which was That
fh.v dH not get n fair trial. With
...r-.el diving-bell outfit / am going
fish 40 "a few Of "Lunenburg's" ideas.
merely iu order - make my own position
r.- lie devotes half-coumn TO
moving the fact that there was never
a-e necessity for the presence OF the
militia during the trials. and. as a clinch-
,r draws upon me the certificate
n the tN-Shcrim II would seem TO be
more appropriate 10 secure the certificate
u Che present Sheriff. the regularly
substituted officer Of the county. who. now
f.t ff. trials are over. must recognize
thlf hs acted most indlscreetly In calling
rt.u fae Governor for troops (Which, ]
far. DIT. doubt. was done after anxious
c.rr.rf'0n with the county authorities),
ans who has probably passed through as
many mental phases Of dissatisfaction
arl aaslaction with his work as one OF
oh. Jurors The Judge thanked the sol
d.srs most warmly at the conclusion OF
fe trials for their manly bearing. and
seems 90 have been charmed with their
presence.
Oua 10 the Luncnbnrg citizens. in one
~ tr. Richmond papers. In speaking OF
tn. trials. says that there was never any
danger &C lynching hut at one time du-
ring the trials Does not this demon
siratc c0ucuslvcly that troops were ne
Dessary? 4 prisoner cannot be lynched
iai once. The Governors reasons Tor
sending troops were commended by the
lHnenhIre committee.
The commanding officer Of the militia.
Naar perhy~hire. who was thoroughly
found 90 necessary 10 telegraph 10 the
Governor for more troops from Lunen-
burg Courthouse on July 18th. which were
enf CAPTAIN Cunningham and the
Walker Lrht Guard Quartette were TO
hlts sung ~ the Presbyterian church at
Igrenhrr- Courthouse on Friday night
jolly 18th. but the commanding officer
thought danger So imminent that he could
n.t saar chem from his command.
Which opinion is to be preferred. Major
rrrlyshire's or "Lunenburg's,' as 20 the
'are.r of mob violence 'bunenours
statement as 20 only thirty white citi-
z.rs being present in court at any time
during tha trials. and that. therefore
h.r. V8. never any mob. strikes me az
-. nnrifl that | scarcely know how
Q, r.rlv. Does he look for the mob IN
th... courthouse under the protecting care
az nr., companies Of militia. and does he
know th4t three or more persons may
constitute riot?
FAIR TRIAL. IMPOSSIBLE.
So lr as my argument is concerned. l
VII ~ willingly concsde that he has estaD-
Ish.I DTS POSITION and vet the presence
Ul troops made IL impossible for the trials
% i fair. What could the Jury nave
Thought hut that some overwhelming ne
costly occasioned the presence OF troops
arl that necessity was the immediate
danger ~ mob law? Can II he supposed
rat Jurors are superhuman and entirety
fro from an outside influences? To the
average Juror proclamation by the
'ral. .tlre that the community demands
fna conviction OF the prisoner would not
go MS strong "a presentation OF the fact
ls fhe presence q the militia during th'
ral The Jurors in capital cases are
Flowed ro intercourse with outsiders du-
ring the trial. and they are bound 10
l.k themselves even II "Lunenburg VIII
'ot What means this precautonY sup
,ose % is franied that there was no more
prejudice against the prisoners IN I-u-
oarhlr. county az the time Of the uiais
tAqn there IS today In the city Of Roa-
n.ke. ana suppose. further that these
~ s0rers are now sent TO the latter place
fr trial under military escort, and du-
ring the entire trial several companies
~ militia guard them. will not the jury,
rHt Of from intercourse with the out
1e world. lnfaliihly infer from the pres
,rr- - troops that public sentiment de-
naufs tho conviction OF the prisoners,
t-f therefore. under this supposition,
the trial In Roanoke could not be fair.
TROOPS OBNOXIOUS.
Tho ,-.sonce % troops during the trial