The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1895-12-05
remove him shah be heard ana deter

further recommend that right of &C.
ton for damages be given to the prison.
er taken from custody as aforesaid, If
living-1.if dead, TO his widow, if he leave
one, II not, to his heirs-against the
officer from whom the prisoner was
ia ken, on his official bond;, and that
upon the trial Of the motion to remove
said officer, or of the suit for damages,
the burden shall be upon said officer
TO prove that he exhausted all means
IN his power to prevent the taking of
inc prisoner from his custody.
lurtner recommend that the penalty
TOT rape or attempted rape shall in every
case be death. and that an Indictment
for either offence shall have precedence
oyer any other case on the docket of
me court. III which the Indictment is
pending.
Use OF Military,
During the last two years the mill
tary has been ordered into service
upon the calls of the sheriffS to pro-
tect prisoners threatened with violence
III tne counties Of Prince William, Au-
Eusta, Frederick, Clarke, Lunenburg
and Albemnrle, and the timely pres
ehce OF troops has had the effect of
preventing mob violence and Siving
virginia u clean record. 50 far as lynch
ing rs concerened for the years 1894 and
1879 IL any are disposed to put q none
tary price on law and order I will soy
for their benefit that the entire cost
OF the military on these several occa-
siohs was less than two cents on the
thousand dollars of the taxable prop
crty of the State
BESIDES the use OF military In protect
ing persons charged with crimes and Sc
curing Tor them fair trials, 1t was call
Ell INTO service at Pocahontas, TaZe-
Wen county, when breach of the peace
ana mob violence were threatened by
n large body of non-residents of the
state Last spring the miners In the
Elkhorn region of West Virginia went
out on strike, because of reduction
In their wages. The miners on the
Virginia side of the line whose wages
were not cut, remained at work and re-
fused 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 Keystone, w.
Va, after which they would use force
to prevent the Pocahontas miners from
continuing ut work; that the sheriff
oil fazeWell county and fifty deputies
were on the ground to resist the at
tempt, but that they would be power
less to meet n determined effort by the
strikers. who numbered at least 5000
Immediately sent the following tele-
graphic message to the sheriff of Taze-
well county:
Wire me fully condition Of affairs in
mining region. Do you need military
aid? Law must he upheld at all haz-
ards. Take no chances" t-
L received this reply promptly:
"Pocahontas. Va, perfectly quiet
now Elkhorn. w. Va. still on strike.
Would advise that n company of troops
be kept in readiness"
at once | wired His Exccllcncy. the
Governor of West Virginia, for per-
mission TO transport troops through
that State, IL necessary. and authority
was Immediately given, and, ut the re-
quest Of His lINcellency, authority was
granted him 10 transport troops through
Virginia.
ON the Sd day OF May the following
tclegraphic message reached me from
pocah0ntas:
"Havc Just returned from Elkhorn.
Everything quiet there; also in Poca-
hontas as yet. The strikers from West
Virginia mines propose to have public
meeting here Sunday. L cannot fore
sec the result. l am fearful of trouble.
will wire you again IL anything trans
pircs.
(signeO JOHN w. CROCKETT,
Deputy Sheriff."
Later the same day the same officer
wired me from Pocahontas In these
words. West Virginia miners propose
To hold mass-meeting here Sunday. If
violence attempted my force would be
wholly inadequate. Answer" After
mature consideration | came TO the
conclusion that several thousand idle
and excited men. with free access to
purpose of cocrcing by force or threats
he Virginia miners, who were satisfied
and did not desire to srille. to quit work
would certainly result in a breach
of the peace and serious troubles. and
as the sheriff had informed me that in
case of violence his force would be
wholly inadequate. and there being no
troops in that section of the State, |
determined that the rights of Virginia
citizens. the safety Of the community.
and the protection of life and prop
crty demanded that soldiers be placed
| sufficiently near to Pocaiontas to en-
| BILE the sheriff to call them quickly to
| the scene i'm the event they were need
| cd ! had vivid In my memory the loss
Of life and destruction of property in
mining regions in other States on SINH
| lar occasions, because of the hardness
| In supporting the civil authority with
! the military. While executives We're
halting blood was flowing and the
flames playing. | recalled the provcrb:
| Better to bc ccnsurcd by some for an
| Xious aprehensi6ns than ruined by too
confident security. Accordingly, ]
| ordered Major William F. Simons, of
| the Virginia volunteer militia. to pro-
| coed at once to Graham, distant about
| FIVE miles from Pocahoutas and on the
| line of the Norfolk and Western rail
| road. with n force which hoped would
| be sufficient to ovcrawr the lawlcss If
not strong enough to cope successfully
| with any outbreak. with orders to re-
port tn the sheriff OF farewell county
and obey his command. At the same
| linn. I .ipn1 gIn tif l,., 10.