Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1896-07-17
A Calm Appeal to the Public.

"ooV puIO very luJuulClOus, anu WuTss
still, absolutely false.
No discussion of that foul and COW.
ardly lynching, as all lynchings are fou
and cowardly, can atone outraged law
or bring back to life the wretch who
was launched into eternity without that
which is guaranteed alike by human and
divine law TO every man whatever may
be the crime with which he Is charged
II fair, impartial trial. This guarantees
lies at the base of society, and the faith.
full observance Of this right is the only
guarantee which any man has of his
life. This law of God and man has
been transgressed and its infraction
should and does cause all good, law
abiding citizens the deepest humiliation
and the profOundest sorrow. The odium
of u foul misdeed rests and will rest
upon the reputation of this county.
But the deed Is done and 1t cannot lie
undone. In its defense | have not one
word to speak: for it l entertain only
feelings of loathing and horror.
Had have had the least nation
Of its intended commission would have
risked my life without moments hest
tation to have prevented it. Those who
know me do not and cannot question
that would have done 80.
Outside of all moral consider atoms
there Is another reason why the lynch
ing Of Sidney Randolph is to be deplored.
Unquestionably there were connected
with him in the commission OF the
crime with which he was charged other
persons. Amy one can readily see how
further investigation in this case has
been handicapped II not entirely pre-
vented by that lynching.
There are three questions of supreme
Importance to the psople Of this county
just now. Why was Sidney Randolph
lynched Who is responsible for the
causes which led to his lynching aud,
was he innocent or guilty of the crime
with which he was charged
merge the first two questions Into
one and will attempt honestly and fear
lessly to answer them. l shall make no
declaration which am unable TO prove.
Foremost among the causes leading to
| the lynching OF Randolph are ~ the
| course pursued by the Washington de.
! ieoJives, ~ by the Press of Washing
ton, and l8l by the cOlored citizons of
Washington.
~ The Washington detectives came
| here the day OF the tragedy, May 26th,
| and Ia advance OF all investigation re-
pcatedly insinuated, IL they did not d.
rectly assert, that Mr.. Buxton himself
did the deed. They are credited by the
newspapers of Washington city with
declaring that the people ofthis commu-
nifty refused to aid them In any way In
ferreting out the crime, and opposed
them 10 trying to locate the guilty party.
If there WINS any such action upon the
part Of any number of our citizens, 1
have no knowledge of IL, but this l do
know, that from the Goth day of May
| until IA HuU tha WAah
ington detectives have not in
tervewed either of the three physicians
who were with Mr.. Buxton, and all
three of whom Will testify that the
wounds upon the head of Mr. Buxton
were OF such a character and in such
position as to render their infection by
himself physical impossibility.
Furthermore, do know that whether
or not was possessed of any informa-
| tion upon the case, was by the consent
| of the people here credited with pos
sessing such information.
On Monday evening, May 25th, imme-
diately upon my return to daithersburg
from having followed the tracks of Ran.
dolph to Hunting Hill and back, learn.
ing that the detectives were here, at
once sought them, was introduced to
Them by lawyer of this county, and
gave them an opportunity to learn from
me whatever | knew upon the subject.
They manifested no desire TO learn any
thing was supposed to know, and GER
tainly they did not then nor at any
future time give any opportunity to tell
them of any facts was supposed to
have. On the following evening, May
10Th, l met them in woods near this
place. was In company with gentle
man who will confirm my declarations.
| They passed me without any recogni-
ton whatever. After had passed them
about fifty yards, Ic0ncludeJ to call to
them. first called one of them by
name three times, and received no
answer | then called the other one by
name, he stopped, and started back to
meet me; when we met began to inform
him of certain things which l had
learned that day. | had proceeded but
little way in the narration when he in
terrupted me by saying 80 yes l
| know that, that was -" mentioning
the name of certain person with
whom my supposed Information had alb.
solutely nothing TO do. OF course, |
proceeded no further. babe them good
evening and passed on. From that Time
| to the present have not seen them. l
give these facts simply as a specimen Of
the course they pursued. and OF the
work they did here.
Justly or unJustly the newspapers of
Washington have continued to quote
them as saying that Mr.. Buxton was
the guilty persOn.
(2) From the beginning of this sad
history until the present for some reason
or other the newspapers of Washington
have misrepresented the facts of the
case and the attitude and feelings of the
citizens of Gaithersburg. They even
heartlesslY referred to the assumed
gr0ans of Mr.. Buxton the day he was
put upon the train TO be taken to the
hospital They deliberately misrepre-
scented the evidence given before tho
Coroner's Jury. They have in the abb
sence OF all evidence and In the face of
evidence to the contrary asserted that
white man committed the deed. They
have repeatedly declared that there was
no evidence whatever against Randolph.
| Without shadow of proof they have
attempted to cast suspicion most foul
upon several OF our citizens, mentioning
them by name; they have repeatedly
published things In connection with this
case which they IL they did not at the
time of writing know TO be false, could
have ascertained their falsity by the
slightest Investigation. 1 will give but
one or two illustrations, they shall both
be personal to myself On the day pre-
ceding the night upon which Randolph
and Neal were brought from the Balti-
more Jail to Rockville, was at Garfield
Hospital In company with Maurice Tai
bolt and Alex. Kilgour, attorneys Of
our county. / left the Hospital and ar
rived at the Il. d o. Depot in Washing
ton too late to take The 7:05 +. NJ. train
to Gaithersburg. There was no other
train to that place until 1l.4D z. NJ.
was invited by Mr.. Talbot to go out on
the 8:45 train to Rockville and remain at
his house until the midnight train.
accepted his invitation, and did moi
know until after having passed Silver
Spring Station some distance that the
prisoners were on that train; had abb
solutely nothing TO do with bringing