Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-05-07
r,,r TENNESSEE nouSDARy-LINE
There is Great Need for Legisi"ti""
on This subject.

To the Editor of the Dispatch:
The Tennessee Legislature, at It's pre-
sent session. passed bill providing lor
the running of the Virginia and Tenhes-
see State line according TO the decision Vi
inc Supreme Court. and, Also FOR the cree
ton of durable monuments alonS the me
The act provides for correspondence PC
t,vecn The Governor Of Tennessee ana the
Governor of virginia. so that the virginia
Legislature may take concurrent dcloh
iu the matter The line Is something near
lI5 miles. running from Cumberland zap
XIV. TO the North Carolina line, ana thtto
IS a dispute as TO the exact location OF the
line from one of these points 10 the olheI'
rho outlaws and desperadoes IN botn
states have long since learned that crimes
can he committed along the line ana nell
thor state can TX the jurisdiction; so they
assemble along this line 10 do unlaWiui
acts and 20 scot free from the law.
This line IS a rough, mountainous sect'oh'
consisting Of dense forests, deep raNlhcs'
and WV iungles, and peddlers OF moon
chino whiskev have found II = safe resort
for the sale OF spirits by the jug, keS' anu
bottle-so much no that blind tigers are
erected at several places along the line.
hotween Hancock county, Tenn, ana Lee
county Va. | know one place on the llht-
on the public road running from Town
I'm Tennessee TO a town In virginia whcre
a whiskev shop has been running conuh-
uouslv for the last fifteen years ana me
law has been violated mere thousahuS VI
-. ,,.t neither Of the States has been
- 80 ,ro,,e ne jurisdiction when the
rsrnetrators have been arraigned for their
n,isdemeanors Murders have been COM
r,it,ed with the same results as I'm the case
- email offences-the murderers nave
hoen acauitted for lack Of jurisdiction.
(see Commonwealth Of Virginia vs.. Lori-
ON Mullins for the murder OF WASHINGTON
/ t,os,vI This line T.. also, the district
line between the United States District
courts of Tennessee and Virginia. was
n commissioner Of the United states DIS
trict Court for Eastern Tennessee M"
tried several persons charged WIN VIC
lations Of the United States internal-'eVo-
nue. laws. the offences having been com
United along this line. The defendants
I'm all these cases were acquitted Dy
reasonable doubt" arising as 10 whether
H. court had jurisdiction. the line being
i'm dispute. -, IL
THE running and working or this me-
and the erection Of durable monument
would prevent more crimes from DeinB
committed. and save more costs 10 'hS
States. by fixing permanently the Ju''S
diction In criminal cases than I'm any
other one measure which can be passed
nv The legislatures OF the two States. rms
,.o,,Id nrove /, terror 10 outlaws and IN
the pIaces where our fellow men are shot
down I'm cold blood. and other offences
are being committed. in perfect immunity
IRON, Tho law. the thrill Of CIVILIZATION
will blow where it listeth. people VIII pur-
sue the "even tenor Of their way" ana
Instead of the boom Of the deadly revolt
YER on the Sabbath day. the Gospel trump
ct will sound. lifting men 10 nfe eternal
Blackwater, Tenn. D. *. W. pAN ls'