Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1902-11-01
CAN GET
JUSTICE HERE
Continued from 1st Page.

here to get rid of him and did not even
answer letter No. 3. Still he continued
his attentions
AT this point, the commonwealth rested
its case. After hasty consultation, Mr..
Glenn decided not to put any witnesses
on the stand.
Eastman showed no disposition to
testify himself nc ~
There was another lull in the Court
room. Lawyer Glenn consulted with
Lawyer Richardson and Lawyer Smith
IL was decided that the case should be
argued.
Commonwealth Attorney Richard
son arose and said;-"If your Honor
please, there are two classes of cases:
One is where there is no evidence and
the other where the evidence is so plain
that all the time the Attorney is ON his
feet he feels he is doing unnecessary
labor. kNsS~
This is one of the most remarkable
cases ever saw in my life and it is the
most atrocious one / ever saw.
say that the colored people have as
much right to the protection of their
families as any other people.
OUGHT TO BE PUNISHED.
For a mad, I don't care if he is white to
be guilty Of such crime he ought TO be
punished. These letters show that this
man is either lunatic and ought to be
in an asylum or he is an atrocious char
acter and should be imprisoned,
If the color had been different and
these letters had fallen into the hands
of white men, blcod-shed would have
resulted, commend these people for
their forbearance and respectable colored
people can feel assured that they can get
che equal protection of the law.
This was an infamous attempt to lead
astray an innocent girl.
There is no use to talk about trap
here is a man who had been after this
girl. Her old father had TO send her
here to get rid of him
Then he followed her here and ap-
points meeting place in Jail Alley to
carry ont his nefarious purposes AS to
the method it is being done time and
again.
THE USE OF DECoY LETTERS.
Decoy letters are put in the mail time
and again and this action has been sus-
tanned by the United States Court.
This case is one ON all fours in that this
man was an offender.
They have done it, j commend them
for it and hope that the Court will af
ford them adequate protection.
(Mr. Glenn)-"I do not know that
have ever been in a case Of this kind be
fore"
(Justice Crutchfield) heard OF
one before.
(Mr. Glenn)-"The United State.
detectives send decoy letters to catcl
the thief, not to make one. They asked
10 oh kha u,
crime was committed. There was NJ
abduction.
[Messrs. Smith and Richardson 1--we
don't charge abduction, we charge al
attempted abduction.
Justice Crutchfleld l-"Well, SIR, if yoJ
hadn't changed the warrant should
have done So"
IMr. Glenn This case is q very pecu.
liar one. He wrote letter to a girl, y
Justice Crutchfield Eyes, to a Ne.
gro girl"
NO CRIME COMMITTED.
lawyer Glenn l--"No crime had been
)mmitted when his letter was written.
This man was not going to Booker Jor-
dams house. He encouraged him to
come down here. OF course Mr. East
ham did wrong in writing this letter to
n colored girl, but there was no crime
in writing this letter.
There was no attempt to take the girl
from under his control. There was no
intimation that he wanted to take her
away. After receiving this letter he
believed she wanted to go with him.
There was no harm in the first letter
except it was an affeetionate letter.
This man tells you that he laid this trap
to catch this man. There is no evidence
that he took her anywhere or attempted
to take her anywhere after he received
the letter encouraging him. Now, if
your Honor please, in order to attempt
to abduct girl, a man must Go some
thing towards the commission of the
act. 1t doesn't mean where girl will
1ngly meets man or goes there for
that purpose that a man is liable under
that section.
A DISTINCTION WITHOUT A DIFFERENCE.
This says where you take a girl un-
der the age of lo for the purpose of pros
titution."
He then gave the definition Of prosti-
tuition, citing authorities to sustain him
in his contention. al say if this
man had taken her to house of prosti-
tuition to barter her body then he would
be liable under the statute, but I saw
where she willingly goes with him one
time. without pay, say that it is not
taking her away for the purpose of
prostitution, neither would it cover the
case of con-cubinage, If she is carried
to house of prostitution where she is
to be kept for the purpose of prostitution
the n it would come under this law.
This man must have been infatuated
with this girl in some way. 1t is not
the first time that the sexes havebeen in
fatuated with those of the opposite race
We cannot but blame this man for
writing those letters and blame Book.
er Jordan for writing those letters.
MR. RICHARDSON'S RESPONSE.
Commonwealth Attorney Richardson
arose and said:--"The main purpose of
this man was PLAIN. He knew he could
not marry her. He knew it was a fel.
ony IN this state for white man to mar.
ry a colored woman"
Mr.. Richardson then analyzed the let.
ter line by line to show that a crime
was attempted. He showed that East.
ham had admitted in his letter that he
had written to her first.
My friend. Mr.. Glenn argues this case
as though the girl had been abducted.