Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1902-08-12
PROCEEDING AGAINST ALLEGED
LYNCHERS.


gate the lynching of Charles Craven by
a Loudouu county mob on Thursday,
July 81, met in the county courthouse
in Leesburg yesterday morning and
heard a number of witnesses who gave
testimony before the coroner's inquest.
Twelve men were summoned, two
from each of the six districts. Two OF
them, who are officials of the county,
were excused. The following ten men
were selected : 5. S. Lutz, Henry Har-
rison, Alfred Stanton, f. w. Pres
graves, r. X. Walker, r. w. Braden,
John II. Bowers, J. w. II. Grimm,
William Fletcher, and Volney Osborne
Judge Tebbs's charge to the jury was
comprehensive and covered minuteiy
every detail connected with the crime
He said he appreciated that the duty
confronting them was an onerous one,
which no man would seek. yet none
could shiik. "YOu are to inquire into
the death which only few days since
Charles Craven met at the hands of 4
mob" he continued. "Why is this
killing of Craven so important? you ask.
Was he such an important citizen, or
can his loss be 50 hardly borne? No!
In his death the State sustains no loss.
Barnburner, highway robber, murderer.
Most likely his crime-stained soul has
passed to answer before his maker for
deeds done in the flesh, and none, not
even his old mother, bewails his fate.
Was it simply that he was murdered?
No; other murders are daily happening
in this broad land, yet they do not shock
us like this one. As citizens we view
crimes only as they affect the Common
wealth." " He said there were circum-
stances that distinguish the lynch
ing from other crimes and caused
the eyes of all mankind to be
turned upon Loudoun county in
sad astOnishment. There was no eX-
cuse, he said, for the commission Of the
crime. "We live under laws and a
government" he said, "tbe heritage o!
our forefathers, enjoying under these
their laws, for which they fought and
bled and died, the noble heritage Of pro-
lection in life, liberty, and the pursuit of
happiness. Without reason or excuse
merely to glut their mad passion for law
less and useless vengeance, in defiance OF
the laws of God and man. in open day
light, with reckless disregard for the
rights, nay, the very lives Of others;
with the declared purpose, if necessary
to the accomplishment of their fell de-
sign, to take the lives Of our best citizens;
careless of the honor and fair name Of
this. their native land, thi, lawless mob
overpowered the officers of justice, broke
into and injured our Jail, imbrued their
their hands in human blood and brought
down shame and disgrace upon us.
"And, gentlemen, this is not all, nor
the worst, of the sad story. Saddest Of
all is to consider the character Of the
men who did this deed. The mob was
composed only, | am told, in a small de-
gree of the base and degraded among us.
1t consisted largely Of men from whom
we had the right to expect better things
men of standing and education i'll the
community; men whom we should ex-
pect to find uphOlding and maintaining,
ready to fight for, even to die for, the
laws and rights and government, 50 dear
to their ancestors, and these men were
the leaders in needless violence, in rank
lawlessness. If such things are to be
upheld by the good people of this land,
then God save old LOudOun-GOd save
Virginia. Gentlemen, not in anger OF
! indignation, but oppressed with sorrow
and with the full sense Of the RESPONSE
bilitv resting upon me, have | spoken
have endeavored faithfully to discharge
nv sworn duty under the laws. Mos
sincerely do trust that many of these
men have already seen, or will yet SCI
the error of their ways, and in the flu
ture will be true defenders of that gov
ernment they have wronged, those law
they have violated. Gentlemen, | nov
submit this whole matter to you, will
implicit confidence that you will per
form your duty and as best you may, s.
act as to vindicate the honor of Lou
doun and the majesty of the law, re
establish peace and safety among us
and that never again does deed so shame
full darken the pages of our history.
Charles r. Lowenbach, the saloon
keeper. and one of the leaders agains
the local option movement, who wa
held by the coroner's jury, returned t
Leesburg yesterday and placed himsel
in the custody of Sheriff II. Harriso
Russell. He has been in Baltimor
since the day after the lynching, bu
thought it advisable to return to answe
to any indictment which the grand jur
might find. Through his attorneys
Senator R. Walton Moore, of Fairfax
and Judge J. b. McCabe, of Loudoun
be waived a preliminary hearing betoI
Justice Charles F. Harrison, and ws
held for the grand jury. Applicatlo
will be made for bail before Judge Iebb'
Of the county court. Nothing has bee
heard of Marvin Wilson a nephew I
William II. Wilson, whom Craven
supposed to have murdered, or Geor2
Williams and another man named WI