The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-08-12
Grand JURY PROBING
THE Craven LYHCHINC
inquiry Conducted by Some
Of Loudoun's Best Citizens
JUDGES EARNEST CHARGE
Appeals to Jury to Vindicate the
Majesty Of the Law.
HANGING WAS UNNECESSARY
The Judge Makes This Declaration and
Declares That Circumstances
Distinguished This From
All Other Crimes-Not
an Act of De-
pravitY.
HANGING WAS UNNECESSARY
1snoe,n1 nisnatch to The Times. J

Especial Dispatch TO Inc 1lNes}
LEESBURG. VA, August 1.-Ihe
lvnching of the negro Craven is being
investigated by grand jury composed
of some Of the best citizens of Loudoun
county. Intense interest is felt in the in
uuiry, which may extend through several
davs. and there was a large crowd around
THE cour.noUSe to-day
The spirit OF determination on the part
Of the authorities to bring to justice
these who were responsible for the lynch
;;c was empha sized in the vigorous
charge to the grand jury. The judge could
hardly have spoken more boldly. He said
not the slightest excuse could be offered
fer the lynching, which had brought
shame and disgrace upon the community.
The saddest feature OF the affair, said
Judce Tebbs was that the mob was COM
roced largely of men of standing and
education. from whom the community ex-
pccted better thing@men who were eX-
pected to be found upholding the law.
These men. the judge declared. were
.leaders in needless violence, in rank
l2WlesSneSs
Judge Tebbs in conclusion urged the
jury to so perform its duty as to vindi-
cate the ma aiesty of the law. An the fact
that the jury is composed of such men as
S. S. Lutz. Henry Harrison. Alfred Stan
ton e. w. Presgraves, r. w. Braden.
John H Bowers, John H. Grim, William
Fletcher and Voiney Osburn, encourages
the hope that this will be done.
THE JUDGES CHARGE.
Judge Tabb said in part:
Gentlemen of the grand jury: 1T Is
made my duty. as judge of this court:
to select for this service men good and
true. and | cannot offer tc Virginia the
service of better mer than l see before
me- 1t is my duty to remind you of the
Loudoun. the order and we'll being of the
community the peace and dignity or the
Commonwealth. are entrusted to your
hands. In the emergency that confronts
us your duty may be an onerous one. NO
man would seek it. yet no honest man
can shrl it.
These duties are succnctly set forth
in the oath Of your foreman. winch you
and keen on your part. It is now my
painful duty to charge you in regard TO
a recent occurrence, crime Of uneNam-
nttv, and of far-reachng consequence.
reproach to our people and q foul blot
on the hitherto unstained escutcheon OF
Loudoun.
You are to inquire into the death which
only a few davs since Charles Craven
met at the hands OF a mob Why IS this
killing Of Craven so important? you ask.
Was he such an important citizen. or
can his loss be so hardly borne? No, In
his death the State sustains no loss.
Barn-burner highway robher. 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 If simply that he was murdered?
NO. other murders are daily happenns
in this broad land. yet they do not
shock us like this one.
''As citizens we view crimes only as
thov affect the Commonwealth.
There are circumstances that distin-