The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1903-06-29
BECKHAM REPLIES TO
HIS CRITICS,
lie Discusses Conditions in Breathitt
County-Alleges That an Effort
Has Been Made To Cast
Cdiulr on the Entire
State.


last few weeks. some from those who
are friends. some from those who are
not urging me to use radical measures
In dealing with the unfortunate trouble
In Brea thitt county-to declare marital
law and to have trials of the accused by
court martial to remove judges ana
other officials and. in fact, to do most
anything for. which there is absolutely
no warrant of law to do upon the part
of the executive. A number of newspa-
pers in the state some kindly in their
feelings toward me. others most hostlle
and bitter have come out in heavy edl-
torials and said 1t was up to the GOV
ernor TO do something to put stop to
this Ia wlessness and crime. None OF
them, however. with one honorable eX-
ception. ever suggested. i'll their infinite
wisdom. a plan to the governor as 10
what ne should do. have been left
In the dark by these sagacious critics as
10 whether it was best for me to con
sumo this lawlessness with fiery rhetoric
and noisy recommendations or TO throw to
the winds the constitution of my state
and to boldly enter the scene of the trou-
bic with arm and ammunition, snap my
fingers at Judges, commonwealth attor-
neys and juries. and detianuy proclaim
that l was the car of Kentucky and not
its chief peace officer. who humbiy re
spects the funda mental laws Of his state
Hits the yellow Journals.
Il care not one particle for the phara-
saical censure of those yellow journals
Of the north and east. whose meHcenafy
greed for saleahie romance and whose
partisan hatred OF southern neighbor'
make them defame and misrepreseAt inc
great and good people OF IArAtuc-Ng, oe-
cause one county, out Of one hundred ana
nineteen in the state mas recently peea
the scene of certain chimes and Nio4tl0ila
Oh the law.
As an illustration OF this might be
found in the recent trouble IN Bre4thitL-
where lo was dilti-uit to tell whether the
war correspondents or the s1idlers ont
numbered the other and tnoSc teroctous
and unarmed ions-dlstance warn -3is,
safely guarded against danger 10 tAelt
valiant persons, brcathed forth threat
enings OF war and tod an eager ana e&-
pectant public what Il governor, JudSe
o. military coin1anQrt SAodid &C.
nese 1LtSIte cIitICiSu.- need not III con-
eidcrcd. "a hen thcy Su,'-tcd III cr@ulcatih}t
crime. or al least. reducing it, IN their
own states. .heu wc may give them a re-
Spcrttu hearing In their efforts to Ken
u, how To purify i>enttc.y 1ilc htea''.-
lit county Uouoie is I'll toS thor iocai' %..d
the e.ort ia throw odium on the entire
state ou acc ant Of II Is due solely 70
sectional 81 political oAigency.
Critics IN Kentucky.
.r+ a. VII, .riti.s il, sl;r own state that
- dina uconIa of the
whole State have uycn Indignantly aal
justly aroused over the crimes recently
commi..ed IN taat county ana III theh
impulsiye resentment against the suli'y
have been a little impatient for results.
,,5sir feeling ABOUT ind situation is to he
:, aii, no,Ie aud Mu-abiding people.
Tho haX,. demanded p:ompl and yisor-
Gus ac,ion jan dealing with the trouol7,
Nedrl! an tne aeIll<,hp5 'ii''' shn5,Id de-.
lPr '.lol ,.,i ,l' law tbere ana have all
'os tiid.i Nv courtsmartial In their
{,,,n,tienra thFv have forgotten that the
e-nt,eruor If f<entucky has absolutely no
huch right and l.. he should attemPt 70
use such arbitrary power ne Would De
and ought 10 be. imlea'ue!tt II" VA h.
active in every way possible TO ala 'h9
enforcement OF the law
.Nvhfls I believe Judge Redwine TO be
an honest and capable Judge l urged hlh
several days before his court not TO ny
1h.el,- cases; himself bat to transfer them
-, ,,othe,-- county or allow me In APP
,,,;nt annther Judge ! feared that con
11,it+iors might not be had in Breathltt
-, mn he took h different view Of
il ana his conduct in the recent llal9
ta+I.od that he was honest and earnest
sHUN ~ ou -, - $40 IND law enforced lie
~ ~ ~. !, s,erial term OF the Breathitt
naS lrorrt IN. fhe further investigation
couhI! 80. ,'l,,,,,,,ittad III tiat county. and
OF cliiiie9 -. - Iii he only a short
| peNeNe ~ ci,i,on in tbat county
time oei .'l. NJ law. ia srnre,ne ana that
VII SEE "a Wy. az, a,,d If crif,;o
there mus - c.
Now. let us turn our attention Cor
while to those people VINO eNui,e' - '-.'
death OF NNliil"in '1"' ,'l'a l'4i y,
should rejoice 70 see
Breathitt county h'"i "'''
house burned Il IL Aoulu MN ''' - -
some pontica4 etD1..'' w.. 40,
against the ueHioo' 49, p~' ',...,-.,'t. ~
q report that Wh-h ING uill'i - M, -
cum lay dying on the Spot w
had been shot. curtis - III d iltt l
while afterwards, came aIoulu, SOU oN
the dying man, with an assumed az ~
gravity. and said: ms is an aWLui
fling So there are today soIie IepuDil-
can papers and leaders ~ Nelt"Nh4 ~
look at Breathitt county with aHvlted
sorrow and say: This IS an a"lul tilhl.
Certain newspapers ana iIle4 VINO up
n}auded the asSasslnatloh OF hehtueA4
f f5qte shocked and disturbed over the con-