The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1903-04-23

century when we are boastful Of our civ
ilizatiOn. we could not Construe and in
tcrDret this declaration to mean that the
man seeking to escape should be killed,
when he may be crippled and taken
alive After all, it is a question which
must be left to the representative OF the
law who. if he be discreet and if he be
not always ready with his handy pistol,
will not shoot to kill except in an emer-
gency or in defense of his life, when in
peril. We are led to these reflections on
the belief that an impression has been
created in justification of the killing of
any man resisting arrest or fleeing from
an officer, when that man could be shot
in the legs or feet or otherwise crippled
and taken and not killed. It is a we'll
known fact substantially established by
repeated demonstrations, that some men,
especially negroes, will run from an Of
| fcer, thoughtless of his peril in fleeing, |
which he can not control, and therefore
to not kill man running from an Of
! hcer and wanted for a trivial affair, but
to cripple him if necessary must suggest
itself as humane in the exercise of an
official function.
THE OFFICERS JUSTIFIABLE.
! Although Judge Land in his charge
directed the grand jury to inquire as to
the killing of Albert Washington, and
whether there was reasonable cause for
suspicion and whether the killing was
; necessary to prevent the escape of the
party arrested. it will be noted that the
grand jury in their report made no allu-
sion thereto. Doubtless through inadver-
ance, but as was said in the Caucasian
at the time of the unfortunate homicide.
the officers were justifable in law, under
the circumstances, as they then had
every reason to believe that the fleeing !
man was the murderer striving to es-
cape
REWARD SUGGESTED.
The grand jury has recommended that
the police jury and the city council offer
a reward each of S25o-total $5oo-for
the apprehension and conviction of the
criminal. The State should also add a
liberal reward to stimulate in this re-
suit, but perhaps rewards regardless of |
amount may never lead to the unravel- |
ing Of this crime, which, like others. are
mysteries still.
A SINGULAR CASE.
Without mentioning names it may be |
recalled that not many years ago there
lived in this city family in whom there
were two grown daughters The family |
moved to Texas. One night in summer
white man was seen in the room occu-
pied by these two sisters who slept in
the same bed. In the room was a lamp
burning brightly. One of the sisters on
seeing the man grappled with him while |
her sister ran into the room adjoining, |
in which was sleeping their mother, who |
had been aroused by the screams and |
the turmoil Almost in a twinkle after |
the sister had reached her mother, who |
clasped her in her arms, there was heard |
the report of a pistol shot and this young
| woman was dead. The man fled and
evaded arrest, there being seemingly no
clue, and although the sister spared had
held this man and struggled with him
face to face no information, not clue,
was ever obtained to this criminal. And
there are crimes so peculiar that it would
| seem senseless to attempt to unravel
them, as for instance the famous Still
we'll case in Missouri which some years
ago agitated the whole continent. and
recently the Burdick and Pennell mys-
teries which have defed solution by the
best detective talent.
. The Stillwell case was remarkable for
| its peculiarites, which were distinctive
He was wealthy. He was murdered with
an AK to hours after he and his wife had