Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1904-12-02
THE KILLING OF DR.. LEFEW.

Aeo"hoh0 10 III HIS grave, Ills vile VIII
owed, his home broken up, while his
slayer is In Jail awaiting trial for his
life, a shadow resting like a pail ire
movable, over the hearthstone OF his
happy home of a few weeks ago. And
all because he slapped a boy in the
face. The circumstances are familiar
Mr.. Fishburn was guyed by the boys
on the street. They would say "Ice',
when he rode by OH his electric wheel.
Fishburn, under the impulse OF
moment, caught the boy and slapped
his face, and went to the boys home
and told the father (step-father) what
he had done. A quarrel ensued
Lefew was stabbed, from the effects OF
which he died
There are important lessons taught
by this unfortunate incident. Children
should be taught to behave themselves.
Particularly should they be taught to
respect men and women. No properly
instructed boy or girl will be disre-
spectful to older people, on the street
or any where else. These days child
rem are not taught reverence for older
people. They don't even respect their
parents In the majority Of cases. No
parent should blame any gentleman
for slapping his boy who is insolent
and insulting on the street. When
boys are allowed to grow up like little
pigs, with the full run OF the street. day
and night, to regard home as only u
place to get food and shelter, without
moral instruction. there is no telling
what may occur. AS far us appears
Mr.. Fisnburn never molested, or in
anyway interferred with these BOYS
who were continually nagging and
guying him, not even respecting the
presence of his wife with whom he WAS
walking on a quiet Sabbath evening.
This thing went on until it could be
borne no longer, and Fishburne re-
scented it by slapping the boy not
knowing, one report says, whose boy il
was at the time. At any rate. an
awful tragedy was enacted all because
these boys were allowed and permitted.
as Fishburn considered, to insult a
private citizen.
On the other hand, ought Fishburn
to have slapped the boy? 1t is con-
sidered rather serious thing to pun
ish another mans child although il
may be deserved. Would it not have
been better to have appealed to the
authorities for protection if he consid
cred himself aggrieved. We have
laws which compel men, and boys, too.
TO behave themselves, and there is a
good police force in Roanoke.
Better still, would it have been wiser
to have reported the misbehavior of
the boys to their parents. However,
opinions may differ, all agree that the
provocation was not sufficient 10 iusti
fy the taking of human life, and the
enshrouding of a number of homes in
lifelong sorrow and shame. DR.. Lefew
and Mr.. Fishburn should have been
able to have settled the difficulty ami
cably. They tried to do so, but one OF
the other, or both, lost their head. Two
gentlemen are always able to settle any
difficulty without bloodshed, il they
will only think for moment. Impul.
siveness, hot headed action has result.
ed In murders which could have been
avoided if only the parties had reflect GO
for a moment, and understood eact
other. There is O false standard O
bravery which demands that an insult
supposed or real, must be avenged
with blood This is the devils standard
Better be known as d "cowald', ac
cording to this standard, than take the
life OF a fellow man. A true, BRAY.
man is not afraid to die, but is afraic
to kill man. A true, brave man is moi
afraid to shed his blood in the cause OIL
right, but is afraid to stain his hand.
with the blood Of his fellows for som,