Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1907-09-21
THOSE oNANoocK CONVICTIONS.

The trial of James d. Uzzle at
Onaucock. Va. resulted i'm his con
viction and a jury Of white men gave
him three years in the Virginia Pen
itentary The trial of Samuel L..
Burton followed and he was given
ten years iu the penitentiary The
trial of SylvanIus Conquest resulted
iu verdict of ten years iu The peni-
Tertiary.
The charge was that OF melting
and causing a riot The white men.
who were guilty OF having caused
, the trouble have not been even ar
rested. while the white men who are
guilty OF arson in that they burned
20 the ground the houses Of both
Burton and Uzzle are walking about
the streets of Onaucock, Va. with a
self-satisfei smile on their counte-
nances.
DO viii DE seen that these colored
men are mo- worse off than they
would have been had they burned
the town of Ouancock. They have
not committed % felony and yet they
have been given The punishment of
felou This is why we were OF the
opinion that &c would have been
better for an of them to have re-
manned iu hidiug until the excite
ment had subsidized AS &c is now.
they are unable 90 give the heavy
ban that would have been required
OF them and they are forced to spend
months within the narrow confines
of the Jail 40 HAMPTON.
It seems 90 MS that q speedy trial
of them was IKE forcing them into
the very condition that they wished
most Co avoid. while the failure To-
get o. change of venue was as disas-
trous 60 their cause as would have
been summary punishment at the
hands of the mob 10 SIS long
chase to freedom and yet we are OF
the opinion that So 10 in sight. The
case Is especially Significant for
these men represent the new type OF
Negroes. They are educated. indus
rious and they were of positive benz
e1t Jo The community ln which they
lived
J1zle is said to Doe graduate OF
The Hampton Normal and Agricul-
wral institute and Sc ls known that
thc kIud of instruction incuIcated
there does not make the graduates
candidates for either the jaus or the
penitcutiaries. We feel that we are
safe in saying that the penlteutiary
OF Virginia was not built Tor men of
This type They have been railroad
cd Co The state institution $50 20 speak
and their summary entrance therein
can only Doe checked by the mandates
of the supreme Court of Appeals OF
This state
III thcy have able attorneys. there
ls but nttle doubt. but what success
VIII crown their efforts. 10 is indeed
O. peculiar condition OF affairs in
This state. when q man of the stand
iug OF j. d. Uzzle and a merchant
OF The type of s. L. Burton cannot
secure an even chance before the
courts of this state We know the
days OF suffering 10 which they have
already been subjected. We realize
the moments of anguish. the times
when they did not know what 20 do
or what course 10 pursue In the face
.of conflicting advice.
While they suffered. what must
have been the feeling OF their fam
lilies? Colored people are emotional
but many of them are scared when
trouble arises. IT is then that a cool
temperament is necessary and the
strongest nerves must be brought in
to play. We do not like the idea
.of leaving ones property to a mob.
A mans home is his castle and he
has the right 10 defend it. 1t Is
getting so down here now. that IL is
regarded as high treason for a col
ored man to own n shotgun and a
repeating rifle and yet conditions are
such that it is well nigh suicidal not
TO own both.
They are useless unless there is a
man with nerve enough 20 use them.
We do not have any fear of the up
per OF better class Of white people.
Ii is the hoodlum white element that
becomes as uncomfortable at times as
do the hoodlum Negroes. Both can
be controlled only by fear and the
danger Of losing that worthless life
that really is a menace 10 the com
munity in which they live.
The Industrious, business, colored
people had better take warning by
this Onancock outburst They had
better sec to it. that the conditions
there do not spread 10 other sections
of Virginia. The punishment melted
is all that could have been expected
by the most depraved colored man
in Virginia. even IL guilty In this