The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-03-08
FRIDAY. MARCH S, 1907.
Patience and tie passage OF time
accomplish more than strength or an
aer.-CId Proverb.
The Unwritten Law.

~ b L
The aceuittal of the Strother brothers
in Cupepcr was q foregone conclusion,
because it was in accordance with the
aunwritten law" That law is not un- |
derstood at the North, and n few words
OF explanation may be Instructive. Thel
lnw-abiding citizens of Virginia do not
recognize the right OF any man to take
human life, except as the written law
provides They do not recognize the
right of any man to Stay the despoilerI
of his home. merely as q means of TAX
x ing revenge, Why, then, is the "un-
written law recognized? Because by
common consent it is the surest pro-
lection of our women, and. therefore.
for the welfare of society. The un-
written law pardons homicide in GER
tain cases in order to prevent bad men
4 from committing q worse crime. If a
man slav the scoundrel who has de-
4 stroyed the honor of his home and he
4 hung for 1t. other scoundrels OF the
same stripe may find comfort in the
verdict.
But there is solemn warning in q
code which provides that he who is
mean enough or weak enough, TO de-
Y stroy what is more precious than life,
by that act forfeits his own life.
That is the lesson OF the culpeper
verdict. and let all who need il take
heed.
1t was not necessary for the counsel
of the Strothers to plead temporary
insanity" in their behalf. 1t was a poor
plea, and it was not sufficient in itself
to secure verdict OF acqui,tal By
waters might have made the same plea
in palliation of his crime
William IT, Drewry, one of the most
distinguished alienisrs in Virginia, who
testified in the Culpeper case, does not
believe in emotional insanity"
According to his Judgment, based
upon experience, observation and study,
and upon the writings of many Of the
best authorities, he did not regard the
34 Strother brothers as insane at the
time they killed Bywaters, and so
testified, because he could not conceive
how any man could be insane for tn,
space of only forty-five seconds. III,
expressed the opinion that they wer,
violently angry and in that state o
mind whicht blaceA them just shor
Of the abiiity'"to control their acts.
Il think" said he, their condition
(mentally) was far enough remove
Qrom that degree OF anger in whc
self-control is losD for one to re
strain himself"
He asked particularly what was tn
condition of mind before and subse
qncnt to the killing, and upon ben
told that 1t was rational, he testif!e
that he did not think there existe
insanity during the few seconds il
tervening, hut that he could see tn;
the accused were violently ANGRY
that degree just short OF the pow,
OF seif-control Believing that insa,
ity is more or less prolonged bra
disease, or rather symptom OF su,
disease, be does not think that tho
men could have been insane Just fort
five seconds, and both insane simu
taneously.
We infer from this that DIR. Drew
does not think that there can be su,
thing as "impulsiye disease" A sa
man may commit rash acts under gre
provocatloni he may act upon an il
pulse which sei@es him SO sudden
that he has no time to collect 1
thoughts" and he may do that viii
he would not have done II his jud
ment had had time to act. But