Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1907-09-20
PRISON FOR 0NANC0CK
NEGROES.
Penitentiary for all.-SOme Echoes
of the Incident.

In the trial of Samuel Burton and
Sylvester Conquest, the negroes charged
with the murder of John Topping, col
ored, and participating in the Onancock
race riot, the jury, which was com
posed of citizens from Northampton
county, after being out for about thirty
minutes, brought in verdict of guilty,
giving each ten years in the peniten-
tiary. 1t is rumored that Burton will
now be compelled to face another
charge, as the government authorities
want him for firing on the hack en-
route from Onancock to Tasley, the
night of the Onancock riot. The shoot.
ing of Topping. done by the negro mob,
could not be fastened upon Uzzle, Bur-
ton or Conquest.
The Richmond Evening Journal
minces no words in dealing with the
Governor-Judge incident. Drunk or
sober" says our fearless and able con-
temporary. in either event, a Judge
who makes so coarse an attack on
the governor of his State is unworthy
a position on the bench. Governor
Swanson did the brave and best thing
in going himself to Onancock when the
race trouble broke out there and was
more than justified in sending some of
the Virginia soldier boys to the scene
of possible conflict, and, the Judge to
the contrary, we are quite sure they
were strong enough to carry guns and
with courage enough to shoot them at
the proper time. Our Governor did the
proper thing, and one of our judges
has violated all of the proprieties. -
Farmville Herald.
Judge j. w. G. Blackstone, of the
Circuit Court of Accomac, in over-ruling
a motion for change of venue in the
trial of Uzzle, one of the negroes who
precipitated the recent race riot in that
county, took occasion to criticise Gov
enor Swanson quite severely for send
ing State troops to the scene, and in the
course of his remarks referred to the
Executive as ga spectacular Governor. -
The expressions of Judge Blackstone
strike US as being in very poor taste
and his opinion of the Governors con.
duct seems to be shared by nobody else
in the State. We have often heard
Judge Blackstone spoken of as creating
"spectacular" scenes, and of such 8
character as we are quite sure Cover.
nor Swanson never participates in. Tt
our mind the spectacular Governor
represented by Swanson in a very SUI
perior species to the spectacular judge
represented by Blackstone. -Southside
Sentinel, Urbanna.
Governor Swanson has made his win.
dication complete in the matter OF
sending troops to Onancock by the pub.
LEGATION of letters and kilograms show.
ing that the troops were sent at the
request.of the local authorities and in
conformity with law. There has beer
a disposition in some quarters that are
friendly to the Governor to censure him
for his whitening retort upon Judge
Blackstone, holding that it would have
been more consistent with the Cover
nor's dignity had he treated Blackstone
and his sneering not to say insulting
remark with silent contempt. From
the Christian standpoint of turning the
other cheek to be smited, this may be
true. But the provocation was great,
the opportunity was inviting, and we
have not doubt that any high spirited
man like the Governor would feel better
from having struck out from the shoul-
der, even if he had to say an extra
prayer that night. -Index-Appeal.