Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1911-08-16
Very Serious Situation in Local
Chronology


appear before the next grand jury
Tor indictment for capital offepses,
together with reports OF other crimes |
10 various sections of Rockbridge,
should cause thoughtful men grave
concern as to what is wrong that |
crime and lawlessuess are so preva.
lent in the land. In several of these |
unhappy episodes the deadly gun
has figured prominently, and proba-
bly, strong drink has contributed in a |
measure to some OF the fatalities.
AS q striking utterance and time |
ly warning with reference to these
conditions, Mr.. Frank T. Glasgow,
in his address last Wednesday be-
fore the cOroner's jury in the court
house, having under investigation
homicide by an officer in discharge
OF his duty, saw proper to advert to
conditions in Lexington. He said,
in part, substan TALLY IS follows:
That the unhappy incident under
investigation, appeared to be the
natural outcome and elimination of
the lawlessness which had at times
characterized this community with
In the last two years, in spite of ef-
forts by those in charge Of the ad-
ministration Of law. That the law
less element evidently had felt that
they were in the saddle, and that
they could, with immunity, run
amuck in defiance of legal restraint.
That the battle thus being on, be-
tween lawlesSness and contempt of
law on the one side, and law and or
der on the other, the speaker hest
tated not, as citizen as deeply in
tereSted in this town and county as
any other man in it, to say that he
stood for law and order and its en-
forcement, and at such cost to the
law-breaker as the law itself APP
proved; and that the law approved
such force, properly directed, as
was needed to exact submission to
it's sway.
That for the courts, upon the i'm
pulse OF a maudlin sentimentalitv.
and under such circumstance as
surround this case, to punish fear
less, courageous policeman, in dis
charge of his duty, acting under
warrant, and structions from one
of the best Justices in the county,
and when placed in imminent peril
Of his life by powerful assailant as
plainly shown here, would he the
height of unwisdom, if not of rank
folly. And that, when it appears
that the deceased had resisted the
officer, and, by violence and force of
himself and his friends, had fought
himself out of arrest under the war
rant in the officers hands: and
when the same officer was proceed
ing forth with to take another obstre
porous person to Jail for aiding in
such resistance, deceased hurried
ly pursued the officer, with deadly
weapon in hand, and when within
eight or ten feet of him, and ap-
parently in the act OF delivering the
fatal blow, was only foiled by Il Z
prompt and timely act of that Officer
in his own defence.
That. as a matter of course anC
necessity, il was the duty of tn,
sheriff and policemen to go fully
prepared to execute the mandate O
the court or justice; and prepared
to oppose force by force sufficient t,
OverpOwer the offender. Anythin.
else would be futile folly. An,
other view would bring the admin
istration of law into disrepute an,
contempt; q consummatiol to b.
characterized not only as a calamity
but ia effect one which would invit
the rule of anarchy, pure and simple
} That conservatism, and self pre-
lection as well, always suggest I
the community to stand by tn
faithful officer. who, in his perilou
discharge of duty, stands for tn
community itself.
Is it to be suggested that Rock
bridge and Lexington lack this cor
servatism. and plain sense of wis
dom and justice? And that. in tn
light of our recent past?