The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-06-06
Again Virginia Judge and Jury have
proved immune agn!ns; the skill OF
ingenious lawyers and doat to their
persuasive yet .lNg!cal pleading

proved immune aga!ns; the Skill OF
ingenious lawyers and deaf to their
persuasive yet NlNs!cal pleading.
A Eow weeks ago a lot OF men, bred
TO ln'wlSsNnoss holding In contempt, oil
Tho rules Of Civilized society. and rebel
Eous against constituted authority,
shot to death remo-scleSsly "a Judge on
the beach and the prosecutor Of the
peas OF the State. ana attempted TO
murder the clerk OF the court; yet
WHEN arrafsned at the bar of tust.n,
mad the consunmate cffrontery 10 get
up the plea that they m.re hrs, at
tackled prctense so absurd. so i'm
pudent so utterly bas.less, as to add
eontemptuous Insult 10 dsl:raerate. pre-
medltated murder
Despite an array OF witnesses and
we'll pGid lawyers they did no, sue
eeed IN h4fuGdhng rhe court or jury.
but tho process OF justice moved on
slowly but surely to Their logical and
just determination. and when called
upon 10 announce their y7ird.c, tho
5u0ors answered. guilty OF murder as
Charged. and Floyd Allen started to-
ward tho electric chair
There was no interval OF months or
years between the d5ed and the judg-
MANI. There were no cont!nuanos S. no
lions TO the Indictment, no qulbbl!nc
oNea' hatrbreadth legal distinctions.
ono point was kept in view. and ON.
on'y, and that was: Did Floyd Allen
XII Judge AIass.e. or was he a party
to tho tragedy IN such way as TO make
him a principal therain?
That was the only quest ton which
was logically or r!Ehtfuly before the
court, and tho jury ans wtr.d II as non
est, fearless men. AMI answered It as
II should have bceu answcr.d
In two-th!rds OF tho counties OF
Texas no indictment would have be- /,
rttiirned UP to this time. and when
one was returned. tho colr-t would rav.,
been boni'barded with all manner OF
motions and pleas and exceptions. and
when tho Jury had declared the de-
PENDANT guilty the BATH, would bs Jus.
begun.
Allen viii Doubtless appeal. bu. when
he does. unlike the procedure would
be in Texas. no record VIII go up as
big rs an unabridged dictionary 1t
Will DO in the form of bills OF exc,.p-
ton. pointing out the errors COM
planned of. ana II the Court Of Appeals
OF Virginia concludes that substantial
justice has been doIas IT VIII promptly
say so. and. as was done In the Beat.ie
case. Will rejtct The appeal-and the
electric chair Will do tho rest
The killer DOESN'T monkey With the
counts tn Virginia. II no Sheds the
blood OF his fellow man with malice
aforethOuGt. the chances ara he Will
literally get 1t in tho neck" His case
doesn't 80 over by established usage
TO the next term, as is the custom In
many Districts in Texas custom
which has so long preval1sd that to
BREACH It is made ground of exception
a few days ago. in an interior coun-
", man shot another In the back
at the very door of tn: courtouse. and
q number of the grand Jurors saw the
deed done a Houston Judge was hold
ing the court, and he called the grand
jury IN and directed that the matter
DE taken UP at thu earliest possible
hour. An Indictment was returned
early Monday morning, and the Judge
set the case for tAc iloXit Monday.
whereupon tho COUNSEL for tina lehem-
dant expressed profound surprise and
earnestly protested.
Tho court rcSl!ed: IT see 10 reason
for delay. Th,s witnesses are here. tho
dcfa ndant 81 here. the Jurors are hire;
hundred people saw the tragedy: the
defendant has counsel. ard this law
says fa Is entitled TO a speedy trial,
ana tho setting Will stand as made"
Texas needs to learn much From Vir-
;c!n.a. She has made all her sisb.r
States nor debtors IN many ways along
nil tho Journey Of tins years. and THAR
obligation has nNeen !mmcasuraoly in
creased by the lesson which she has
taught tf.cTn IN tho BeatMe and Allen
cns,s. NY which they VIII learn that
mr. courts arc not Ravens of refuge
for uurdIenrrs, and that no qu!thling
or 1air- splitting technicallties will he
permitted to obs:ruct tho march of
iugtcc or make a mockery of her laws
and her courts.