Virginia gazette. [volume] (Williamsburg, Va.) 1893-192?, 1912-03-21
d Defense Of an Outraged PeRpIe
Editor The Gazette:

over the death OF her martyred ser
wants; with the prestige Of the state
driven to shame and remorse by the
deeds of the mountainous outlaws;
with the finger of scorn pointed to-
ward the mountains Of Southwest
Virginia, ] take up my pen in de-
sense of those who reside in the re
cesSes of those mountain glens. but
who are loyal to law and order.
Every law abiding citizen Of Vir-
ginia deplores the awfulness Of the
crime. Every one desires a hasty
trial and swift Judgment for those
implicated in the tragedy.
Believing that some are too hasty
in passing judgment and apply their
remarks toe generally. I am prompt
ed to write this article in defense Of
those who regret the Occurrence as
much so as can anyone.
Many insist on believing that the
entire Populace of the mountains
belong to the class IN which the AL
lens belong. Such remarks strike
terror to the hearts of US who are
Southwest VirEinians. but lsw-abid-
ing men. We who were reared
among those mountains, who have
mingled with the classes that are
true citizens. know thatsome as true
Virginians as ever breathed live in
that section.
Twenty two counties and two cit
les properly compose Southwest
Virginia. Generally speaking. they
are mostly mountainous. and in re-
mote sections of several of these
counties are bands OF 'moonshiners''
who defy law and It's agents. Pos
sessed wit hwarlike nature. they are
a menace to civilization. But all the
desperate men Of the Allen type
would probably be an average OF
ten to the county.
Are we pposed to remain silent
while others trampie the name o.
our home land into the mirs OF Grim,
and shame7 It is useless to thinl
that We viii. -Four hundred thous
and highlanders dwell in the mids
OF those mountains. They are bow
: cd IN grief over the crime, they wee
for the lonely widows and we=pinl
2 children of the courthouse martyr:
In our section of Virginia live me
7 of note and talent. We DO not sii
: idle and tell Of the deeds our father
did. We count ourselves great 0
the merits of our acts and not on th
blue blood that flowed through tn
4 veins Of sacred ancestors.
II In the section of Virginia geneI
ally termed the Southwest. dive
, such mer as these: Judge Buchar
: nan of the supreme court of VII
ginia. u. s. Senator Swanson, Cor
gressmen Saunders. Slemp. Ex- Go,
ernor Tyler. Corporation Commi:
a sioner Rhea. Incorporation Com
missioner Stuart. Registrar of tn
Land Office Richardson. Attorne,
General Williams. Clerk of tn
House of Delegates Williams, Lyme
of the Insurance Bureau. Ex.-Att'
:, General Ayers. Novelist John Pos
and hundreds of other worthy ner
In the StHdent-body Of WilIiar
and Mary arc nineteen Southwe:
! boys; one on the faculty ron an
stll another in charge of the cit
high school. We appeal to the pub
nc. especially TO those who ar
strangers to the Southwest peopl
to not accept the words of M,
Mead who preached at the Episcc
. pal church Sunday. as ideal fact.
In speaking of the horrors of tn
! Carroll county tragedy. he said
was caused by the absence of church
es and the preaching of Gods wore
Again he said that there wsr