The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-12-05

Walling were arrested for the crime. They
were tried for this awful deed. They had the
very finest lawyers, who did their best to save
them. The jury returned verdict OF murder
of first degree and punishment--oeath Inc
went TO the Supreme court and was at
tirmed, and day fixed for the execution. Senti-
ment and sympathy broke loose; thousands OF
good people signed petitions: flowers filled their
cells the best food sent to them. one iauy,
teaching in the city schools, lost her position
by her devotion Many people seemed to lose
their heads and thought these men were saints
and not demons. The governor was unmoved,
and the paid the penalty of that horrible
crime.
over half dozen years ago / was living in
Knoxville Tenn John Mcpherson, of a fine
family lived most of his time on the bowery
One right he killed husband i'll house OF
sin. In trying to get away he shot ms lrieho,
the deputy sheriff. After some months he was
arrested, tried, convicted and sentenced TO de.
The Supreme court studied carefully the evil
dence. etc, and said the lower court was tar
and was guided by facts in rendering the de-
cision
Sentiment and sympathy Joined hands and
went forth 10 set aside what Judges said and
what the jury did. Many good people said John
Mcpherson was such fine looking fellow that
he ought to die. Petitions with thousands
Of rames went to the governor but he said ne
could not set aside the judgment Of jury ana
courts. He was executed and the funeral was
big one
People were SO given over to sentiment that
some OF Knoxvilles fine woman acted as hon
! orary pallbearers An editorial in one of the
papers said There were fifteen hundred peo-
-
at the funeral of one of the best Christian wo-
man In the city.
The more horrible the crime. the greater be-
comes sentiment. Virginia is having the same
experience in the Allen case. | am not mp on
this case. I have not read very much OF the
details. But somebody IS wrong else seventy
thousand people would not ask the governor to
set aside the rulings Of courts and the finding
OF jurymen. Is it not an awful sad day for
Virginia when courts and jury become 50 UNJUST
that seventy thousand people ask the governor
10 come To rescue, else the innocent suffer!
Were the courts and jury moved By evidence or
prejudice Were the seventy thousand moved by
I Justice or sentiment
I The lower court convicted The higher court
! said it just But here are seventy thou
/ sand fine people who differ with the supreme
court. Now, who know nothing 81 the
! law and evidence, whom shall we heieveH
Sentiment like mighty storm IN Ken
/ tuckv and Tennessee in the cases named. Now
! has IT risen in old Virginia ! am too far from
the seat Of operation to say and know too little
! about the to pass Judgment ] wei In ~"
when the people speak there IS something be-
thiad th@F! Now; ia these three T1tirder eases
| | have referred to, the people spoke but were
! they moved by justice sentiment? IL By the
] former our courts a farce; Il the latter, SAD
. for the people. It is sad any way we take 1t
ff courts become awfeSfy coTruFt fh"t tine
! public have TO rise up and move into court
houses and slay the officials, it's truly sad. On
the other hand, If people go into eourthouses
and shoot to death the court officers. we are In
a bad way. Carroll county courthouse saw an
awful ira gedy. The courts haV" spoken and SO
have seventy thousand people Who are right
Wherein dwelleth justice prejudice sent-
/ ment? Have courts become so bad thar the
! people have no confidence in them? Have the
people become so sentimental that the courts are
/ failures? Who shalt pass the judgment GA
murderers, courts or the people? There is an
awful wrong somewhere and it's in court rec
0rds peoples petitions one. Who knows
and who tell and who would believe him
If ne to tell?
Sentiment and prejudice are like bubbles
upon the deep, they dazzle mems eyes for a lit
tie while. then burst and gone, Justice is
like rock that rcars its head in the ocean,
against which come the roll of the surf, the
sweep Of the tide and the waves from afar.
Around which winds howl and over which thun-
ders roar. yet 1t lifts its head to disrupt ON
pires with clouds and to battle with storms.
q. w PERRY NAN
ntly