The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-11-16
to treat us like this we wouldn't have voted
for him at all.
PEOPLES FORUM
Neither should Die.

EDITOR The fuSlnians
Sir,-I have followed for. several days your
editorial expressions with reference to the
ALLEN" case | am one OF that number OF
your readers who feel that great injustice
has been done these people and cannot escape
the conviction that Ii the sentence of death
imposed on two of them Is carried out this
State will commit crime compared to which
the crime with which these men are charged
Is insignificant, for If the law, instead of adj
ministering justice, does the thing which 1t
forbids and justifes itself in SO doing without
facts to support its action and absolute proof
against its victims. what hope have We of any
justice under the law and how shall we expect
men to respect and revere the law?
One of your editorials referring particularly
to the case of Claude Allen makes mention Of
the "maudin sympathy and sentiment which
invariably finds expression following convic-
ton of criminals. 1t refers to an expression
iof this kind in connection with the negress.
Virginia Christian, who murdered defense
less victim, crime for which there could be
no justification made, and by inference at
least to others of similar nature. Does your
editor undertake to say that all the people
who feel that great injustice is being done the
Aliens and are giving expression to their con-
yictions are weaklings given over to gushy sem
ftiment and maudlin sympathy? Some of them
at least compare favorably with any of the
gentlemen writing your editorials, regardless
of how law-a5ding, intelligent and capable
those gentlemen are.
One would assume from a reading of your
editorials on this subject that the writer is
either deplorably ignorant of the facts mot
merely press reports--they differ in almost
every paper) else having taken a stand on
one side of the question his mind is absolutely
closed to any information, even though it may
be substantiated by the evidence of reliable
people in and out of the court which does not
support his position. He may take his choice.
! This writer would like to know wherein the
crime with which Claude Allen In particular
Is charged is similar to that committed by the
negress above referred to-as to motive exc
cution, environment, methods of the trials by
which they were supposed to be brought to
justice and so on.
I In your paper Of today there appears a
statement of facts in connection with the mat
ter written by DR.. George w. Mcdaniel from
information he has secured which even the
witnesses and prosecutors against the Aliens
nave not dfsproyen or explained away. Ii these
statements are true. and Il careful study of
the entire matter even from the press reports
eliminating the sensational and unfounded
rumors pro and con which various papers have
published from time to time--conflrm them,
then fail to see why any member of the Allen
crowd yet tried should pay the death penalty
Finally. So long the editorials in our
papers appear to be written without consider
alton OF the facts but rather simply to sustain
an opinion which is supposedly in accord with
the majority of public sentiment, just so long
Will they occupy the position they now occupy
/ to large extent, viz: that of no Influence
either way and not seriously considered by tn.
thinking men of today 1t may not be amiss
to call attention to certain positions recently
taken by many leading papers on questions OF
public policy In this city and State which. To
all appearances, did not change vote and
heiped rather than hindered the very thing
4 they opposed with what we suppose were the
best efforts they could put forth
fours truly, READER.
Richmond, Va, November 18th