The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-09-01
The Red Badge of Courage

This Is tho name or book wrought,
out Of Tho imaginative mind OF a
writer of fiction few years ago
The hadse it showed was not nearly
So red as that shown one day last week
by virginia Judge. Skccn. Judge
Skeeu had been designated by the Gov
ernor 10 go 10 loncsvillc and preside
at the trials OF more than 100 men
indicted for vote selling Including al
number of tho most prominent citizens
and one preacher. Threats had been
made that any iudtA conscntinC toI
preside. try and sentence any accused
persons found guilty would meet tho
fate which overlook judge Massie in
sentencing Floyd Allen at Iiillsvine
The Governor offered Ia send militia
TO Jonesvine with Judge Skccn but
he refused 10 be bodyeuardod Going
to Jcnesv!llc alone. he called All
OF the cases locketed. sentenced tn|
imprisonment or fine. or to both. ana
20 disfranchiscmeut. forty-three Of tn,
indicted who had confessed and half
/, dozen who had been tried ana found
guilty Tho courtroom was crowded
throughont the entire proceedings
with armed men. who listened to the
conviction and sentencing 81 .heir
clansmen with inward raging but
I NlAN'Ht OUTWARD protest. At the enc
of the term tn. Judge walked away.
from tile courthouse alone. without,
looking back or showing the slightesr
sign Of trepidatior. shadows which
had once murmurcd had become decps
that were dumb
Il know those men" the judge had
said to tho Governor in refusing an
escort Of troops. Hc knew them to be
men reckless OF all human lie includ-
Ing them at all knows that But this
man must have known them. not as
mountaineers only. but ms part OF
humanity. and. as such "a part. 10 be
/ impressed to the point OF being over
awed by a calm. cool courage. which
takes the greatest risks and braves the
most threatening dangers. at odds Inn
possible to be overcome. looking into
the face Of Imminent death ana defy
ing it I'm righteous causes Bad men.
in bad causes. can sometimes do this.
but they can never stay the hands or
paralyze tho arms OF the mon over
against them. That is the weakness
or the cause and not the weakness of
the man. When a man Is armed with
Righteousness. and such fine courage
AS that of this Virginia judge. he can
face a battalion OF dcsperadoes ana
overcome them by the combined power
pi bllt sun SNiOilE III liEhl una strong
in courage There is not much OF a
psychological puzzle about this. Two
things are needed. q righteous cause
and "a man willing to die for it. That's
all. except that both are rare.-St.
Louis Globe Democrat.
1t is the boast OF vlrginians that
their State has judiciary that stands
for the Law. whatever tho law may be.
Ia, d tn. oto
tion bribery and fraud cases. Judge
Skeen has attracted widespread at
tcntion for the vigorous way in which
he has pursued the offenders. He has
not hcsitatcd to uncover the voto-buy
ing and similar election corruption.
though his hcighbors and friends may
have been among the unfortunate
ones. He has not allowed his feelings
to stand In the way OF his sworn
duties as Judge but has performed
tho functions of his Office with an i'm
Partially that is highly commcndable.
Neither personal consideration nor
the fear of violence has had the slight
est effect on Judge Skeens course. and
: he has demonstrated that the right
kind of Judge can clean UP communi-
~ Of the lowest standard of morality.
and by tho power that the law gives
him. uphold. maintain, and preserve
the statutes oil the commonwealth.
in Lee and adjoining counties. wide
spread election frauds were committed.
and wholesale bribery was engaged
In. Bribery had become so general
that 1t was all but impossible for a
man to be elected in those counties
without the purchase OF votes, and to
the shame and disgrace of the people.
the practice was engaged in oIAnly
and dchantly.
But many good people remained IN
tainted ana uncorrnpted and these
finally rose up and called for the en-
forcement OF the law. as will be done
in cvcry community whore the law is
long defed and the community contin-
unlly disgraced
Judge Skeen proved to he the man
OF the hour. He was told that the
people would not submit to heinz
dragged into tho courts, exposed. and
punished for n violation that was sus-
| tanned by public sentiment but he