The McDowell times. [volume] (Keystone, W. Va.) 1904-1941, 1914-11-13

know about Henrico county and also
about the people who reside within its
borders There is much about the Che
nault case that has never been brought
TO the light Of day in a court room and
il is best that the matter should end
right where the jury PLACID it, The
, whole case though presents some aspects
which will make the average colored man
of resPectability hope and We might add
pray.
Prayers would or should be said in be-
half Of thoee fair minded white men who
have been prominent in this case. 1t is
asserted that q white citizen Of HeDrico
county, who withheld his name was for
ward in securing counsel to defend John
Clements and then came that patriotic,
devout justice loving Roman Catholic
priest, Rev. Charles F. Hannigan, who
has never faltered in doing what he be-
lieved To be right IL is asserted too that
the counsel for this helpless, wayward
colored man served h'm free OF charge.
We nave no record i'm the history OF
the State Of a similar sacrifice on the
part of jnstice-loving white people. There
are few people, who believe that Miss
Fannie Chenauit could have stayed I'm
the woods two hours with acolored man.
or with a white one either for that mat
ter, without an out-cry and submitting
10 his wishes, while during the intervals,
her assailant lighted cigarettes and talked
with her, without her knowing Just who
the man was Samuel Thompson of
South Carolina is now sleeping ont i'm
f'otter's Field a. a result Of one of her
allegei descriptions.
Some people have been charitable
enough tn make the suggestion that Miss
Chenanlt he sent to a sanitarium. The
case 10 bad enough at ius best and it will 4
teach lesson heresbouts for long time
To come. Colored people have no cause
though To feel any antipathy to the white
people Hundreds Of them took an in
terest in the matter aud public senti
ment. SO far as we have been able to OBJ |
serve was in favor of John Clements
Colored people feel hitter antipathy to-
wards any colored man, even charged
with rape and especially with raping a.
white woman.
The entire colored community suffers |
~ result Of such charges and the best
Of oar colored citizens are liable to sus- |
picion by unthinking white females, who |
image they So a leeripg colored mans
lace at every street-corner. We have |
never been able To understand Why col |
ored men should even want white women,
with the tens of thousands of coIored |
ones Of all shapes and colors. They run
from the languid gszelIe kind To the |
HumPty Dumpty sort, and no one knows
this better than some OF the lascivious |
white men, who are casting longing eyes
at them.
The outlook is brighter now. John |
Clements' sequittal clears the atmosphere /
80 to speak and Miss Fannie Chenanlt
can now secure the retirement that she
20 much needs. She must answer 20 her |
God for having been indirectly respon-
sible for the death Of one colored man
and the direct csuse Of placing another |
within the shadow OF the electric chair,
from which kind-hearted white citizens
and loyal colorei ones rescued him. Some |
day conditions will improve. and some
day all Of us shall receive our reward. In
HIS own time, our God will pity ne and
a. race, with His own lily white hand,
vine all OF the tears from our eyes
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