Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1917-09-08

in the discharge of their duties, for
daring to enforce the law against such
Il Dand oil outlaws as never before dis
graced old Virginia. And then we had
the scandalous spectacle Of good peo-
pie forgetting that these officers of
the law died to preserve their Iber-
ty and their property, going to the
extent of raising even a greater stand
ard in their effort to have one of
these outlaws pardoned, simply be-
cause he was young and handsome
and because he was only aiding his
father to shoot up court of Justice.
or course his boy should have his
sentence committed or be pardoncd
because he was only aiding his father
to murder man whose property ho
had stolen.
SEED Tat BRINGS
FORTH LYNCHINGS.
This is the seed that brings forth
tho pitter fruit of lypchings, of which
we have had an illustration recently.
l have never had lynching in my
circuit, thuogh have tried men for
all the crimes in the catalogue, and
why? Am l claiming too much If /
say that 1t Is because = my people
Know mat l enforce all \the laws?
Now 1t seems I ASH reaping the rich
reward of having my name brought
before the public through falschood
and Islander by tho apologisSs Of MUIR
der and theft. AS judge who Is
capable OF utterly ignoring the rights
or an ignorant and frightened Negro
boy, and inducing him to plead gull
~ in order that l might sentence him
TO death, has 1t come to this-that
any 1gnoramaS or crank can at his
VIII besmirch the reputation Of any
Judge, and have the newspapers spread
his ISLANDERS broadcast over the
State? But [ do not complain for my
self, great as is the power of the,
press for good or evil. and judges and
courts are amcnable to fair criticism
by people who have the character and
standing 'ntitling thom to be heard,
but should not the press be very care
iul how 1t uses that power or lends
1t to others? If my long life and
character cannot withstand unjust as
pensions. then I have lived in vain,
but it is for the fair name of our
courts Of justice that l sneak, for
that is assailed in my person. The
reign of law and the integrity OF tho
courts are the chief safeguards of our
free institutions. Do we discern tho
signs OF the times?" DO we realize
that this old world and it's civiliga-
ton are rocking and trembling in tho
titanic struggle between the forces of
good and evil-bctween anarchy and
chaos and law and order Do we
realize that one great nation in grasp
ing at freedom has sunk into the bot
tomlcss pit or socialism, anarchy and
other lawlessness? Look abroad in
ouf~own land, and note the increase
in crime, rape, arson, murder and
theft. Note the teachings and the
acts Of the I. w. W. Note that treas.
OH and disregard OF all law is openly
advocated in the streets OF our cities,
and let us trcmblc for the fate Of our
institutions.
(signcD GEORGE HUNDLEY.
Farmville, Va, August IS, 1917.
ACTING PROSECUTOR
- ALSO ISSUES STATEMENT
The statement Of former Judge A.
ID. Watkins. who was acting Common
wealth's Attorney in the Barrett cas-
es, follows:
TO The Editor of The Times-Dispatch:
Sir:-A brief statement OF my recol-
lection OF the evidence in and con-
duct Of the trial Of the Barretts for
the murder Of William II. Roach, Of
Charlotte County follows:
1t was disclosed in the evidence
that on July 10, 1917, Roach, togeth-
nv D. -.
farm. suspecting that wheat had been
stolen from his field. The Barretts,
after being convinced OF the fact that
Roach had the proof Of the larceny,
admitted it. Roach sent Collins for n
warrant Of arrest. The elder Barrett
tried to make a settlement with Roach
to avoid arrest and trial. THIS Roach
would not agree to. When Collins
was away the elder Barrett attempted
to run away. Roach ran after him
and caught him. Both fell to the
ground, the elder Barrett admitted
that Roach held him by the coat, and
claimed that he though Roach was
trying to choke him; that he called
to his boy, who was some distance off;
to come and get Roach off; that the
boy did come. and. having picked up
u ShSo1hoI oelShJ uCail ItodCl DlOW
on the back Of the head; that the
father with large Rock finished him
that the body was then carried to the
place whore found; that after the kill
ing small sum Of money and q watch
the property Of the deceased, was talk
en- by the boy; that no rock or stick
was found near the scene or claimed
to be the instruments used; that both
prisoners voluntarily confessed to the
killing, each giving substantially the
Facts above narrated.
DR.. Walker, who made the examina
ton Of the dead body Of Roach, testi-
fled that he found wound on the
back of the head, the skull broken in
and the brains oozing out; that the
wound had bled considerably; that
this wound was sufficient to produce
death; that on the front Of the head
was wound in and across the face
IN and near the eyes; that this wound
was inflicted by some instrument
which cleaved the skull just above
the eye, and that this wound was suf
..