The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-04-01
THE RICHMOND NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. April j. 1919,


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him on stretcher. Two nurses were
present and gave all the assistance
they could.
Officers Dove also stated that In
specior Hall related the circumstances
briefly To the nurses and directed
that a skilled surgeon be called al
once to give the man the attention
possible. There was no delay, he
said, in carrying out the Instructions
of the inspector. y
Why Victims Were Brought Here.
As soon as Hudson had been placed
on the stretcher and arrangements
made to get surgeon. the detectives
returned to the car. which was stand
ing In front OF the hospital. and were
Ale4s 2 hg(aF AsGhsY.r., ,at9 ~. ,lbs
they discovered the man was dead.
! He was not killed outright at the
scene nf the shooting and the reason
i the detectives gave for bringing the
T men TO Winchester was to get them
to the nearest hospital Had there
been hospital in operation at Stras-
burg, the nearest town. they would
have taken the men there.
; Both Men Heavily Armed.
/ Reports have also been circulatad
TO the effect that after the shooting
occurred the detectives placed revol-
vers In the pockets of Shackelferd and
, Hudson. an effort having been made
to create the impression that neither
/ noouegSer was armed when the
shooting occurred.
This ridiculous canard was pruven
false by the statement made by Hud-
! son to Commonwealth Attorney T, r.
! Gather and Sheriff Pannctt at the hos
pita] on Wednesday, that he and
/ Shackelford were both armed, and he
also admitted that they resisted ar
rest by endeavoring to get away after
they had been put under arrest by
Inspector Hall. Had the rnen made
no attempt 20 speed up their car and
get away there would have been no
shooting
The men took the law In their own
hands, and when they went to Baiti-
more and bought twenty cases Of
liquor and brought I, into the state
NJ Virginia in violation of the law
they were heavily armed and pre-
pared for trouble.
The Star is printing a number of
communications which show that the
better sentiment of that city and COM
munity Is overwhelmingly with the
men who have stood for the enforce
ment OF the law. In Fridays issue OF
The Star there was communication
signed by Mr.. Morton Harloe. This
is as follows:
Editor The Star:
wish 30 offer a word OF cornmen-
dation regarding your praiseworthy
editorial relative to the unfortunate
affair which is at this time uppenmost
in our minds. and at the same time
voice my disapprovai at the stand
taken by some of our heretofore sup-
posedly leading citizens
/ honestly believe IL some OF the
writer's Of tho letters appearing II,
The star OF this date would honestly
weigh all the circumstances connect
ed with this unfortunate affair they
would shudder at their own anarchis-
tic attitude.
The enforcement of law has been
in III repute since the crucifixon Of
our Savior, and he who tries TO en-
force the same is the thorn In tho
side OF those who wish to rule by
mob violence. Thus the detective
starts out under this heavy handicap
Now | have II from the best authority
that this gang of bootleggers have
been persistently defying the law,
ana they are only couple of a well
organized band pledged and sworn to
Rrofd the laws or their country second
to the PRONUNCIATION of their nefarious
and must be considered as such and
dealt with accordingly.
Now, | wish TO ask any fa!r-nlInded
man ii he was in the detectives place
what he would do. that Is, providing
he wishes TO perform his whole duty
A United. States soldier hoy answered
this question for me and this whole
community today. when. being asked
his opinion said. "if I were on sentry
duty and anyone was approaching l
would command them to halt and II
they did not obey I would shoot or be
shot by the authorities whose law
allowed to be broken"
The detectives were not hunting
for blood. as is borne out by their
sworn statements; also from the fact
that they did not modest nor nIistreat
any OF the other cars held up. But
everything points to the fact that
these unfortunate bootegEers had
forcihiy resisted an investigation. and,
like trusted sentry. they were fore
ed TO stop them even with the sick
euiug result.
Is your boy murderer. MI Mob
Ruler. for killing the Hun in France:
No, he is Landed and commended for
II, yet this old John Barleycorn and
the bootieggers. and all their advo-
Gates are greater enemies OF this
world than the quintesscnce of all
the kaiserism ever promulgated.
l do moi condemn the act OF these
detectives beyond the domain of their
lawful rights and manly efforts to do
their duty, and / deplore the sad end
ing. ana with all my heart say would
to God it could be avoided: but the
law must be enforced by some one
and this dirty business must stop
God and the real people say so, and
supposedly leading men OF this town
say they We're willing to lead a band
of lynchers and take the law in their
own hands. Remember, Mr.. Man, the
real meaning of anarchy Ia n man
that sets the laws of his country at
nought, and apparently there are quite
n few in Winchester in high places:
but beware bootleggers must stop.
Let the law decide whether murder
has been committed, and ii 80 may
the murder receive the full penalty;
but in the meantime, Mr.. Voter. watch
your step and plaster every rumadoo-
die that dares to stick his snakey
r.