The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-07-29

that the man who was killed Is named
Dowdy instead of Dandy and that
instead of there being a mob of rs
to 100 men, | have beer reliably In
formed that there were less than ten
men and only two entered the Jail.
q was out of town at the time).
When l returned to town. / be-
gan making inquiry II the commits
sioner told me that he made repeated
efforts to get the sheriff to remove
the negro. He stated that h person
ally went to the Jail late in the after
noon n demanded the keys of the
Jail in order hat he might remove the
negro, and he could not fnd the sher-
iff but found one of his deputies, who
claimed he did not know where the
keys were.
THE commissioner asked the edi-
tor OF the county newspaper o to
mention anything about the inciden:
in his paper, as he was taking the
matter up with the solicitor and
others n would place private de-
tectives on the case in order to round
the lynchers up, at which time a
special term of superior court would
be convened and try them. So the in
tentions of the commissioner to start
an investigation of the case was kept
out of the print, as he feared it would
make It harder for him to round them
up, but up to this time / nave heard
nothing further from 1t.
Now, as to Just what the two white
men did in the negro quarters |
cannot say. couldn't say that they
drove the negro girls from their home,
Tor that one jumped in a well. but 1t
is common knowledge that the men
were drinking and down there at a
very unreasonable hour. out of their
place. cursing and disturbing the ne
groes. who were in their own homes.
I have been told that when the old
negro approached the white men,
Dowdy asked him: Old man, what
are you doing down here? Don't you
know Til shoot you? And with that
he fred; the old negro returning the
shots. I do not know that Dowdy's
father, who Is a preacher, led the
mob.
"Tt is a ~disgraceful occurrence. II
Is deplorcd by all the good people OF
this section, OF curse, hut what can
they do when the officers OF the law
refuse to act? We have been to them
and asked that they act. but they re-
fused. We promised to keep silent in
order that we might not Illustrate
their plans to run down the guilty
parties.
"Hcre is hoping the present legfs-
lature will get through that proposed
measure giving the governor power
to discharge a sheriff who refuses to
do his duty in a case of this kind.
law md order Is almost a thing
OF the past.
'Telfair is not alone in this class.
Read the daily accounts OF Illicit dis
|tilling.
I'm nearly every branch head In
Georgia is to be found an illicit still.
This ~contraband whisky Is the in
SEPARATION of 90 per cent Of these kill
lings.
That is what caused this disturb
lance. It was because a handful of the
friends OF the dead man were full OF
it. that they did what thew did.
TT was because he was full OF It
THAT a well-known farmer and busi-
ness man OF his county shot and
killed his brothcr-in-law a few days
iago.
II might ga on and recite case after
case Of this kind, but you are as IA
miliar with them as I arm.
There Is only one thing necessary.
We need men who will enforce the
law. and a law compelling the COVER
nor to remove them for failure to per-
form the law.
That Is what Telfair needs. II
that handful Of men had known tina
iONE man would be there to oppose
them when they came for thai old
negro. they would not have come.
These are the facts, so far as I
know them to be. I regret that, 1t
Ia 50. but you asked nae for the truth,
and that Is what I propose to. give,
regardless Of the opinion that 1t may
create"
Tho Department Manager-You'ra
| just In time to take I hand In this BAR
gain sale Of waists. Here's your coun-
ter.