The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-04-11

Il Conway CucheNcr. sefSe"hl oi
uhe city of Fredericksburg. who has
Injured more or less prominently IN
Csc case Of the four state prohibition
insue<aors who are charged with kill
fnr two blockade runners, has pre-
pGrod an interesting and cnlighten-
~ statement for the press Sergeant
Chichester IL credited with having ap-
npckender more bootiexgrs and con-
dn,nted more contrnband whiskcy
man any other Officer in the state nos
associated with the state prohibition
dcunxtmcnt. Hts statement foiiows;,
RY CONWAY CHICHESTER.
Sergeant. City Of fredericksburg
Recognising the fact that persons
charged with crime should not be
Tried in the newspapers. and hence al
the bar of public opinion. before they
ARE tried in the courts, I have hest
tafed to write anything concerning
the so-cAlled valley Tragedy
however. feel constrained In this 10
lance to vary from my usual ruie for
three reasons-
Pfrst--HrnsAtionAl and misleading
rvrcrfy have been published broac
cast throughout the state nartyrz-
tnr the two unfortunate young mer
who met f1setr death because the,
H0HHZk6d AExNS{ AZ Liz tAALs W. Ah~ 49,
constituted ofacers OF the common
wealth.
Secou s-This nfartyrfxatton OF tive
v>pmtors OF the law, caught sed hand
"a and misrepresentation OF facf
nDx~ created b sentiment In the stat'
among non-thinking people and peo'
mn unaouuainted with the facts. FAN
nsd into f1ame by those over aier
gentry who opposed the enactment o
3 pTohibition law. and have since 10
enactment opposed the execution o.
4 In any manner. shape or form. un
IN. be il said with shame 10 the On
Commonwealth II Ia doubtful whetne
the prohibition officers now under ar
rest In Fredericksburg without baii
en- nj the present time get fair tria
m me stAte. And 70 are confronted
Nth tho Appalling spectacle OF q pros
v,ert Of tho commission OF an iniaui
tAU judicial crime In Virginia
CHuUIE5TERS RECORD
4nird--I in company with officers
Ferry and Stone OF the Fredericks
bwE police force, have probably M
rssted more automobile boouegger'
tim any officers In Virginia / know
what manner OF men they are, and
feel assured that II the good peoph
Of Virginia knew them. even half 81
weli a. / do, the prospect OF outrage
ems injustice being done officers whit
fArrtessly rfsked their lives to Per
! form their duty, viii be averted
First lot me say that the present
Cuestion does not involve the wis
dom OF ncn-visdom of tho prohf-
bftfon act. / was not myself
originally . prohibftionist. but
was sergeant OF the cry OF
fredericksburg. and the prohfhi-
rJnrnd the
statute books by the law-making
porvcr of the state. II made II
crime TO transport ardent spirits
in Virginia and / felt II to be my
duty to enforce the law. just as
u n my duty to enforce the obser-
vance of every other penal
statute. soon found out that
not only was the actual violation
OF the law committed by class
al criminal thugs. gunner and
desperadocs, but that behind
these things WAS q smooth run
ntpx organization which hired
u,ea OF desperate character, at
large remuneration, to get the
booze through at all costs, even
to the taking of life, II they
could ret by with It: and IL they
rod captured to suffer the physi-
col punishment, while the organi-
astton paad the fines. furnished
hail. ana paid them a per diem
during Incarceration. employed
kwyers etc
hut II II with tiae actual Transporter
- now have to deAl--for OF sue
!. -. r. snar0rx' Of the valley Bot
ehackSaford and Hudson were well
known bootleggsn. TO ms, and
M4f,nr Of4cors who have riskcd ou
Nraw 10 Put IN and to Bookkeeping. an
10y alway3 - did al the Others
vpnt armed TO tho teeth. 1t h signff1
ennt that when taken the two me
haA three pistols, headed and a suppl
a loose cartridges to fit, In the
pockets.
where thay carrying these PTS
tolls for fun or bluff? Let US see
Of they were. would like to
have all the people In Virginia
not put boot1eggers or these who
have made a living by violating
or employing others to violate
the law in this CLASSY to come into
nv office in Fredericksburg and
L see the arsenal I have accumu-
lated In captured pistols. from
biz Forty-five caliber Colts. down
Il TO little sawed off pocket pistols.
and sawed-off shot guns and riot
guns loaded with buckshot and
EkN B. BIS.
.KNIGHTS OF THE ROAD
would like to have had few I
these people, at least with me whs
h have undertaken to arrest thes
knights Of the road ! would like
1 have had them. where they were ssi
81 course. but where they could hes
these big guns cough out In the nigh
- - Asst1 vnhtAtlA hV III