Richmond planet., 1925-03-28
(By Carter w. Wormeley)

Desiring first hand information Of
conditions at Waverly, where last
week the Negro, James Jordan was
lynched, Governor Trinkle made a
hurried trip by automobile Saturday
from Richmond to Sussex. Here he
spoke before large gathering of the
most representative citizens of the
town and county. who awaited him
in the office of Commemorative At
torney Thomas H. Howerton. This
office stood within approximately one
hundred yards OF the spot on which
the Negro forfeited his life, and from
which the body had been surrepti-
1iously removed during the preceding
night.
The Governor having entered. &C
compaDied by his secretary and
others of his panty, all present arose.
after which he was Immediately pre-
sented by the Commonwealth's At
torney BY the side of Attorney
Howerton sat Sheriff Fanr;n. The
occas on was impressive.
1T is difficult for me to express to
YOU how deeply l am grieved and
shocked at what has come to pass.
began the EXECUTIVE. II am con
sc;ous of the dreadful prOvocation
I know that Southern men will pro
tect Southern women. l am aware
that. at times. the resentful fury Of
on cutraped citizenship is hard to
curb But as the ch eff officer of the
state I feel it my duty to point out
"a you. and through you to the citi
eaDs Of Sussex, that correction Of
crime lies in appeal TO the courts
ana not in submission to mob rule =
Il do not bGieve that there is 4
man present within the sound of my
voice who does not know that !
sneak the truth l cannot too ca
nestly enioin upon you the import !
ance oS upholding and of strength
ening the arm of the courts. What
] am saying to you is but the gospel
Of sound sense. 1t is gospel which
shc>.ld be preached and spread
throughout all circles of society. For
the strength of the law. and in the |,
strength of the law reposes, at last. !
the safety of the State. Had the
thousand men who participated in /
this crime been ruled by reason, the !
prisoner would have been arraigned
in court. at the latest within three
days. The law had then been up !
held society would have been vindi- |
Gated and Virginia would have been !
spared what must remain as a stain !
upon the record of your county and ,
the state
At the conclusion of the Governors
remarks he was accorded rising
vote of thanks. And it appeared the
general desire o. the meeting that
al present would. whenever occasion
offered. do AL in their power to i'm
press the community with their belief
that serious error had been com,
mitted. And that the public mind
and impulse should be very earnestly
directed to different methods of
seeking and of securing redress.
Upon the streets of Wayerly Satur-
day afternoon life moved on normal I
". although a slight tension seemed
TO hover and vibrate over the quiet
town. Little or no hostility Or re-
sentiment appeared in the attitude of
the Negroes. And indeed. it was
said that numerous expressions of
satisfaction had been voiced by the
coored population that the guilty
Negro had been apprehended. from
which fact it was argued suspicion
Of the innocent would be removed
The Negro in question is said to
have come TO Virginia from North
Carolina and to have been former
convict. He was under suspicion as
q desperate and as a dangerous
character.
WAVERLY, VA, March 20.-A
frenzied mob of 500 residents of