Maxey, Lexington Herald-Leader, June 5, 1909

 Lynching Denounced

In Bishop Penick’s Resolution, But It Is Tabled At Frankfort– He Stated That all Male Citizens in Frankfort Were Placed Under Suspicion by Murder of John Maxey.

Frankfort, Ky., June 5– The Citizens’ Improvement Association, consisting of the ministers, society women and other leaders of Frankfort Friday night, in meeting assembled, laid on the table by a decisive vote a resolution denouncing the lynching of John Maxey in this city Thursday morning. More objective was made against the wording of the resolution than to the idea of denouncing the lynching.

Bishop C.C. Penick, record of the Episcopal Church here, an old Confederate soldier, a former missionary to Africa, arose toward the close of the meeting and said the time had come to “do something.”

“I have a resolution here,” he said, “which I desire to offer,” and it follows:

“Whereas, By the lynching of the Negro, John Maxey, in the city of Frankfort, on the morning of June 3, the lynchers have placed all of our male citizens under more or less suspicion of being murderers or conniving at murder, for thereby a useless and lawless murder was committed in this, the capital city of Kentucky, and whereas, we, who claim to be good loyal and bloodless citizens of the Commonwealth, claim our right and duty to defend our names and character against such a terrible accusation as the perpetrators of this lawless deed laid us liable to;

“Therefore, we, the members of the Citizens’ Improvement Association and together for betterment and righteousness, disclaim and pronounce against this murder with a deep sense of the sham it brings upon us and of the crime committed.”

Judge Ira Julian moved that the phraseology of the resolution should be changed, for, he said, he did not believe any one thought the good citizens of Frankfort had anything to do with the mob.

Judge James H. Hazelrigg, former Chief Justice of the Court of Appeals moved to table the motion.

“In suggesting a postponement of action of this resolution,” said Judge Hazelrigg, “I want to suggest, that in the most emphatic terms, all commissions of crime, especially the dastardly murder recently committed in our midst, referred to in the resolution, meet the unqualified condemnation of the meeting.

“But, Mr. Chairman, to admit by these resolutions that this body of workers for the uplift of our citizenship feels called upon to avert a suspicion that, without the resolution we are to be classed with those condoning or approving such a crime, or were participants in, it seems to me, at present, unnecessary.”

The motion to table the resolution was then seconded and, when out to a vote, was carried by a large majority.