The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1855-06-07
INC Knnsas LYncning Affair.

In reference to the affair, the Weston Re-
porter has the following comments which are
to the point:
We feel it our duty to refer to this un-
pleasant subject, which has caused so much
excitement in our city, and we thus refer to
it that the blame tif any there Is attached to
those engaged in this unfortunate transact
ton may rest where it properly belongs.
The only view we propose to
look at this subject in, is this; Had the
people of Leavenworth. or any portion of
them, any right to bring Philips, or any other
person in Kansas Territory, whom they might
believe guilty of a crime, over to Platte coun-
ty and to this city, and tar and feather and
ride him on a rail through our streets, and
then have him put upon block and auction
ed off by Niger! We most emphatically
say no. And we are decidedly of the opinion
Gadging from the action of our citizens on
that day, not one of whom, to our knowledge,
either by word or deed, aid or countenanced
that transaction,) that nineteen-twentieths
of them were opposed to such an exhibition.
We are not aware that
citizen OF the town knew, or had the least
intimation of what was about to take place
on last Thursday afternoon, until the Leaven-
worth company appeared with Philips, mount
ed on rail, and were parading him through
our streets. We have heard Mayor Wood
say, both publicly and privately, that had he
known, or even had the Leaf intention of
what was going on, he should endeavored to
prevent their bringing kim into the city at
all. The citizens of Weston gave them no
sympathy whatever. On the contrary, they
frowned upon the whole transaction, SO much
SO that the persons who brought him here,
soon marched him back again, (part way at
least,) and turned him loose, and he reached
Leavenworth, we learn, before his compan-
ions did. A portion of them being afraid to
return.
We have been credibiy informed that those
ten or twelve persons from Leavenworth,
who were eng aged in iynchng Phillips, with
one or two exception, have not dollars
worth of interest in the town, and are mere
ly temporary residents there, young men
without families, who may or may not remain
there. We also learn that large majority
of the permanent residents and old settlers of
Leavenworth were, and are, decidedly oppos-
ed to lynching Phillips, particularly on this
side of the river. They look upon him as a
peacable and quiet citizen, and they were
disposed to give him fair trial dpon the
charges made against him, and if found guilty
punish him to the full extent of the law
But as we said in the commencement of this
article,it is not the crime that Phillips may
or may not have been guilty of in Leaven.
worth, that we propose to consider, but SIM
ply the fact, did those men do right in bring
ing their criminal Gas they charged him with
being9 from Kansas to Weston, Mo-, to in
fict upon him, deserved or undeserved pun
ishment! We again emphatically say, no.
1t is the frsttime our eyes ever witnessed
the loathsome spectacle of a Native born
American citizen tarred and feathered and
rode through the streets of city on rail,
and then put on block and auctioned off by
Niger, and God grant we may never see it
again, however merited the punishment may
be. II cannot be sight that true American
delight 10 gaze upon.