Columbia Democrat and Bloomsburg general advertiser. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1850-1866, 1857-06-06
Mobocracy Again.

A night Of E2citensent - Tire Negroes
Hung The Fourth haring Committed
Sutc,ae ia The Jail Yard The Cannoa
Brought om anil Ms Police Ooeryo,circl
Intense badtgaatioa-Lapin Louis
UiHe.
The four negroes charged with the muir
der of the Joyce family, after occupying
the attention of the Court for nearly two
days, were acquitted. As soon as the
verdict oil the jury was made public, the
most decided demonstrations of dissatis-
faction we're manifested by the crowd, who
at once proposed lynching Them Large
numbers Immediately assembled in fro t
Of the jail; but the premises were stoutly
defended by the Chief of Police, together
with police force, the Sheriff, Jailor,
and others. Thus things continued until
o'clock in the evening, when reinforce.
ments gathered from all poilts, which
gradually swelled to several thousand
people.
The mob rallied on several occasions,
but were still repulsed by the guard at The
Jail. At length fercer demand was
made for the negroes, and some ten or
twelve shots were fred from either side
Sill the Jail was secure 10 the hands of the
officers, and the crowd fell back for few
minutes. 1t was only, however, to procure
q cannon, which was taken and placed in
front of the Jail and being well filled, it
was ready for heavy execution. Another
demand was made for the negroes-hun-
dreds swelled their voices in the general
cry-and thus overpowered, the iailor
opened the doors, when the negroes were
Immediately seized, and three of them
taken to the Court House Yard and hung
-one upon tree, in the southwest end Of
the yard, and the other two on the east
side, or Fifth street, front to the Court
House Square. The other one OF the fonr
cut his own throat, it is supposed, as he
left the jail door, and fell dead on the
spot.
Thus ends the tragedy of the Joyce
murder trial. 1t was terrible murder
committed, and terrible were the consc-
qucnces visited upon these negro crimi-
nails.
These are the circumstances as near as
we could learn. 1t was another damniu
outrage upon law and order. We have
said q thousand times that there was no
law in Louisville, and the result of last
nights proceedings is another evidence of
the fact. Mob law was established, sus-
tained, endorsed and protected by the city
authorities some two years ago, ard from
that day to this, Louisville has been under
the mob rule. On the evidence aiduced
in the case, and the instructions of the
Court which instructions, we are assured
were admitted entirely correct by members
of the bar present-the jury could render
no other than verdict of acq .ittal. Ii
did seem urust that such a verdict should
be given in such q case; but the evidence
was the guide to the jury, aud the Judge
could not change the law. That these
negroes deserved hanging, hundreds viii
agree but the law must be above the mob
or it becomes a dead letter. Louisville
has lost millions by mobs already-ant
this is a further weight she to carry
now in her general competition with othc
r cities OF the West
| We are a disgraced city, controlled b,
mobs, and have become the by.worl n
eer of the world. Shall such things b,
continued? Are the laws to remain deaC
letter! Shall the "hue and cry" of al
, inccnsed multitude control the city and Sc
the action Of our courts at defiance
Louisville given over to perdtion an
hopelessly lost' The proceedings Of las
night are but the legitimate fruits of mo-
government. LIE: US unite in restoring
1 the laws of the land, or cease to be mu
lnicipality.
The crimes charged against these ne
groes was killing the J yce family, con
sisting of Mrs. Lydia Joyce, her Sol
: Richard, 10 years old, Mrs. Welch tn
t dauphter. n widow. and the daun hter