New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1858-11-12
LYNCH nA,Y IN TEXAS.

ing its ahOrs far beyond even WHAT is Claimed as the
limits Of lis legitimate jurisdiction The history Of
/ Lynch law in Texas presents case in point We
remember the time, years ago, when Texas was what
| California became afterwards refuge and asylum
for lawbreakers fugitives from justice and eutcasts
from society generally Now it is anything but that
and criminals fleeing from lawful punishment would
do wen to avoid the Lone Star State at least be-
ware that the story Of their msdeeds does not follow
them, and, of all things, refrain from any natural inn
pulse towards repetition Of their ofenses while en-
oying the hospitality Of the home Of their adoption
lest that hospitality should leave them at ten min
utes' warning dangling by the neck to the limb of
the nearest tree. Indeed, should Judge Lynch CON
tinue to supersede Blackstone at the progressive
rate ofthe past few years. it viii soon not be safe FOR
stranger to travel through certain parts Of Texas
on horse, mule or mustang without the most con.
yincing and undeniabe credentials in bis pocket.
So common has it become in the portions Of that
State where the jurisdiction Of Judge Lynch is ac
knowledged, to yield unquestionng obedience to his
behests that the execution Of his sentences is gener
ally treated lightly and made the occasion of numer-
Gus good hnmored remarks. joke follows the
operation ostringing horse thiefup between heaven
and earth quite appropriately gracefully and natur-
ally. We recoect that not long since a friend of
large experience in the Lone Star State related to
thrilling story Of the exploits Of something like
| dozen Mexicans who proved themselves famous fel.
lows at the game Of appopating stray horses mules
and in fact almost any kind Of property that in law
would be presumed to belong to somebody else.
Their acqusitive career however was suddenly closed
i by misfortune which was to them probably quite as
unexpected as extraordinary. Early one morning
the dead bodies of the whole band were found sus-
pended by the necks to the limbs Of "blackjack'
tree and it supposed grayely continued the mar
rator, that they had hanged themselves through re.
morse for their misdeeds, from feeling of shame
and modification at having selected a bad lot Of
horses. Society could hardly lose anything by The
death Of these rascas, but think that the people
Of that neighborhood might quite reasonably have re-
GREETED that they did not choose some other locality
to hang themselves in.
But how is it when the INSCRIPTIONS and upreason-
ing fury of the Regulators makes a terrible mis-.
take, as it often does, and sacrifices an innocent man
while the guilty one in secresy and safety laughs at
and derdes their blindness Would it not be fear
full and narrowing reflection for any individual pos
sessed Of the ordinary feelings and sensbiites of hu-
manity, that he had lent his eountenanee and aid in
the destruction Of poor wretch who should after all
turn out to be innocent Of the ofense charged? We
think So decidedly. This observation is suggested by
the following statement, which we find in shreve
port paper;
/, Thomas J. Rodden, was mistaken for man who
called himself Thomas j. Rodgers who was in Rusk
county Texas, about the time mule was stolen in said
county, on the l4th day of July last. So far from
knowing anything about the act Of theft was in Co
umbia county, Arkansas at the house of J. S. Parham
but had been, and known in RuslS county before
this occurrence, and owing to the similarity in our
names, it was supposed that | was the man and
hence was followed to Homer Claiborne parish
and arrested BY four men, viz Isaac a. Lee, Henry
Emory, JEFF. Walden and Pet. Walden. / refused to
go with them but when Henry Emory an old ac-
quaintance, told me that he would see that had lust.
ice done me, consented to go with them.
10 my surprise instead otgong with me to see that
proved myself clear of this charge they refused to
60 with me by any of the gentlemen's houses whose
certificates here give showing that was at their
houses for many nights before and after the stealing
was done. In most cruel manner was ] treated.
With rope around my neck, they would draw me
up from the ground and threaten to take nv life if
did not acknowledge the act of theft When tried
in this way and whipped severely they would call
the names Of many men and ask me If they were not
engaged in the stealing business, Iacknowedred to
all the names, rather than die, but really knew but
lew OF the men, and only answered as did from fear
OF their threats. knew none Of them only as honest
and good citizens. | answered in this way the names
Of Peter Walker, George Bell, Amos Smith and Ben
Smith.
They took me up to Hampstead county Ark,
where had told them rather than die that the mule
could be found. was put under torture again, as
the mule was not in the county. Not knowing what
TO DO, told them that the mule was in Bosser parish
La this was done to proong my life. They made
me walk torty'thTee miles by punching me with their
guns The next morning | knew that death was
close at hand, and knew also that the mule was not
TO my knowledge, in BOssier parish or any where
else, and unless made my escape that was doomed
70 die an innocent death that day. AT daylight they
all went ont to feed their horses leaving traveller in
bed close by me- prayed to God to help me in this
aWln trial, and with nail tried to pick the lock on
the chain that confined me- to my great surprise and
relief, it few open without hat shoes Or coat
started aioot, and by running all day, | cleared
THOMAS J. RoDDEN.
There follow numerous certificates, signed by re-
sponsible names, which satisfactorily establish Rod.
den's respectability,l
Now this is all wrong, and the people of Texas will
perhaps learn, in time that the policy of executing
justice without the forms of law and at the risk Of
contounding the innocent with The guilty Is dan.
gerous one, and at the best an exceedingly bad one
They may succeed in Kidding themselves, to certain
extent Of the presence Of criminals and vagabonds
(who are not more numerous nor more wicked there,
probably, than in other parts Of the word) but any
advantage thus obtained is certain to be more than
eounterbaaneed by the Generalization of public SEN
timent which must surely follow the example of all
law set at nanght openly and with impunity If tue
laws are inefficient, let them lie reformed; if the
fault lies in the execution of those laws let them re-
organize their courts and improve the personnel of
their inries. But, above all things men Of sense,
who have interest in the honor and prosperity or
their State, should avoid joining in any popular out
cry for summary punishment, and should invariably
oppose the supremacy of the code Of Judge Lynch
and the indiseriminate vengeance of mob law.
-----a as----
New ORLEANS SonooL OF MEDIorNE-The annual
course Of lectures in this institution will commence
on Monday next, and will contiue fifteen weeks there
AFTER Students, as is well known, undergo SO thor
oagh system of practical and logical training and
instruction under the direction of competent Board
of Professors that lis the fault of their own matere
It they are not manufactured into competent doctors
Of medicine.
So The steamship Black Warrior, Capt. Smith,
sails at o'clock this morning for New York, via
Havana, with the following passengers;
Tor ee Tori Capt. Swain F s. Gilpn Miss waldrng
and Mrs Hhomas and daughter.
Ger Harua4A. i. u dc tntored and lady Jose Herrara
., ~ bFeen' j. Irane H. D, Williams and Ross Monat
a8- One hour Is all the time required 10
keep the hair Of any lady gentleman Of brilliant brown or
black color for the space Of ONE YEAR CRISTA DOROs
EXCELSIOR HAIR DYE be the article used for that pur
pose EIGHT MINUTES only are consumed in applying H.
aud the brilliant and rply natural tint impaired to the hair
whkers or mousaehe, lasts at least SIX WEEKS No wen.
der that this bye Is dpacing all others both in this country
and in Europe
Sold everywhere and applied by all hair-3ressers,