White Cloud Kansas chief. [volume] (White Cloud, Kan.) 1857-1872, 1859-08-18
The Vigilance Committee.

6%thesSe OUHuS ~ Out tuO"
OperatiOns-LOss Of Settlers - Sc |
rere Punishment Tie Bonds Broken
up-Work Of The Vigilance Commit
tee Done.
Within the last week, to our certain
knowledge, some criminals have been
savagely dealt with by a secret organiza-
ton. In enc or two instances, the penal
ty of death has been inflicted. In 9TH
ers. the victims have been punished till
they confessed to all facts Of which they
were eognizant.
These confessions are all well calcala-
ted to startle the general community and
create a feeling Of anxiety and distrust,
not only in regard to property, but life
itself.
1t seems that this vast Western Region
is infested with organized bands Of horse
thieves and cut-throats. who have their
headquarters in remote and obscure por-
tions Of the Territory.
The operations Of these bands are bas-
ed upon the information of spies and
agents, who are purposely sent to every
community.
All the booty secured, or the profits
derived from its disposition, with per-
centage deducted in behalf of the rognes
who secure it. is put into a general fund
and used to advance the ends Of villainy
on q still larger scale.
The absence Of any thorough organized
government, or police system, Of tele-
graphs or railroads, enables these scoun-
drels to play their game boldly, with but
little risk.
/ For long years, thu citizens Of the Ter
ritory have BEEN subjected to systematic
losses an despoliations.
! 1t has become so at length that man
is unsafe in leaving his horse for mo-
ment The thieves are ever on the alert,
ready to seize every opportunity. Once
mOlnted AMI on the praries. pursuit is
almost useless, and capture next to I'M
possible.
= During the last year. hun lre,lS of horses
have TINS been stolen an, never heard Of.
\ gentleman bitches his horse, pays Il
short visit, anil comes out to finl his ami
NAL gone 4 farmer steps into store
to make some purchases. and when he
comes ont, his horse has disappeared.
Houses have been broken open, citizens
waylaid, money and goo Is stolen, farms
and farm houses plundered. and yet there
were neither prosecutions nor convictions.
The law seemed entirely inadequte to an
swer the ends of Justice.
Goaded by their losses. and such rellec-
tons. large numbers of prominent and
intelligent citizens have joined an organ
ization which has grown terrible in power
and bloody in its judgments.
There is no need to particularize what
has occurred. Though cognizant. in the
main, of what has been done. we have no
desire to make public what few unac-
quainted with all the circumstances, would
justify, and what perhaps would CRATE mp
on the public mind.
We wish to appear neither as the
have taken the law into their own hands,
and pronounced the award Of crime with
such rigor and severity.
We all know how lack Of confidence
in the courts Of Justice. and a continued
series of successful thefts and crimes, are
calculated to rouse the worst passions Of
border community. We know, too,
there are many paliiating circumstances
to be urged in favor Of the people admin
istering punishment according to their
own code.
But the experiment is fraught with
many dangers to the individual and the
State. And while Lynch Law" may
seem justifable in certain cases. it cannot
be sustained or enforced, in a general way,
without engendering greater evils than
those it seeks to eradicate.
We trust then that the action Of the
Vigilance Committee men" may soon
be brought to close. They have struck
terror into the very hearts of the out. laws,
thieves, and bandits. They have also
gained sufficient knowledge concerning
the operations and organizations of the
villianous gangs. and those associated
with them, to effect their destruction
through the IdW and recognized Guthori-
ties.
The terror they induced. will put stop
70 Iurther outrages on persons and prop
erty. and we can enjoy a reign Of pescs
and order.
We feel confident that these sug estions
will commend themselves to the Judgment
and good sense of all orders and classes
Of men. The vigilance organization has
done its work. That work has been
dark and bloody. The necessity for its
prolongation is over-if it did exist
and the time has now come when the func-
tons Of established law should be recog-
nized, and the hand of popular vengeance
stayed.-LedvenWorth Times.