Boise news. (Bannock City, I.T. [Idaho City, Idaho]) 1863-1864, 1864-09-03

MOB MATTERs.-0n Tuesday morning Dep
uty Sheriffs Underwood and Whiting became
suspicious that an attempt would he made
after the funeral of John Coray, to take Thos.
FitzGibons-- charged With the murder of
EdeCeased--from the county Jail for the
purpose of executing summary, or lynch-laW
punishment, and as precautionary move
ment, with the assistance of John keenan,,
who had the night before made the ar
rest of F, summoned large posse and sta
toned them in the Jail-yard, armed with guns
and pistols for the protection of the prisoner
until through the proper legal channels he
could be tried and convicted OF acquitted &C
|cording to his guilt or innocence, after fair
and impartial investigation of the case by a
jury of his peers, selected with reference to
their impartiality in the matter. The funeral
took place about four o'clock in the afternoon.
A very large procession of the friends
of the deceased, preceded by PastOn's
brass band playing mournful dirge, escort
ed the remains to the cemetery, after which,
on their return, quite number, say, perhaps,
one hundred in all, halted on the brow of
the hill above the Jail and prepared to make
a descent on the works, but were persuaded
by Judge Parks and others to pause and re-
feet before taking SO decisive step as that
of taking the law into their own hands.
While the Judge was speaking we never wit
messed more attentive or orderly congrega-
ton than the immense crowd that had by this
time swollen to several hundred men. He
asked them to point out single instance
where criminal had ever escaped punishment
since Pinkham had been Sheriff, if a jury of
twelve men taken from among the people had
adjudged him guilty, or one that had escaped
the vigilance of the officers in bringing, them
to trial. AS no such case could be cited,-
where was the necessity of disgracing the
land with scenes of mob violence, when by
little patient waiting until Monday next
grand jury of cool and unexcited men would
be impahneled to inquire into the case, and
if they found an Indictment, a trial jury of
twelve men would pass upon his guilt or in
nocence At the close of Judge Parks's ad
dress, the word was passed round the crowd
=" let US go home" and although many re-
NAMED about the premises half an hour long
er, majority at once dispersed, convinced,
as we believe, that though a man may be guilty
of the foulest murder, it is not in the province
of individuals to take his life outside of the
forms>of law even though done in the col
lective capacity of mob. When men reflect
that killing, unless done in self-defense is
murder, and that, although a thousand others
are equally implicated in that murder, each
individual is responsible to his God and to
his own conscience for its preparation, they
hesitate, and having once hesttated
long enough to reflect, reason and conscience
come to the rescue and say-let the law take
It's course. So let it be in this case. There
was perhaps nota single man in all that mul
titQde that desired to take the responsibility
of going coolly and deliberately and taking
that man out Of Jail, ironed and fettered as
he is, though guilty as we believe him to be,
and killing him with his own hand yet, with
a crowd about him, each in greater or less
degree excited, they were willing to shoulder
that RESPONSIBILITY collectively. We have no
word of censure for those who felt keenly
and deeply the wrong that had been done in
the murder of their friend-it is manly and
noble to feel so, and they have acted manly
and nobly in taking sober, second thought
before plunging a whole community into an
archy and confusion, that could but result in |
the death of many good citizens on both sides.
The triumph would have been a doubtful one
to say the least, over poor deluded wretch
already bowed down with manacles and
closely confined in a dungeon with no hope
Of escape.