White Cloud Kansas chief. [volume] (White Cloud, Kan.) 1857-1872, 1865-06-01
Civil Law.

Civil Law.
The reader may have concluded, from
expressions which we have frequently
made concerning the treatment of horse-
thieves and robbers. that We have con-
tempt for the civil law. and are in favor
of giving full sway to lynch or mob law.
There is no one who would like better to
see the supremacy of civil law uninier-
ruptedly maintained. or who regrets more
the necessity which compsls summary
punishment Of offenders by individuals,
without trial or other process of law.
Lynch.law is generally cruel there is
great danger, unless the victim has been
caugh: in the act Of committing the crime.
or the testimony is very clear, Of inno-
cent persons suffering it gives malicious
persons an opportunity to obtain revenge
upon personal enemies, by setting mobs
upon them for trumped up offences it is
calculated to make men reckless and
cold-blooded, and to grow into as great
an evil as the crimes which they seek to
suppress and from these causes. only
the sternest necessity should compel re.
sort to it.
But what has civil law been ablet9
do in Kansas, for three or four years past?
The community has been overrun with
horse. thieves, and now highway and
midnight robbers are taking their place
or, more probably. the same persons are
changing their business. Not one Of
these thieves in q thousand has been
brought to justice and very few who
have been caught. have been brought to
punishment. They are destroying the
country about as speedily as it is possible
for them to do; and civil law. as far as
they are concerned, has proven failure.
We have seen the workings of it. and
the following is true statement of the
same:
II q man is robbed, be is usually de-
uounced as rebel, and frequently deter
red from instituting proceedings. by the
outcry Of the friends and sympathizers Of
the thieves, or from fear Of personal vio-
lence. II be does obtain legal papers,
they are generally of no avail, in the
hands of weakened Constables. But
when the thief is arrested. justice is no
nearer than before. Men who had pre-.
viously declared they knew him to be q
thief, when brought into court. will COM
pletely cave, and even be willing to swear
to his good character. That has been
done in this County. Or, when a thief
is imprisoned, lawyers may be found,
for small fee. to procure his release up-
on writ of ha6eas corpus. That was
also done in this County. The thief was
caught with stolen horse. was released
from jail on a writ of haJeas corpus, and
Immediately stole another horse. and left
the country. If not so released, he is al
most certain to break or be assisted out
of Jail. That has also been done in this
County. Or if, perchance. he fails to
break out of Jail. he is admitted to bail.
bis friends and confsderates being his sure
ty. scarcely one of whom ia able honest
ly to buy decent dinner; and then he
cuts stick. leaving, probably. a broken
down horse to indemnify his sureties.
This has likewise been done in this Coun.
ty. As to bonds, who ever knew for.
feited bonds to be recovered in Kansas ?
Finally, if the criminal is sentenced to
the Penitentiary. it is about as easy to
obtain the Executive pardon, as to beg q
chew of tobacco.
This is substantially q true statement
Of the workings of civil law in Kansas.
The evils GRE growing, and murder will
soon become matter Of common occur.
renee. The civil law has no terror. aud
does not even prevent the persons arrest
ed from repeating the crime in a very
short time. The only remedy is for the
people to hang or shoot the villains as
soon as captured, in every case where the
proof against them is beyond doubt.
This will at least prevent those particu-
lar individuals from committing any fur
ther depredations.
BUSINESS CHANaE.-By reference to
advertisement, it will be seen that Charles
Ioeonh h.o d;enoood of kh> U..;otc CO..