Buchanan County bulletin and guardian. (Independence, Iowa) 1866-1869, 1868-05-22
bCx DrsuQUk LErrEa.


Ed. BuLLErlE From our city papers /
learn that most disgacefal scene was en-
acted near Waverly. in this State, one week
ago las, Monday night, whereby one John
AcRoberts suffered death a. the hands of
mob. 1t appears that McRoberts had been
arrested BY . Deputy Sheriff, ., GAINESVILLE,
on the charge Of horse stealing, and that
while the officer was taking his prisoner TO
Waverly . party Of men, some 10 disguise,
succeeded in taking the prisoner from the
custody Of said official. (which seems to have
been no serious task and then suspended
him BY nope to limb OF . tree, in which
condition be was found the following day.
1t is stated tina, there were indications when
The body was discovered, going to show ,ha,
the murdered man was dead, or nearly so,
before being Suspended by the neck, as mel,
Their bis hands nor his feet were fastened,
and furthermore that there were no signs Of
consor,ions, Is is usually the case VIXEN .
person ID hung in lega! manner. Be this
as ], may, the man was murdered and the
question is, who we're his murdcrers? Il.
Was most shameful outrage, and am glad
to notice that il receives unqualified con.
domination. Il is getting to be quite popu-
lar in these days TO organize MODS for the
purpose Of taking from the proper authors
ties those Who may Be charged with crime
and dealing with them in summary man,
ner. The perpetrators Of such cowardly
deeds should be arprehended and punished
If il should take ten years to effect it and
the sooner it is understood that such proceed.
ings viii be followed BY the punishment of
the parties concerned. the better.
The alarming frequency of such ou;rases
upon Law and order should arouse the PEG
pie to sense of the danger attendant upon,
and resulting from the same. There can be
no possible excuse on the part OF those en-
gagged in the affair in question. That the
victim Was = poor worthless fellow, is evident
from the accounts We have still, the act Is
none the less censurable on that account.
The end did not, and canuo,, justify the
means emplovcd. !, is the ray is was done
that makes it sin.
4 Esx months since. tEo men were taken
By mob from the jai IN c.rauklin, lad,
and hanged for an alleged murder. One Of
the unfortunate victims earnestly protested
his innocence 1t the time and since il has
been proved beyond doubt, that he was not
guilty Of he crime charged upon him. This
Instance was aggrsyatiag in the extreme,
and only illustrates the reekIessness and
criminal rashness Of those who usually ccm-
pose these bands Of violence.
Last July man was lynched a. Morris,
H., for Al alleged murder. think there
were no doubts Is to Lls gsif, be, the mob
would Lot be satisfied 10 leave him in the
hands Of the lawful authorities. He vas al
most literally dragged TO the gallows tree"
BY rope, while the enraged lynchers sp>
piled every epi,he. which their vile vocabu-
laries could furnish. They hesped ell kinds
Of abuse upon the helpless victim With fead-
ish delight, and in the greatest possible haste
hurried him into eternity. He begged 10 be
allowed 10 pray; to say one word but they
would not delay. He was not allowed to ut
Ter word IN defence, and worse than all,
not allowed to seek the favor OF an osfe AIDED
God vhen about TO appear in his awful pres.
snce. Il would seem tia. such an Instance
could hardly be possible in civilized coun.
Try, but here Ne have stili another iiIustra>
tiou Of the spirit which usually controls these
nurderous bands. They do not stop to con.
slider; reason seems TO b dethroaed and
the cry, like that Of the wicked Jews, il,
Away with him." No assurance that the
majesty Of violated Law will Le vindicased
viii s1aice. AID the authorizes are power,
les 1t their feet. Tie idea Of lynshing par
ties upon mere rumor Or suspicion, - in the
vase mentioned ~ occurring at Fanklin,
Ind, is so terribly revolving, that We shrink
with horror in its contemplation. In every
locality where these outrAges occur the an.
thor;'ies should act with promptness aud de-
termination. aud every where measures should
be adopted TO prevent, If possible, the enact
ment Of such seeses. This can be accom>
p!ished il no other way, |, seems to me, than
By the arrest, trial, conviction and punish
ment Of the principals. At least, Of the mob
organizations. These outrages upon the
good order Of society are calculated to open
the eYss Of the public to the urgent necessity
which exists for rigid enforcement Of the
Law. An invesig atoms should be thorough
and searching-not = stone should be left
unturned. Every good citizen would rejoice
to SEQ the parties, concerned in the late
lynching affair II Waverly, brought 70 JUS
tiee.
CIR. R.
STATE NEWS.