The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1868-12-18

As we have stated heretofore the
Uuc OF CUR excnaDges tn9r mas at
tempted TO apologize for or defend
the mob whe hung the prisoners con-
fined in the Jail in that city on Friday
night last. We think we discover
indications on the part of its editor
that he acted foolishly in doing so.
The reasons he assigns as a iustifca-
ton or excuse for the mob are alto
gether insufficient. He alleges that
these men had great provocation.
That so artful and reckless had the
outlaws become that all the ordinary
agencies which society and govern
mont employ to protect them
selves seemed powerless. That the
technicalities of the law stood
in the way Of justice. But
who is responsible for such
condition of things-in Jackson Coun-
ty? The citizens themselves. The
same law which is sufficient to protect
the innocent and deal out Justice to
the guilty in the other counties of the
State is open to jackson County. IF
It's officers of justice are corrupt, aud
its juries subject to brides, the law is
pot responsible, and ought not to be
charged with the escape of criminals.
1t would do its work if backed up by
public opinion. Without such sup
port it is powerless in any commu-
nifty. Besides, what occasion was
therefor the mob to shoot and almost
Kill sworn officer who simply did
his duty? The mob urge, in ex-
tenuation of their crime, that their
officers Of Justice in Jackson County
will not do their duty, and yet in
New Albany we find this same mob
shooting and beating Sheriff FULLEN-
LOVE. because he refused to betray
the trust committed to him by the
people.
But the apologies for the mob are
so effectually disposed of by the Indi-
annapolis Journal, chat we copy its ar
ticle in place of further comments of
our own.
A WORD TO LYNCHERs.
You have hung four men in New
Albany, not without reason to believe
them guilty, but utterly without rea-
son to believe that the law would not
have punished them and saved your
souls the stain of murder. You have
taken terrible responsibility in re-
moving the duty of the law to your
own shoulders. How terrible. will
only be known when your victims
confront you before the oplv Judge
who never errs. You have made the
weight of that responsibility heavier
by past negligence. If your recent
conduct was required by the impossi-
bility of obtaining justice from your
courts, who Is to blame that you have
such courts? If juries are packed to
screen scoundrels, by whose fault is
1t that Sheriffs who will pack iuries
get Office? If corrupt lawyers will
resort to illegal articles to defeat jus
-tice, by whose patronage is it that
such lawyers thrive when there are
no criminals to defend2 Directly or
indirectly, you are to blame for
the condition of things which
you believe justified your fear
tql act. You are, in effect.
pleading one wrong in defence of
another IF you had combined with
half the determination and zeal to
purify your courts, your county Offices
and your bar, that you have to punish
toe villains whose misdeeds obtained
immunity from them, you would not
now have to complain that the oniv
remedy for robbery was murder
Think a moment what power oonld
have been welded for the cause Of