Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1872-01-24
The Rochester Riots--Mob Violence
and Militia Firing.

The Rochester Riots--Mob Violence
and Militia Firing.
Tho terrible occurrences at Roches-
ter-growing out Of the outrage com
mitted by negro-has created n
widespread feeling Of horror at the
results which are always likely to
follow outbreaks Of mob violence
when the restraining power is vested
in military body unframed to pa
tience and the command of temper
necessary in dealing with the trying
exigencies which may call for their
armed ministration. The duty Of the
militia is protective, and the display
of force by their presence is meant to
overawe the would be disturbers Of
the peace rather by moral power than
actual counter violence The resort
to decisive measures should in any
case emanate from the proper antho-
rites and haye n reasonable justitica-
tion The subject altogether is one Of
so delicate a nature, involving such
serious consequences from intemper-
ate action, and into which SO many
! irritating causes enter on either side,
that IN face of such an emergency the
greatest cool -headedness and irmness
are necessary on tho part Of the com.
manding officers as well as perfect
discipline among the men.
On this subject there is one point
which forces itself into painful promi,
nence, and which, in its consideration,
cannot be overwhelmingly, the
provocation which rightly or wrongly
calls forth the passion of the mob.
We cannot illustrate this better than
by the history Of the dcplorablc events
Of Tuesday and yesterday at Roches-
| ter There are some nameless crimes
whose commission awakens the hor.
ror OF every man or woman worthy
of the name crimes at whose depth
Of unnatural wickedness humanity
stands agbast, no matter TO what class
or station the porpetrator may be-
long. But the aversion and horror
which siclSen the hearts of tho most
refined take form among the vul gar
and unenlightened in maddened rage
and thirst for n swift and bloody re
vengo. While we admit that this
state Of mind rapidly fermenting into
murderous action throws rather q
sinister light over our civilization
which is ever supposed TO be able tC
protect itself against crime, we can
not help recognizing that the wildnes'
of the passion of the populace has III
roots in q sentiment Of honest human
nature. In the case before us anoth
er, and, though abstractly false, ycI
fearfully strong, element entered into
what we have termed the provocatior
namely, that the atrocious crimina
had around him the curse of race. HI
is negro. To say that this should
have no weight in the case is futile
I VIC are speaking Of facts. With al
: our leveling and pulling down Of lega
inequalities TO place the colorcd mai
on level with white men, the fac
remains which no supplement of civi
rights can annihilate-the idea tina
7 he belongs to an inferior race. Yol
cannot legislate away sentiment, or |
you try it you will fail. A crime il
one OF such n scorned race appear
moro criminal and revolving than il
one of any other, and it would b,
hard even for the most rational whit,
man to deny to himself that such i
the case. Ha
On Saturday last the unnatura
crimc was committed upon tho littl,
| girl Cecilia Oche, outside of Roohos
ter, under the ihhuman circumstance
published. On Monday, from. the dc
scription given by the girl, the polio,
arrested Howard, the negro, in tn,
town Of Penfeld, lie was brought Il
Rochester and identified by the girl
who was suffering from the injurie
she had received, The announcement
of the arrest spread like wilifirc, an,
an attempt was made TO lynch th
miserable prisoner on his way I,
the jail. The police only succeede,
in bringing him safely 10 the prisol
( by drawing their reyolvors, Tho ex
element Increased the next da,
(Tuesday), and open threats wer
! made that summary vengeance woult
be taken. The announcement lha
the poor little sufferer had died Of he
injuries, although not founded OF
facts, lent an evaporation to the pub
lie mind which the evening papers
recitlng the conclusiveness OF The evi
dcnce against tho prisoner, raised t
fever heat. II may not be ont OF plac
here TO give credit to belief which |
lately taking hold ofthc popular mind
= and which we state before attempting
to explain viz, that trials for capita
crimes are becoming farccs in whicl
lawyers seek TO gain noisy promi
nence, and that the ends Of justice ar
porsistently defeated by mere quib
bles. The hasty verdict of the popu
lace in such n case rs tho present will
regard TO the guilt or innocence of al
alleged criminal is merely their in
stinctivo hatred of the crime oouoen
!, tratcd on tho accused, and, as such
}, biassed towards condemning him
7 The safeguards placed by law aroun
a citizen on tiia! they regard .
Nki,t,., him, tloeLc npb uacdtcee dola =,