New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1872-08-15
GreeIeyisn in Maryland.


The following is ''an assurance of willing.
ness on the part of the Democrats Of the
South to respect the rights Of their cOlored
fellow-citizens." The participants in the
affair narrated below, understand fully that
the Baltimore platform is only intended as q
decoy to attract Republicans to tho support
of the so-called Democracy. We take the
following from the Baltimore american.
The recent hanging of colored man named
John Jones in Cecil county, by 4 band of dis
guised rufians, demands at the hands of our
State authorities the promptest and most
vigorous action. The crime is simply muir
der, and every man engaged in it deserves to
suffer the penalty which the law attaches to
murder. Jones was accused of setting fire
to Mr.. Griffith's dwelling house, in Kent
county. He was arrested in Cecil county,
taken before magistrate, who turned him
over to young man named James Merritt,
with an order to deliver him to the Sheriff at
Elkton. A colored man named Green, ar
rested on suspicion of his having been con-
cerned in the burning of Mr.. Gritlith's house,
and boy, step-son Of Jones, were also
committed to Mr.. Merritt, subject to the
same order. Jones was handcutied, but the
other prisoners were not. 1t seems most
singular that Mr.. Merritt should start on his
journey to Elkton (some nine miles distant)
with three prisoners in his custody at O'Clock
in the evening. One account says that n
wagon containing six white men followed
close behind Mr.. Merritts wagon. Seven
miles from Elkton party of disguised men
took possession of tho prisoners, and Mr..
Merritt, after firing his revolver (whether it
was aimed at any one does not appear drove
rapidly away. He reported the affair at
Elkton, and next morning a party went out
and found Green hanging to hickory tree.
From our present information we would
not be warranted in saying that there was
collision between the party having the
prisoner in custody and the men who muir
dered him, but certainly the circumstances
are suspicious. We hope that Governor
Whyte will see that this case is not disposed
of by an cvasive verdict Of coroner's jury,
"came to his death by hanging, at the hands
of persons to the jury unknown or by the
usual palliative, "every good citizen de-
plores the melancholy occurrence" There
is no excuse for lynch law in Maryland. II
Green was guilty no one would have appre-
hended his acquittal, because he was negro.
He would have been tried in a court that is
probably able to administer impartial Justice
but certainly there is nothing in the political
are summoned as jurors that would be likely
to create an unreasonable prejudice in favor
of negro prisoner charged with a capital
ofiense. We think that the public sentiment
of Kent county would justify the hanging OF
negro proven to be guilty of arson. The
statute makes it optional with the court
either to impose the death penalty or send
tho prisoner to the pententiary for term
not less than five nor more than twenty
years. If Jones wantonly burned Mr.. Grit
fith's house he would undoubtedly have
suffered the extreme penalty of the law.
When the State takes hold of one of its
citizens, puts manacles on his hands and de-
prives him of his power of self-defense, it
puts itself under an obligation to protect him
from violence, and it is bound to punish every
man who assaults him, whether with intent
to take his life or not. The lynching of a
defenseless prisoner is one of the most bar
barous of all crimes. For the honor of Ma
ryland we trust that lesson will be taught
these ruffians which will be a warning to inn
petuous young men, disposed to take the law
into their own hands, for all time to come.
We believe that the guilty parties can easily
be identified, and if they are permitted to
escape it will be because the State has not
the will to vindicate its laws.