The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1873-05-05
The Ar0ostO0k Tragedy.
Nay I, 1878,


The ArO0stO0k Tragedy.
The triple murder in Chapman plantation
last week is an event to make one shudder.
The murder of Deputy Sheriff Hayden and
Mr.. Hubbard by Cullen has had no parallel
for atrocity and fiendishness in our State.
The hanging of the desperate murderer by a
disguised band is a disgrace upon the reputa-
ton of our people. We say our people be-
cause the settlers of the country about
Pressure Isle are very largely from all other
parts of the State, and represent all other
sections. We can well imagine how such a
horror as that committed by Cullen would
stir up a sparse population where any STIR
ring event and the slightest infraction of the
peace are of rare occurrence. We can, also,
imagine how few hundred inhabitants in
three or four sparsely settled townships would
be indignant and even enraged at the cause
less and fiendish m urder of two citizens well
known to and respected by every one OF them.
But the intelligence of the State is shocked
that, in one of the securest, most temperate
and hitherto most law-abiding communities
of the State, nearly hundred men could so
be carried away with the mad frenzy of the
hour as to seize that miserable wretch, Gull
len, from the officers of the law, and become
murderers if not assassins like him by lynch
ing him.
On the frontiers of civilization, or rather
beyond its limits, where there are no courts
at all or inefficient ones, where violent men
congregate, and human life is little regarded,
there may be possible excuse for mob law !;
but in no respect can these conditions exist
in Maine; the courts are impartial; the pris-
ons are safe, and there is no reason to believe
that the criminal would not expiate his foul
crime by suffering the fullest penalty of the
law.
The advocates of capital punishment, or
more strictly speaking that part of those that
insist land evidently take great satisfac-
lion in SO insisting) that hanging is the only
punishment for murder, make haste to declare
that this blood-thirsty exhibition of mob VIC
lence in Aroostook is a protest against the
present method of executing the law in this
tStaoS, ouu IL UuC dUOltAOh
of capital punishment would be followed by a
repetition of such evidences of violence and
sayageism. In other words, they declare if
the murderer is not hung, they will become
murderers themselves by hanging him. The
men that declare by such acts for capital pun
isEment, cannot be those who have the strict
est notions of the sacredness of human life,
nor do they seem to be moved by a sense of
the demands of justice, but by the spirit of
revenge. But the assertions of the advocates
ofthe lea talionis do not hold good. In the
Southern States, and particularly in Ken
lucky and Missouri, where murderers are GER
tain to be hanged, the lynching of criminals
is OF most frequent occurrence. There is
hardly a week passes but what we read Of
the lynching of person guilty of capital Of
fence in those States, and certain t, be hung
by the due process of law. Indeed, we be-
lieve that it will be found that there are more
cases of lynching in those States where hang
ing is the most frequent, and that these ex-
hibitions of violence are correspondingly
rare in States where the gallows are less fire.
quently used.
The violent men in Aroostook the other
day did not think of the punishment that
awaited Cullen by due course of law. They
only saw in him the fiend that murdered two
of their best citizens and plunged their fam.
lies in woe, What should have been a sense
Of justice, demanding his punishment by law
became demon of revenge that demanded
satisfaction then and there, and by thei
hands. A few weeks ago man under SEN
tence of death was taken from county jai
and hung, when his time fixed by law was
only afew weeks distant; so the enraged and
blood-thirsty men in Chapman plantation
would not have been deferred in their violen.
purpose hadit been shown them that the mis-
cradle wretch whose life they sought, would
be hung in month.
Doubtless many of the men who partci-
pated in the hanging of Cullen are respecta
bic citizens; but blinded by their rage, and
believing in the maxim of life for life
thoughtlessly rushed into this outrage agains
our laws, and disgraced the fair fame of oul
State by a deed of violence. They will ye
bitterly repent their rash action. now that il
is too late.