New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-07-28
H1NGIhG A BOY,

We do not consider hanging at all fit
penalty for demonstrating, even when the pun
ishment is inflicted according to law. We re-
gard lynching of all descriptions as extremely
undesirable. Hanging a boy eighteen years OF
age for any crime IL, prina Jdce, barbarouS
business. The 81. Joseph (NO.) Herald describes
the murder of James Ross, who had been ar
rested for making free with the steeds of the
farmers in that vicinity. Ross, in the custody
of an officer, was on his way to Jail, when he
was seized, in spite of the cOnstable's remon-
strances, by mob of armed men. Resistance
was useless. Ross was dragged from his horse
and taken into "the timber" Then, for the
first time, this boy seemed to comprehend the
awful fate which awaited him. He shook with
fear and cried for mercy. With one end OF
the rope about his neck, he burst into tears;
he admitted that he had stolen horses; but
then he added piteously that he was mere
"boy, and wanted time to reform" The
only answer to this was the stern warn
ing that he chad but five minutes
left !" and four stout men significantly took
hold of the rope. The lad was so agtated
that he would have fallen to the ground If he
had not been supported. Tlen he rallied
again, and again besOught mercy. He might
as well have spoken to the deaf Then came
"slence for moment" broken only by the
tick of the watch in the spokesmans hand.
There was no pity in their rigid faces The
shadows Of night were gathering, and only a
minute remained to him, when the boy
began to pray, although in tone so low that
his words were inlistinguishable. Then
came from the executi0ner the cry OF " Times
cup" and after the single exclamation, 90,
"my God ~ the body of the young horse-thief
was dangling ten feet from the ground. His
hands were thrown wildly up to catch the
rope, but a moment after they dropped liteess
on each side, and the boy horse-thief was
dead. The executioncrs mounted their horses
and rode rapidly away, leaving the corpse
there alone with the night.
1t is curious to notice how, under these wild
frontier conditions, the law il upon the one
hand contcmptuously dsregardei, and upon
the other studOusly respected. After the
lynchers had departed the Coroner came. He
tenderly cut down the boys body aud pro-
ceeded to hold an inquest The Only witness
examined was the bereaved constable, who
swore in the most satisfactory way that the
lad had been taken from him. The death
proved ITSELF and the jury found that the
deceased died by violence at the hands of
some party or parties unknown" This was
deemed quite enough by every horsepower
in the county. Their equine losses had been
avenged, and why should they too curiously
seek for the avengers, especially when such a
search might have been personally inconve-
nient to some of themi There was one horse
thief less in Holt County. So they thanked
Cod took courage, and kept perfectly quiet.
We suppose that a horse must be of more
value than many boys in those regions of
magnificent distances and of limited railway
facilities. At any rate, DEMONSTRATING there
seems to be regarded as q trihe more felo-
NOUS than murder in the first degree. That
the law does not so consider 1t seems to
argue inefficient and defective legislation. If
the punderers Of stables are to be hanged.
would it not be little better to have the
operation regularly performed by the Sheriff
and after due conviction Of the plunderer 7
We must confess that our prejudices are rather
in favor of lawful proceedings, provided they
are possible. There will, under the Lynch
judicial system, sometimes be o danger of
hanging the wrong man and we suppose that
no honest Missourian, though robbed of his
whole stud, desires to be soothed by the muir
der of the innocent. If tho public tribunals
are inefficient it is the people (horse-owners
included) who are to be blamed. If the legal
penalty of horse stealing is not sufficiently
severe, make it so by new statute! If Boys
are to be hung by all means try them first
according to law N+--