The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1877-08-11
The Hanging Of AEcide Mouton.

lCdot; III lIlt HduS OI AIClue MOu
ton by a mob on the 22d Of July.
In the examination before Judg
Hudspeth last Friday, one fact,
no other, was clearly and satisfac
tOrily proved, and that was tha
the killing of his wife by Alcid,
MOutOn was accidental the declara
ton Of the deceased, coupled will
his actions, Immediately after thu
shooting established this clearly
and conclusiyeIy. He made no at
tempt to escape. He went imme
diately i'll search Of his employer tC
surrender himself, and not finding
him at home took his sesa to await
his coming. Whilst there awaiting
the return of his employer he was
founP and arrested by two colored
men, who brought him to Capt.
Havard's store and surrendered him
to John J. Smith, the warI Con
stable. from whom lie was soon af
terwards taken by an infuriated
mob, and hung, though his victim
lived for nearly "a hours afterwards
He declared to the last that the
shooting was accidental.
Smith though All officer made no
effort to protect the prisoner or to-,
rescue him from the mob. In his
testimony before Judge Hudspeth,
he stated that he considered it dan
gerous for him even as an officer t.
have interfeled with the angry
crowd.
There is neither justification nor
excuse for. this hanging, and we
are sure all good men must and
will regret and condemn it. The
accused was a prisoner who had
made no effort to escape; he was
disarmed and helpless; he was in
the custody of an officer of the law,
and the law was amply sufficient to
have vindicated itself if it had been
violated. There never has been
complaint, well founded, made either
against the District Judge, the
Sheriff or District Attorney for not
prosecuting all offenders brought
before them, and we all know Gov.
Nichols in the lasS two months has
given ample evidence of his inten-
tion to let the law in all cases take
it's course. Commencing on the
8th of June he has already caused
five murderers to be hung, despite
all efforts on the part of individuals
or the ps}blic press to prevent it.
He is p&sdged to a rigid enforce
ment of the law, and all who know
him, know what pledge from him
means. For once we thank God
we have such a governor that
the days of general pardons are
over, and that the laws are to be
enforced. We megsl to uphold him
and sustain him, End We feel we
would be derelict in our duty as
a public journalist, if we tailed to
denounce all such high handed out
RACES, as the taking of a prisoner
from the officers of the law and
stringing him up to the nearest tree,
although that prisoner be a negro,
and his lynchers and murderers
las the evidence elected shows a i
mob OF his own color. Tt vas an
exhibition of brutality and lawless-
ness entirely unealIed for, and which
merits reprobation and deserves
condign punishment.
10 use the language Of the
Supreme Court of La, III dease re-
Gently decided: s. 1t is plain to see
the evil consequences that would
result from permitting men to judge
Of the kind and quantum of punish
ment that should be inflicted upon
those whom they might think to
have committed a wrong. It is one
Of the great underlying principles,
OF organized society, that each
one OF its members valves any
natural right which he might have
had to be the judge of his own
grievances, and to be the vindica-
tor of his own wrongs, BY conced-
ing that power to the State, 9 pow
er, wiser than himself to determine
the character of the injuries he
may have to complain OF, and ADLER
than himself to yindicate his
wrongs.
This principle founded IN reason
and philosophy equalizes the
strong man With tie feeble one, and
is intended to afford protection
alike to every one in his person and
nronerfy. to insure Deaee and order