Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1877-09-21
LYNCH LAW In TEXAS.
A Well.Tlmed PFOtest Against the
Recent Tragedy in Cory ellie COun-

A Woll-Timed PFOtesG ARAiuat the
Recent Tragedy I'm Cory ellie COun-
~.
Dallas Herald. September l6.l
We are proud to see the growing
sentiment against mob Justice or
rather mob phrensy, which is mani
Testing itself in every respectable
neighborhood in the State, and
upon every occasion where the mob
spirit gives new impetus to the
loathings of the law-abiding and
peacefully disposed people. The
recent killing Of the Green boys in
Coryelle county is an indellible blot
on the State, and a lasting disgrace
to the neighborhood in which it
occurred. They may have been,
and probably were, bad men. We
do not know how this is, nor is it
pertinent to the subject to decide
whether they were or were not.
The safety of society rests alone in
reverence, respect and obedience to
law. But when a whole neighbor-
hood, in defiance of law, pity
and that charity, which even saw
ages sometimes show, condemn with.
out trial and execute without mercy,
barbarously and furiously-every
sentiment upon which is founded
the respect and reverence which
gives force and effect to law is vio-
lated, secuted and insulted. Can
good come to a community by and
through such meansP We do not
believe there is one sane man on
earth who thinks so. 1t would be
illogical and unreasonable to expect
it. What then follows? No other
conclusion is possible than that a
spirit of barbarous and savage re-
yenge lurked at the bottom of the
move, and procured the death OF
these men under their burning roof,
with their wives, sister and mother
clinging in terrified anguish to
them, and a mad crowd Of enraged
demons surging and hooting with
out. Had these boys been the most
blood-stained murderers and thieves
on earth, their death by such means,
and under such circumstances,
should have been an utter impossi-
bility in a Christian and civilized
country.
The scene within the burning
home of the Greens must have been
enough to have melted heart OF
stone. The brave but misguided
Bill, calmly stating his business
matters to the agonized wife, telling
her whom he owed and who was
indebted to him. Enjoining his
broken hearted wife to pay what he
owed, and after hurriedly arrang-
ing his earthly business, taking his
trembling sister = with whom he
had prayed as a child-by the hand
Come, Belle, let us pray as we did
when we were children. " The hands
of the aged mother tremblingly
snatched the straw, with which the
house is to be burned, away. Was
ever picture more graphic; was ever
death more tragic? After uttering
his prayer, Bill grasped his trusted
gun, stepped to the door and fronted
his foes, and before yielding up his
own life, sent the death dealing lead
to the heart of one of them.
Texas will never be known as a
law-abiding State while such scenes
are transpiring within her borders,
while such a mob can work, MUIR
der and get off scott free. The full
strength of the State constabulary
and military should never rest un-
til this foul blot has been washed
out by the arrest and punishment
of the perpetrators, We commend
the matter to the governor and
those directly charged with the ar
rest and detention of the violators
OF law.