The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1879-02-21
MOB LAW.
MOB LAW.
A case OF mob law, which IL u

disgrace to any community (excepI
to punish rape), RECENTLY occurred
in the moral and refined City OF
Flowers in north Mississippi. We
had, for the sake of our States
honor, concluded not to mention
this violation of law, but as it has
been published in the Holly
Springs and other papers of the
State, of course it is not unbecom-
ing in us to record the facts, which
are in substance,as follows: During
the recent term of circuit court in
Holly Springs, the grand jury sum.
moned Mr.. ID. K. Brittenum, a re-
spectacle citizen of the town, to
appear before that body as u wit
ness, wllereupon he refused to an
swer the questions propounded 10y
the jury. He was arrested and ar
raigned before Judge Watson, and
still refusing to answer, was order
ed to Jail, as he should have been,
for contempt Of court. About dark
a crowd of masked men, friends of
Brittenum, went to the Jail yard
and forced their way in by tearing
off the planking surrounding the
jall. This gave them accesS at
once to the residence part of the
building, and they knocked at the
outer door, which was opened by
Mr.. Joseph Sigman, the son of the
.%jailer. Mr.. Frank Sigman, the
~jaller, was at the time sick in bed.
They entered and approached him
with pistols drawn, and demanded
the key to Brittenum's cell, dccIar.
Ing to the jailer that they would
have Brittcnum out if they had to
teal the Jail down or shoot his head
of to do it. Mr.. Sigman remOn-
strated with them, told them it
was his duty to retain him, Brit.
tenum) and that they were making
themselves responsible as violators
of law, etc., all to no purpose, and
when he fOuDd romOustraDce una
vailing, aud he spprehended serious
injury, he surrendered the
keys, which he and not his sou
had in possession. They then went
to the cell of Brittenum and took
out. No other prisoner was
released, and the keys we're return.
ed to the jailer.
If such proceedings as this are
20 be tolerated there will soon be
no security in the courts of the
State, and mob violence will soon
supreme in our land. 1t is
said by the friends of Mr.. Britten-
I'm that he was a gentleman of
high social standing, and that his
wife was i'll at the time, and for
heSe reasons he was released.
"A man of high social position
$ all the greater reason why he
hould have suffered the Lenalty of
he offended law, for he had the in 5
diligence to appreciate the enormi-
y OF the offeuSe he vas commit ,
and should have been made |
suffer tor the violation. We be- t
eve Judge Watson would have !
cen fully justified in calling upon
he governor for aid if he was una
lie in his judicial capacity to have '
le offender punished, and every ,
-abiding citizen in the State OF
Mississippi would have supported
i'm in so doing. Crimes should be
finished, aud the higher position
society Il nan occupies who vio- t
ties the law the greaterthe Otfense,
I'd consequently the greater !
'ould DO the punishment. !,
From the following which We
ld in the Holly Springs South of r
st week, it would seem that the 4
'sassin stands in waiting to murder p
idge Watson at the first Oppor- "
nifty, probably because he bias .
nerve to punish law breakers
I'd do his duty as a conscientious :
dge: Il
We have in our possession a postal card a.
st marked Pass Christian, Miss, Feb ~
uary Z, 1879, and addressed to Judge j. :
g. G. Watson, Holly Springs. On the
'crse side are the following words: II,
DEAR SIR | have heard from a friend, X
10 lives in your town, that your ~assassi- IA.
ton will be attempted. Take the ad- y.
70 of a friend, and do not 60 out after VI
rk. ain confidence" Yours truly, III
J.. WILLIS. b,