The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1882-04-12
SemtimeI.
THE KOKOMO AFFAIR.

1t is we'll to talk of law; to urge, as best
we may, respect for law. Laws are de-
signed to protect the innocent and punish
the guilty. Laws are soclety's safeguards.
In the absence of law, or where law is disre-
garded, anarchy prevails, passion rules and
bears sway. Order is dethroned and danger
confronts society on every hand. The
American people are law-abiding people,
and the citizens of Indiana have record
which challenges comparison with that OF
any other State in the Union for all that
DISTINGUISHES misTule from obedience to the
mandates of constituted authority.
But there are occasions of a character
so extraordinary, so unusual, so far
removed from any line and every line OF
habitual thought that communities
the best regulated, the most conservative,
the most loyal to law and authority break
away from every mooring, and in the SOW
ereignty of indignation take the law into
their own hands and execute 1t with terri
bic vengeance. Who can read the details OF
the horrid crime committed by the Kokomo
tramp and say that the action Of the citizens
of that peaceful and prosperous city was not
right, absolutely right? True, he wore the
semblance of human nature, but was he not
more dangerous than a mad dog or rattle
snake? Was he not an incarnate fiend?
Would not the father of the infant have
killed him as he would have killed a ser
pent had he seen the miscreant while he
held the child in his internal embrace? In
deed, ought not the father to have been the
avenger OF his child's wrongs? In such cases
why talk of statutes, of Courts and trials of
prisons and dungeons? In such cases the
sovereignty of human nature asserts itself.
The higher and the better law steps to the
front, and for the time being statutes are alb
rogated. 1t is so everywhere in all civilized
lands and if a spot can be found on Gods
green earth where such law does not as
sert supreme control when an infant is out
ragged it may be assumed, without furth
er investigation, that manhood has
been shorn of its nobler prerogatives, and
has declined to depths of contempt beyond
the reach of plummet. Possibly there will
be those who will deplore the action of what
they may be pleased to call the ''KokOmo
mob" Possibly there may be those who
will exude lamentations over what they
may be pleased to style the decentralization
of the times, and refer to the KOkOmO
tragedy to dignity their croakings We do
not regard the event as in the slightest de-
gree antagonizing the best type of our civ
ilizatiOn. 1t was a spontaneous outburst
of vengeance aroused by a crime
which, for internal fiendishness
stands without parallel-a crime which
robbed its perpetrator of all claims to hui
manity aud assigned him place lower than
that occupied by the most venomous rep
tile that beslimes and curses the earth, and
which to kill is every mans duty. Such
cases have no place in the discussion of or
binary events. Such crime as the Koko-
mo tramp committed is outside the domain
OF ordinary crimes. 1t touches the pro
foundest depths of devilish depravity and is
found only within the realm of demons.
To frame statute to meet such case would
authorize any citizen to kill him on sight,
with possibly reward for his scalp. To
nd the world of such a monster is to confer
a lasting blessing upon society, and it may
be prudently asserted that a community
which decides to hang such a wretch may
be trusted on all occasions to see that the
best interests Of society do not suffer.