The Republican journal., 1884-04-03
The Cincinnati Riot,

The outbreak in Cincinnati, of which we give
a detailed account in other columns, is a serious
affair. Serious in its origin, lessons and conse-
quences, and serious in its loss Of life and de-
struction of property. There is no evidence
that it was a cOmmunistic demonstration. The
burning of buildings evidently formed no part
of the original plan of the leaders, but grew
out of the uncomfortable mob spirit, which also
caused bloodshed 1t was not rising against
the laws, but against the NAL administration of
the laws. The immediate cause of the riot was
an outrageous verdict in a murder case, but
this was only one feature of a growing evil.
The following handful, widely circulated
throughout the city, indicates the abuses com
planned Of and the method proposed for their
suppression:
Public safety demands immediate action; or
game vigilance committees in every ward ;
heal the sores by purifying the body. Serve
notice to criminals, criminal lawyers, gam
blers and prostitutes to leave Hamilton county
within three days and remain away forever, or
suffer the penalty. As long the present
Clique OF criminal lawyers that infest the city
are permitted to remain and corrupt juries
outrage justice and shield criminals Just that
long will our citizens be murdered, our prop
erty destroyed and protection by the law be
denied. Make one clean sweep while we are at
1t. \ vigilance committee of 300 in each ward
composed of the best citizens. can by earnest
work cleanse the moral atmosphere in three
days. Organize and serve notice to all dis
reputable characters in the ward to leave and
never return. The reputation of this city de-
mdndS Il change or Wickedness will reign SUI
preme.
The New York Herald well says that "this
outbreak in Cincinnati is not il matter Of mere
y local concern. 1t springs from cause of
general operation. 1t is Il consequence of il
fragrant miscarriage of justice, and both the
cause and its effect are growing common
throughout the country to an extent that may
well cause alarm and arrest attention. The
failure to bring murderers to punishment has
become SO general and so gross as to call in
question the efficacy of our criminal admins
tration and to sound warning to the whole
nation.
at Is Il startling fact that escape of murder
ers from the penalty of the law is the rule and
conviction the exception. A writer in the
current number of the Century has collected
statistics showing that more than fifteen hun
dred murders We're committed in the United
States last year, while the number of legal
executions was only ninety-three. One year
affords but an representative ratio of hangngs
to murders. But the same writer reaches the
general conclusion that the number of yearly
murders in the country is thirteen or fourteen
hundred and the number of executions less
than one hundred. In other words, out of
every fourteen murderers only one suffers the
extreme penalty of the law and thirteen escape
the galloWs. Another most significant fact
reported by the same authority is that in 1888
the lynchings in the United States ounumber-
ed the legal executions by twenty-five per cent
there being hundred and twenty-five of the
former and ninety-three of the latter
Lynch law and mob rule are always to be
condemned. They are unjustitiable and mex
cusabe even when the results of the strongest
provocalion and when their avowed aim is to
remedy fragrant miscarriage of justice. But
while Juries abuse their powers, travesty the
forms of justice and outrage public decency by
aiding notorious criminals to escape the lust
penalty of their crimes, there are likely to be
laWless outbreaks here aud there of those de-
termined to take the law into their own hands
There was time when these occurrences were
chiefly confined to frontier regions. But they
are now breaking out in more law abiding com
munitieS. Notable instances of this are the Sc
quel of the Dukes acquttal in PENNSYLVANIA
and the consequences of the Berner verdict in
Cincinnati. The Cincinnati riot is not to be de
Tended or excused, but it is warning, and
should it have wholesome effect on the shame
full jury abuses throughout the country it will
bear at least one good fruit"