Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1884-02-13
Aancaster !Nntelligenrcr.
WEDNESDAY EVENING, FEB. is, 1884
ObeviuV the Verdict.

VutybUk tut
The late acquittals, aplid the shouts OF
the multitude, of men charged with mur
der, who killed with their pistols other
men whom they charged with wronging
their women, is naturally accepted by
all men so injured as pointing out to
them their proper course Of conduct.
Congressman Phil. Thompson, of Ken
tucky, hearing that someone had Sc
duced his wife, at once judged the story
true presumably because he knew his
wife to be an easy prey to tempter; and
he without delay hunted up his man and
shot him as he fled unarmed from him.
Mr.. Thompson was duly acquitted aud
occupies seat Of honor in Congress
Young Mr.. Mutt, in Pennsylvania, had a
like grievance upon a like foundation,
and shot his man, like a man,
while also he was fleeing unarmed from
him. A gentlemen In New York shortly
followed suit, having beer led to suspect
his wife's honor. He adopted, with the
aid OF friend, the most careful prepa.
rations to decoy his man into his wife's
bedroom, and shot him as he fed thence,
likewise unarmed.
Mr.. Mutt, having been acquitted
with great demonstrations of popular
approval, and the affirmation Of United
States senator that he would have done
the same thing under the same circum-
stances and it being thus shown to be
the sentiment of both branches of the
United States Congress and of the peo
pie that men should avenge their women
with their pistols, the New York gen.
tleman was clearly called upon to do his
able to him and it is to be said for him
that he at least did not fail to demon
strate that he had good ground for
action. And now comes along Con.
necticut gentleman obeying the law thus
plainly laid down. He improves upon
previous methods by taking his victim
out to enjoy a buggy ride through the
town and being considerate enough tC
refrain from striking him until he had
finished the pleasure jaunt and got
back to the stable. His man, too, was
unarmed and running away but the
husband was fortified by the wife's con.
fession, who had "got religion" and
lost sense. The journals have hardly
time to chronicle this incident before q
woman in New York demonstrates her
capacity to read Alright the lesson OF
these verdicts and shoots her recreant
lover of course, while his back was
towards her. This woman, however,
with finer sensitiveness, kills herself
OF course, she would have been acquit-
ted but she wisely concluded that life was
not worth living after such an expert.
ence, and that it would look vastly bet
ter II she snuffed her candle out along
with the fellows. We highly applaud
her decision. If all the people who un-
dertake to be the laws executioners
would execute themselves, the doctrine
which afllrns the laudability of private
vengeance would be safe enough. But
as it stands it Is not very sound doc
trine ; the fallacy in it mainly being in
the assumption that the individual is the
best Judge of the proper guilt and pun
ishment of him against whom his feel.
Jugs are inlamed and further lying
in the fact that the wickedness of mems
hearts will lead them TO destroy their
enemy under cover Of an allegation of
wrong which they know to be false. But
il the avenger is expected 70 kill himself
after gratifying his thirst for vengeance,
the privilege to kill will be reasonably
safe from abuse.