The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1885-06-06
The Lynohing of Cook.

We regret that there has been lynching
in Carroll. At all times the law should be
allowed to take its course, and summary pun
ishment, without judge or jury, is opposed to
good government. The crime of Cook was
of the most revolving character, and he bore
a bad reputation. The punishment inflicted
upon him was light as compared to the injury
he inflicted upon his victim. This, with the
frequency of similar occurrences in Mary
land within the past two months, is some pal
liation for the swift punishment meted out to
him. There have been two assaults by col
ored men on white women in Dorchester
county, two in Baltimore county, one in
Prince Georges county, one in Carroll and
one in Howard, all within few weeks In
Cooks case there was no question as to his
guilt, for he confessed it, and the assault of a
colored man on little twelve-year old white
girl in Howard county on Sunday, not far
from the neighborhood of Cooks outrage, no
doubt in part prompted the lynching that oc-
CURED near this city early Tuesday morning.
As some of the party that aided in the matter
remarked to Attorney General Roberts, the
actors regarded the lynching public neces-
sity in order to protect their wives, daughters
and sisters. In their judgment summary ac-
ton and swift punishment was demanded to
deter others and prevent similar outrages.
It would have been six months before he
could have been tried, and, as his victim was
seriously i'll, in the event of her death there
would have been nothing but hearsay evidence
against him. Cook, then, in all probability,
would have gone unwhipt of justice.
Under all the circumstances of the case, it
is not to be wondered at that summary pun
ishment was visited upon the culprit.
The Baltimore EUening NeaOs, while con-
demning the lynching, thus alludes to the
palliating circumstances:
There is not a more law abiding people on the
face of the earth than the people Of Maryland and
particularly the agricultural portion They do not
rise up and lynch prisoners save of one Glass; the
brutal ravishers. Whatever their indignation or
horror or alarm any other crime or shock, they
are patient and await the action of the courts and
abide by the determination of the constituted au-
thoritieS Even so horrible murder or series OF
murders as was committed by man in Cecil county
last Saturday did not provoke SUCH an ouIpurSt OF
passion to interfere with the olcers o. tne law;
The instinct of selfpreservation in society did not
cause the murderer to be lynched nor did indlgna-
ton or passion effect such result 1t is only where
females are assaulted and violated that the mop re-
sDonds The purity and the helplessness OF the
women who have necessarily to be lett deieneeless
for hours by men call for special anu on ~
very frequent but shocking and brutal tnat men
cannot and will not wait for the law 10 take us
But this class of crime is thus summarily avenged
for another reason. When a man Is killed that Is
ali the wrong and hurt and harm his asSailant can
/ Il The trial of the ASSASSIN does not
him or repeat his tortEFes. But when woman Is
outraged the case is different She is suDJeeted 70
weeks Of suffering and criticism. of sympathy and
curiosity which are as torturing 10 modest woman
almost as the original crime. Then she is dragged
before grand jury and is ravished over again IN
being compelled infinitely TO describe all her
wrongs Then she is brought into q public court
and again pubcly ont5ageI by saI triia
technicalty new trial will be awarded to the
scoundrel who has so mortally wronged her ana
who is being coddled and defended at pnphc ex-
nense And finally if the villain is properly pun
| ished she has been kept before the public for
months and the hanging of the beast makes her
| dishonor conspicuous and immortal.
Against this horrible ordeal for an innocent
woman the instincts of manhood revolt. The victim
of the outrage is far more keenly and painfully
nunshed than the perpetrator of it, And 1t Is TINS
knowledge that makes the farmer conscious OF the
| Insecurity of his home, and determines him TO
make swift punishment warning to rufilans; and
above all to save his wife, mother sister or daugh
ter from actual persecution and torture, from Deihg
paraded in her misery and shame, ne JOINS win MS
eighbors in taking the case out of the courts and
| Furnishing prompt and eloquent warning to ylo-
| lators of female chastity.
This can be said in mitigation of the action of the
Carroll county farmers. And further 1t may be SAID
that the recent case of Howard Cooper has not en-
coraged the residents of the counties to trust to the
courts Cooper has been tried as fairly and honestly
as ever prisoner was. Our Criminal Court acte9
VIGOROUSLY and firmly His sentence just and
the victim of his brutshness spared all the pain
and modification possible at the trial. But What IS
the resuIt2 DELAY and effort to repeat the trial and
the appearance of apologies for the wretch. This
has certainly not been encouragement to popular