The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1886-12-30

better pleased over one such deed
than over the formation of a hun
dred clubs of ranting Anarchists.
There was nc courage, no man
illness in that act Tuesday night.
1t was the cowardliest of murders.
If there or four men at the risk Of
their lives had taken MusseI from
the Jail in the face of a mob gath
cred there for his defense, it would
have been just as bad a murder,
but it would have been at least
courageous. But for three or four
hundred men to take an unarmed-
and unresisting man from a Jail
cell and hang him, is about as Brave
as drowning a rat ina trap.
If half a dozen friends of law
and order, had withstood that mob
and had taken, if need be, wounds
and bruises, and even death, in de-
tense of the law and justice, that
would have been true
COURAGE N A WORTHY CAUSE.
There is more courage in the little
finger of one juryman who insists
on a true and just verdict in ac-
cordance with the law and the evil
dence than in all that lynching mob
at Eaton.
Here was a man whom it was
perfectly safe to kill. He could
not defend himself. There was no
one to defend him. Even the Off
GERS of the law deserted him. He
had no friends at all, except that
God from whom governments de-
rive their just powers and who said
"He hat slayeth Cain, vengeance
shall be taken on him seven-fold."
Even a degenerate public con-
science would half justify the law
less killing of this man. It was per-
fectly safe to do this murder, and it
was done.
The deteriorating and disastrous
effect of such lawless and murder
GUS mob on public order and the
safety of life and property was
manifested Immediately by the
smashing of windows and the need
less and gratuitous destruction of
Jail property and belongings. The
town was off on a spree, with a
murder as it's central feature.
The responsibility for the MUIR
der of VIM. Mussel does not rest
entirely upon the mob that hanged
him. "a h5
WHO ARE RESPONSIBLE.
The Sheriff, the Judges Of Preble
county, the other officers Of the
law, the ministers of Eaton, the Of
ficers of Eaton's churches, and all
the law and order-loving citizens of
Eaton must also bear heavy share
Of the responsibility. s-.
The Sheriff had ample time to
have provided for the safety of his
prisoner. He did right in not tax
ing him to Hamilton. No prisoner
ought ever be moved from one
county to another to save him
from a mob. The thing to do is to
save him right there in the county
where he belongs, or die as dearly
as possible in the attempt. The
Sheriff should have summoned his
posse early in the day, and station
ed them in the jail. He should
have provided an abundance OF
arms and ammunition the day be.
fore. He should have let it be
thoroughly understood throughout
Eaton and vicinity that an attack
on the Jail would be a deadly and
altogether hopeless undertaking
Five cool, courageous and deter
mined men inside that jail, with
plenty of food, water, powder and
ball could hold it for days against
that could be raised against
it, at least until military aid could
be summoned.
WHERE, OH! WHERE?
Where were the Judges of the
Courts of Preble county? Why
were they not ranged beside the
, Sheriff and using their official pow
er and authority to help maintain
H. l,u,0 INLoro 49, A. ,,..