The Magnolia gazette. [volume] (Magnolia, Miss.) 1872-current, 1888-06-23
SOME "REMINISCENCES OF THE PAST
BIZ COL. J. NJ. GALLENT.
The First Case OF Lynoh Law.

After the Murrell excitemen
the next thing thai occasioneC
any stir or sensation, was Grim,
which was expiated by lyrch law
So far as | know, this was the
first case of the kind that had oc-
currcd in this county. A negro
man murdered a negro woman in
a brutal manner, which excited
the indignation of large num-
Der OF people living in the region
where the crime was committed
The people assembled at the place,
which Is better known as the Tai
bert place, had the murderer
brought before them, and, after
deliberation, decided to take the
law in their own hands. After
hearing the facts, they determined
to hang him, which sentence was
speedily carried into execution
AS soon as the excitement had
subsided, and they began to think
IN a dlspassionate manner, they
found that they had gotten thenl-
selves into difficulty, ont of
which they saw no feasible plan
of cxtricaling' themselves. The
people Of the whole county were
more or less concerned and anx-
ious about the matter, for there
were more than one hundred men
implicated In the affair, and many
of them among the most promi-
nent citizens of the county. All
seemed to think that the case
would necessarily have to come
before the grand jury. There
was conside able diversity of opln
ION as 10 the mos advisable course
to pursue. Some advised The
palties implicated to stand their
trial and rely upon an acquittal
by the jury. But they, as well
as many Others, We're not willing
TO risk this If 1t could be avoided.
The people had always been so
conscientious in the discharge Of
their duty os Jurors, and Rad been
so law-abiding, that it was feared
that, however much the Jury
might syinpathize with the per-
sons on trial, their oaths would
compel them to bring in a verdict
Of guilty against the parties.
Others thought they had better
stand their trial and rely upon a
pardon from the Governor. This
idea dId no. meotwith more fav or
than the othel; for 1t was thought
by those who were acquainted
with the Governor that they would
met with no more favor from
him than from ! jury. 1t was
subsequently ascertained that if
they had been compelled to rely
on the clcmency of the Governor,
their hop would have rested on
sandy foundation. But they
never were brought to trial. -
How this was brought about
never fully understood, nor do
know whether it was brought pe-
fore the grand jury or not. There
were none that did not think that
the negro deserved hanging; but
| imagiae that those who were
implicated learned a lesson they
never forgot. AS there were so
many gooG citizens engaged in
this violation of law, it may be
matter OF surprise to some that
they could ever have given any
encouragement to such violation
of law. When a great number
of men get together under excite
fncnt, they seem to lose their in
dividuolity, and think that which
IS done is the act of the whole
number, and not that of single
individuals, not rejecting that il
IS the indiyiduals that make the
whole number. Tbcie were some
circumstances connected with |
this CRIME which l cannot now re-
call, which seemed to take 1t out !
Of the ordinary cases os murder,
which no doubt had its influence
ON those who inflicted the punish |
ment.-SIill the resort to lynch !
law Is very much 10 be deprecated. |
do not Say that no circumstances
could justify it, but in all ordinary
cases il is far better 10 let the |
courts deal with them. Every |
newspaf er we get now contains
accounts of persons being lyuch- |
Cd IN different parts of the coun-
Try. One act of the kind seems
10 lead to and justify othcIs. If
TINS state Of things continues,
there is great danger that the
Courts Of the country viii be en-
ufely ignored, and the people be
dominated by moi law.-[ South
efn Herald.
The Farmer 5 Alliance is boom
'ns and hss good prospects ahead