Iuka reporter., 1888-08-30
a RED RECORD.
AN EPIDEMIC OF MURDER PREVAILING
q IN MISSISSIPPI. =. y

There is scarcely Q State in the
Union in which during tho las,
month there have been as many foul
murders as in Mississippi. Her red
and reeking record in this regard Is
SIMPLY startling ''''
In Vicksburg there are no less
than SIX men indicted or CONVICTED
of murder AMONG them is a white
man who'is to be e'tried for beating
and kicking woman to death.
Last week neas' Louisville, four
men engaged in a carnival Of blood,
and three Of then, went to the next
world BY the murder short line.
In the county in which Senatoba
is situated, there haven = very short
time been nearly ahalf doyon mur.
dsrs. Then there coIaes the sicKah-
ing Rioingrspn murdsis, beisde;ss the
slaughter ota man almost daily in
some ofthe Delta counties.
If it be true that country's civ,Ii.
zation is measured by the sacredness
and safety of human life, what must
be the civilization of our state?
Who is responsible for this state
of things2 The responsibility lies
we think, largely on jurlcs and the
signers OF petitions for pardon and
the over clemency in granting them.
Where punishment is swift, certain
and relentless crime is in frequent,
but where no matter how red q
mans hands are, his neck is COM
paratively safe, crime will be ram-
pant. To let crime go unpunished
is to provoke repetition of crime.
When man ls tried for murder,
first there is the law which gives him
overy advantage and the State none,
for it is now law maxim that it is
better that all guilty men escape
than for ono not to get an :ndulgent
trial. Besides being a fayorite OF
the law, the prisoner is generally q
favorite of the jury. Good men as
a rule, shirk jury duties, especially
in the case of murder trials. It
might hurt business to pronounce on
the guilt of man lnfluentlally con.
nected. Even ifan intelligent man
could be prevailed upon to serve on
tho jury, be is excluded by that ABB
surd provision of the law which
makes the best informed man the
least competent to serve in courts.
The consequence is jurors are re-
duced to two classes, first ignora-
muses. who never read ana have
scarcely sense enough to have clear
idea about the advisabillty Of seek
ing shelter on pluvial occasions, and
second, criminal men, who know the
facts, but who swear falsely, anc
who go on the jury to clear the
If good man by a miracle of
Heaven gets on the jury, be allows
jusuce to be swallowed up In maud.
lin and disgusting squeamishness.
If the mu1 Ger is convicted in spite
Of every< OF the law to save
him, then sickIy sentimental
lists gets up Zion for his pardon,
and then the governor often grants
the request, and then the prisoner
is turned out,
There can be but one result--an
epidemic of murder, like that we are
having in Mississippi. If a man has
. grudge against . fellow citizen.
He reasons thus. Il will kill the
d-n sooundrel, and IN nine cases
out Of ton the jury wall clear me,
and if they don't, there is the par
don. My vengenoe will only cost
. little money The result Is ano-
ther mound in the church yard.
We have, as an editor, had occa-
SION to insist that certain men be
not pardoned that others be punish.
ed. Men, who can conceive Of no
higher motive than greed for money
or selfish hate, have thought IN these
matters We were moved BY personal
feelings. W. urged the convic-
tion of one guilty man to save the
lives OF other innocent men. We
urge that one man be made to serve
hls term out, to prevent others from
committing felonies. Until the peo.
pie and press Of this state rise to this
plane, and insist that the sword of
justice fall swiftly and inexorably-
until there is sasss!l! nn . public senti,
mont that says neither money nor
influence shall condone crlme, we
may look tor and expect h,deous
harvest Of murders. Meridian Dem
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