The state chronicle. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1883-1893, 1889-10-25
IT WAS HORRIBLE,
PRAYING AND SINGING NOT COM
PATIBLE WITH LYNCHING.
Who is Responsible for Lynch Law in
North Carolina: and How Can il Be
StOppedt

ROBERT BERRIER, who murdered his moth
erin law. Tie details of the lynching are
sickening The Davidson Dispatch tells
how CAPT F. c.. ROBBINS, counsel for the
State, addressed the crowd and begged
them TO refrain from acts of violence and
let the law take its course-how the un-
masked lynchers broke down the outer
door Of the Jail and how the jailer gave
up the keys only after pistol had been
tired-how they carried the man through
the streets of Lexington after firing forty
pistols and frightening the peopie-and
to the tree selected half mile from town
and how they sung and prayed with him
one hour and half This singing and
praying in the darkness and gloom was
the most grotesque and incomprehensible
act we have ever recorded. Lynchers,
men who were soon TO unlawfully stain
their hands in innocent blood, stopped to
invoke the blessings of heaven upon their
victim, as if the God Of heaven would
bend to hear their prayers. Mr. CADDELL,
tor just before the lynching, says that his
blood seemed to chill as be heard 60 up
from the throats of the sacriligious mob
such songs as Jesus, Lover of Ny Soul, "
Rock of Ages Cleft for Me- Am l a
Soldier of the Gross" &c. Then followed
prayers for the man who was to be lynch
ed. He joined and begged all present to
pray for him. At intervals the leaders of
the praying and singing would stop and
ask him questions. Mr. CADDELL writes:
Among other things, he stated that he
did not go TO the house with the intention
of shooting anybody. bat he wanted tbs
baby He asked the crowd 10 tel his wife
and child that he hoped to meet them in
heaven, aud TO tell his father 20 punish the
crowd for taking his life in this way.
The Dispatch says:
A Philadelphia drummer who appeared
upon the scene, asked permission TO pray
for Berrier. After praying, he sang :" here
is my wandering boy tonlgbt, while the
crowd preserved silence. just before nine
O'Clock, the rope was placed arOGnl Ber-
rler's neck, the other end Was passed over
the limb the miserable wretch was hoist
ed from the ground, and died with scarce
ly a struggle. The crowd shortly after
ward dispersed.
Thus en- led the horrible and unlawful
scene. The way the mob tries to eXcaSe
itself is, says the Dispatch.
The ynching OF Berrier is probably du-
to the fact that his wife. VINO was the pnly
witness OF the murder, was i con ptt.nt
to testify. There was 10 question Of bis
guilt IN the mind of the puDlic, but owing
TO a defect in the law precludlug Il wife
from testlfying against her husband, there
was grave doubt that lie would be con
victed. Rather thar let !. guilty man Is
cape, the people took the law into their
own hands. The law that furnished the
pretext for lynching Berrier should Lot
remain on the statute book day longer
than is necessary 20 repes,a 1t when the
next legislature meets.
| The two recent lynchingS in North Car
olina has given rise TO much discussion as
to the cause of them and how they can te
prevented. 1t is evident that public opn-
ion is not what il should be or these two
| crimes aganst law would never have been
| perpetrared prominent and able Judge
| in the state gives it as his opinion that
the newspapers Of the state are reSporsi-
| BILE for the wrong public opinion. Ht
cites that often paragraphs are headed 8
| Case for Judge lynch, and like terms
| He also adds that until recently the loea
newspapers sought to cond0ne and excuse
the crimes. We have talked with severa
good lawyers who agree with the Judge
| The press may have been remiss in its
high duty of building up strong public
| sentiment against any execution of law
except by legal process. 1t may hav,
failed here, but it is unjast and unfair to
the new spapers 10 charge that its attitude
has been the main cause. Rarely has The
| press failed to denOunce Lynch Law il
unmeasured terms and to use all its pow
er to prevent it. We do not say that edi
tors are blameless because they Nigh
have more strenuously and earnest,
fought against it, but they are only blam
able, if at all, for sins Of omission.
Others declare that the sole cause o
lynching is attributable to the failure 0
the courts to always secure the conviction
of criminals, and the methods resorted t
by some lawyers to secure the acquttal .
bad men. We do not join in any whole
sale denunciatiOn against our courts 0
members of the bar. Indeed it is on
men who look at one side of a questio
who deal in wholesale denuncidtiou
against any class. We know that our iu
dietary is upright aud that many lawyer
would not do wrong to secure the acquit
tai of client but We also know that jus
tice sometimes miscarries and that ther
are lawyers who think that any means
permissible to secure the acquittal of the
client In single county in centr2
North Carolina there have been ten mul
ders committed in the past half doze
years and not single conviction. "
know several counties in which IL is
proverbial saying nobody can be cor
, victed of murder here" Judges, lawyer
and juries are often alike responsible fC
miscarriage of justice and failure to COZ
vict murderers. There have been instal
ces in which lawyers resorted to unprofe
siona means and where juries disregarde
plain evidence, and where justice failet
Whenever these things occur, the cour
and the lawyers and the juries are blam
BILE, and in way are responsible fl