The Forrest City times., 1892-05-20
INSTRUCTED VOTES FOR FlsHBACK.
 The following counties have held their primaries, and instructed for Eishhack for goYernor:
LYNCH LAW AGAIN.

On Friday night of last week Little Rock witnessed a spectacle perhaps un equaled in the history of this or any other state. A brutal negro named James committed nameless crime upon the person of a 5-year-old white girl, was arrested and incarcerated in the coun- ty jail. Rumors of the organization of a mob to lynch the criminal reaching the ears of the officers, James was secretly conveyed to the penitentiary for safe-keepng. The mob organized early in the evening and, proceeding to the jail. demanded that the prisoner be turned over to them for summary punishment. The leaders were in- formed that he was not in the jail. A search confirmed this statement In some manner the enraged mob ascer tained that James had been placed in the penitentary. By this time their ranks had been swelled to about a thousand men. They at once repaired to the penitentiary and demanded the prisoner. Their demand was prompt ly refused. The penitentiary buildings were supposed to be mob-proof, but, in fact, it afforded but a flmsy barrier to the determined men who had taken it upon themselves to avenge the greatest crime that can be inflicted upon society. The penitentiary officials little under stood the temper of the mob. Heavy sledgehammers were procured and the massive gates, under the influence of the tremendous blows dealt by strong arms, went down like pasteboard. The prisoner was quickly found and secured and led forth for identifica- tion. This done, he was dragged to the corner of Main and Fifth streets, in the very heart of the business DOT tion of the city, where he was allowed a few moments for prayer. He first denied and then admitted his guilt. A rope was thrown over the cross-arm of a telephone pole, adjusted about the trembling culprit's neck and he was jerked into the air. Hundreds of bull lets perforated his body, and another was added to the long list of Judge Lynch's victims. These lynchings will increase in proportion as the crime for which James was mobbed increases. It is not pleasant duty to record such transactions-far from 1t. This paper is in favor of law and order under most circumstances; but the terrible increase in the crime of rape calls for prompt and sharp remedy. Whether lynching affords the remedy is questionable. Almost daily we read of the stringing up of lecherous beasts for this offense, but it does not diminish the crime. In fact, it is becoming so common that men are beginning to feel they are in- curing serious risk to leave the females Of their families unprotected for even an hour. It is not our desire to unduly alarm anyone, but the facts, as daily recorded, bear us out in this assertion. This crime is not confined to either color, but it is patent that most of the rapes are committed by negroes. Why this is true we cannot say, but that it is true DO one will deny. A remedy must be found-and found speedily-or there is no telling to where it will lead. If the courts cannot cope with it, then mobs will certainly take the matter in hand; and if mob law can overcome the evil, then let us have the mobs. Anything, in the name of heaven, to put stop to the internal crime.
 St. Francis county has only had one case of this character within the knowl- edge of the writer, and the offender was hanged by operation of law in 1879. He was colored man and a preacher. Fortunately our county is inhabited by better class of colored citizens, and we hope never to be called upon to wit ness the mobbing of one of their num- Der for this heinous crime. Just so surely as rape is committed in this con- munity, just so surely will the culprit swing for it, be he white or black. His color will cut no figure in the case. It is time these fiends were learning this
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