Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1892-02-02


II Is impossible 10 draw the line al tho
point where csazincss and "cussodncls"
met in that desperate outlaw, Bob Sims,
lynchod In Alabama. A thrill Of hoc.
ror ran through the whole country
as tho story was told Oh how Sims
aud his brother and son. his most
faithful hcnchmen, aud finally ovon his
daughton, were dealt with in tho
method Of baekwoods justice, making
soyon persons who were lyuchod. The
south claims 20 DO chivalrouB TO women
beyond my section Of country in Chris
tendon, got such thing as ,hc hanging
Of woman by lynch law could scarce
~ have happened in tho ror,h undesany
circumstances.
WHOM. ,.owcy5r, tho full story Of tho
Sinsito oatrarcs comes 10 DO told, while
no ono can justify lynch law, yet one
wonders how his fellow citizens Kept
their hands of him 80 long We seo too
individually the gradual growth Of
terrorism. II Bob Sims had boon ar
rested and sent to the ponitchiihry early
In his cagocr and his Illegal whisky max.
Ing squclohod in tho beginning, thorc
would have been no awful lynching hor
ror later But this was not done. Il
looks "a II all bis follow citizens and the
whole United States government wyro
afraid Of Bob Sims.
Whom u lit.le boy ton years old Bob
Sims was a most pious Methodist. liz
oyonpuyod in csHpmcosiugs at that ten.
der age. he was thoroughly exemplary
In h.1 conduct and was uncummonly
bright intellectually. What q famous
and eloquent preaoacr hc would have
mado! lie went into tho Confederate
army as soldier. It "a recorded that
10 was q good soldier too.
But after he came ont Of the army two
mental characteristics that his acqunint
ancos had not noticed before began "
develop In him. Ono was vanity, Oh
other q fierce and cruel temper. As tEi
temper grew people shrank from him
Tint increased his vanity til hoset him
self up ns q loader and founder Of TO.
ligious scot Ho taught that all the
laws OF society and all government were
instrumeutalitics Of the devil; There.
foro 1t was a rolisious duty TO resist
them. It was an easy doctrine 20 FOL.
low-clsy Tor anybody.
Instances of ais hcndish spirit are re
corded which indicate that no must
have boon insane, No used to enteC
his ueishbors Dogs aai other live stock
near his promises with show Of food
Then as tho poor animal reached out iis
tongue 10 lick tho salt or corn Bob sim.
would suddenly raise a sharp ax OIL
knife no had in readiness aud at ors
blow cut OF its tongue. More than
once he chopped on the foot Of neigh
boris COW and drove the creature limp
ing homo upon tho bleeding stump. III
was fond, too, OF catching other peoplo'i
chickens. plucking the feathers OF then
alive and then releasing thcm.
Could such q monster as this hay.
boon sanc2 II ho was crazy, then all hi.
followers were hypnotized by an insan,
leader and drawn to do na desporat,
deeds IA he did. II he was insane, too
what should have hean his punishment
Tho logic OF The horrible tale is clear IA
daylight. however. II he had boon feas
iessly takon hold OF aud dealt with TO-
his law breaking in the beginning II
tho drt stages OF his peculiar monta
development, theirs would mover hay,
boon Any Simsito gang.