The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1892-06-09
MOB LAW.

mO6 1NHs
Dave Shaw was negro, and was citi-
zen of Sullivan Township, Laurens Coun-
ty. His reputation was that Of thievish
fellow, and one day last week warrant
was taken out for his arrest, charging
him with house-breaking in the night
time and grand larceny. Had he been
tried and convicted of either or both
these crimes the punishment would have
been term of imprisonment in the pen
ieentiary at hard labor.
The officer to whom was committed the
warrant found Shaw at work near his
home and arrested him. without trouble
Late in the evening he started with his
prisoner to return to the Trial Justice
who had issued the warrant. On the way
they were stopped by mob of fifteen OF
twenty persons and the prisoner taken
from the officer. The mob was supposed
to consist Of white men, but it was toe
dark to see, 80 the officer stated.
For some days the fate of the unhappy
negro was unknown. though it was sup
posed he was lynched and his body con-
cealed. Gov. Tillman was notified of the
occurrence, and promptly ordered solici'
tor schumpert, of Newberry, to make
thorough investigation of the matter
The Solicitor did so, and reaches the con-
clusicn s'that Dave Shaw was brutally
murdered" Thereupon the Governor
offered rewards amounting to $4,000 fol
the apprehension Of and proof to convict
the perpetrators of the cowardly crime
It seems to us that tho Solicitor brought
to light evidence that may bring the
guilty persons to trial, if it be properly
followed up.
There was no justification whatever fol-
this outrage, and there is something Pc
culiarIy shocking about it. The unfor'
tunats negro was made to suffer death
for an offense that no civilized country
deems worthy of death, and the citizens
who constituted the mob seem to have
with deliberation and without a cause te
highly excite their feelings taken the
blood Of their fellow-man upon their
hands, and though they may escape pun
ishment of men, yet they must stand
convicted of murder by their own con-
sciences, and must know that the marx
of Cain is upon them.
From every standpoint this affair ia
oensurable to the last degree. Its infiu'
ence upon proper observance and re-
spect for the majesty Of the law, upon
society, especially as to its bearing upon
the race question, and upon tho religious
financial and political interests OF the
State ia detrimental. Our enemies fee
justified in branding Us as outlaws and
cut-throats, and in warning strangers tc
keep away from us.
Chief Justice Bleokley, Of the Supreme
Court of Georgia, hiss recently made
speech on Emotional Justice" and
treats of the evils Of mobism in bread
and, clear style. Speaking of the per.
sonality Of mobs and the individual re-
sponsibility Of each for the ofense of the
whole, this distinguished jurist says:
aIt is true beyond question, that moba
for the infliction Of summary justice on
offenders, or supposed oftenders, are
composed chiefly ofgood citizens. With,
ont this element, no such mob would
.or could exist. Mobs of bad men only
would not violate law In the interest o.
law and order. None but the good do
evil that good may abound. In SO far as
the public veal is q motive in the exer-
else Of mob violence, the case IS always
one of goodness acting under q mistake
Of duty. If that mistake could be pre-,
vented. there would be no mobs. One OF
the most urgent needs OF our time Is an
earnest. temperate, judicious and persist
ant remonstrance from the beach, the
nnlpit. the press and the rostrum against
emotional Justice. That essential part OF
mob roaterial which is composed Of good
citizens should be made to see and real
,ize that, while mob may punish guilt,
its members incur guilt, and that fol
every guilty person purged out OF society
by such means, two or more equally
guilty are brought in. Nothing Is more
Certain than that mob executions increase
the criminal population ofthe State. The
larger the mob and the more secure oi
Immunity, tho more criminals are
lodge d in the bosom Of society and each
man ia no less guilty than II the crime
of The whole mob had been comm itted
by himself alone. This is true both legal.
" and morally. Murder is none the less
wicked because perpetrated by crowd
Nothing would be needed to convert
State into colony OF criminals but thai
its mohs should be large enough and
numerous enough. Whoever is unwil.
ling for the State to become mob, ought
to be unwilling to encourage or share
In mob violence"
So full of wisdom are the words o.
this philosopher and oracle that we quote
again from his speech, and call upon
sensible people everywhere to ask them
selves if his utterance be not true, and il
the condition described may not be near.
er at hand than any one suspects. He
says:
"I exhort and adjure all good citizens
to cooperate with the executive and lu.
dietary in staying. quickly that yiolen,
justice which Is administered by mo6sI
that v Id ando lawless justice which Is
rife in our unhappy country. Children
already born may live to see mobs
mobbed; large mobs may execute small
er ones mobs of one race may rise uI
against mobs OF another race; mobs Of
bad men may become as numerous and
more terrible than mobs Of good men
brute force, through long and bloody
period of disorder, may reign supreme