The Forrest City times., 1893-05-19

Feopie to Let the Law Take Its Course.
 The Little Rock dailies commented on the Bearden lynching as follows:
 The Democrat said:
 TIME TO CALL HALT.
 The lynching of the three negroes at Bear. ren Monday night was inexcu5able The lynch CTS committed crime against the peace and dignity of the state that deserves the strongest condemnation
 popular young man had been murderously assaulted. The indignation of the community was aroused, and vigilant search was made for the men who had perpetrated such foul crime. Thus far the citizens of Bearden were justifia- ble and would have been justifiable in demand ing swift enforcement of the law when the murderers were captured. But the mob com. mitted an outrage against the laws of the state.
 confession. 1t Is said, was extorted from one of the negroes he being hung up by the neck until he indicated his willingness to talk. What is the value of such a confession? It is said the negro implicated the other two ne. groes who was subsequently, hanged with him. Who knows whether the wretch told the truth or not: In the hope of saving his life he was likely to have told any kind of a story.
 A century or two ago confessions were ex. torted from witches. and they were burned to death or tortured on the strength of such con fessions. Yet who of the present day would believe that such thing as a witch ever ex isted?
 Strong men endowed with force of character have been known to confess to the perpetra ton or complication in crimes which they never committed. Anything to save life. Can 1t be expected that an ignorant negro would be less scrupulouS:
 The other two negroes implicated in the Bearden affair may not have been guilty. The negro who made the first confession may have !.
 But 1t is said they all confessed before being strung up."
 What if they did'
 Their confession may have been true. and then again it may have been that they were terrorized into making any kind of statement the mob wanted.
 If they were the real criminals. and It IS probable they were why not let the law have it's course? They were in custody and could not have escaped.
 Then again the unfortunate young man who was assaulted was not dead. which made the lynching even less excusabe.
 Very few negroes who commit such crimes escape punishment if they are caught. we generally hang or send them to the peniten tiary. The proof is i'll the record Of legal exc cutions in the state and in the roll of conyicts in the penitentiary.
 Why cant our people let the law take us course?
 Such outrages as that committed at Bearden only gives the northern papers. who delight IT slandering the south. ammunition to damn Us with.
 forced and as in Mississippi. punish the lynchers.
 The Gazette said:
 THE BLOODY MOB AND ITS VICTIMS.
 Arkansas has been again dissraced by an other exhibition of mob law. The assault maoe on Jesse Norman in Bearden was cold-Sioodeo attempt to commit murder for the purpose ol robbery The negroes suspected and arrested confessed their crime after they were taken from the marshal's custody by the mob, anc gave the name of the third party. who was aisc captured Then all three were strung up tc telegraph poles.
 If these miserable wretches were guilty-and thero is little doubt on that score-each aho every one would have been punished Dy )uuS' ment of the courts but for the mobs interfer ence There was no excuse-not even lhe shadow of an excuse-for the summary action which has added another contribution to the black record of contempt for the law. The courts are open in every county in Arkansas The judge and prosecuting attorney in that GIT cult are men of ability and courage who nave never yet hesitated in the performance or thelr sworn dutles That is well known throughout the circuit. ana Dy no ptiSoh9 DO'NNt S"S~AA " the lawless clements who usurped the func tions of the law and tramplc, il into the dust under their feet.
 There is but one way to put an end to the acts of the elements who thus disgrace the staI"' Ii can be done only by an uprising ot the Ia" abiding people in favor of law and order. Iney are as ninety and nine on one hundred ot' they are patient and slow 10 move while the death-dealing moo erel eve, ,,.or,,, Tn uarfor,n it's bloody work. The ,eonle aroused and determined. are al-poWer' ful. Before them. when moved to action in be half of the outraged law the mob is helpless and will soon dissolve Public sentiment Is sound to the core but the time has come ID Arkansas when lt must resolve itself into solid. compact, resistless force In maintaining the law.