The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1893-06-15
HORRORS OF MOB LAW.
AN APPEAL TO THE PEOPLE TOBE
WARE OF JUDGE LYNCH.

Judge Huds IN In Chsrging n Jury Takes
Occasion to Warn the People Agains,
the Dangers OF the Iufuriat.d d Mob.
DARLINGTON, S. G., June 7.-Cour,
convened here OH Monday morning
Judge Hudson closed his charge to the
grand jury as follows:
81 exhort you, gentlemen of the
grand jury, and you, petit jurors, to
see that th3 law is fcarlesSly, faithful
ly and impartially enforced 50 far as
your duties enable you TO do.
In this endeaVOr all ]aW-abidipp.
liberty loving people should cooperate.
III we ceSSe to be laW-abiding and de-
splSe and defy its mandates and sane.
lions we resolve the community into
state of barbarism, where might
makes right and each man becomes h,s
own Judge and aVenger. Destroy the
confidence of man in his fellows and
teach him TO deSpise the law and the
Courts and you break the bonds which
hold society together and upon which
all government rests for security. The
rule OF the mob is anarchy in its most
alarming aspect. There is nothing so
calculated to spread terror among a
people as the cry Of the infuriat ed mob.
1T is more to be dreaded than the war
Whoop OF the savage, the bugle blast
OIL the roDher band, the roar of the tor
nado, or the silent approach of the
deadly peStllence. These, at ~ oSt, are
temporary, and may be resisted and
checked. They bind man closer to his
fellows and sustain him in his in.
creased reliance upon the laws of God
and man. They call forth the exercise
offhe noblest qualities ofthe soul and
the display of the highest attributes Of
manhood and patriotism in the effort
at resistance and relief. From the de-
VaStatlOnS or tho savage and the ban
dlt, the storm, peStilence and famine
society soon RECEIVERS, anu the law and
government are as strong as before. if
not stronger. Not so with the howl of
the frenzied mob. Its deeds are more
alarming and far-reaching in their eff
fects upon society and government. It,
is vain in land of Christianity, en-
l1ghtenment and good government to
apologize for the eXcesSeS Of the mob,
because the crime Of its victim is afro,
cious. The most heinous and revolt
ing crilues can be eflectually punished
by the law Of the land. Appropriate
punishment is prescribed by statute
against all crimes known among our
people, and the Courts are invested bv
the Constitution and statutes with full
power to enforce the law.
"TheSe reflections are appropriate to
this place and occasion, and are sug.
gested by the alarming progress of mob
law in our State. Until recently the
mob rarely assembled and then always
aimed at secrecy, manifesting thereby
a consciousness Of the laWleSSness of
their bloody deeds. but now the lynch
ers assemble in day light, and, in Open
defiance Of the law and its officers, sIay
their victims. More alarming than the
lYnching itself is the fact that frequent
mass meetings are being held in the
State at which the lynchers are com
mendtd and the advocates of law and
order denounced as er emieS to woman.
1t is indeed time that all citizens of TIE
State should strive to check this ap-
palllng progress OF lawleSsneSs, and to
restore in the minds Of all the people a
reassuring confidence in the law and
the Courts. Mass meetings to denounce
lynch law have been followed by mass
meetings to endorse and commend it,
and thus bitterness and strive have
been engendered and the public mind
excitement and restore reaSOn
"Ihe idea has taken root In the
minds of some of the citizens Of the
State that the death penalty for rape
must be executed by the mob as the
only means of aVenging the wrong
done to innocent woman, and as the
only method of preventing The crime
This sentiment Is entertained by some
good and patriotic men, and IT. cannot
he eradicate by tr'mina'iOn al.I IT,
elimination, inVectiyr lid Vituppra-
ton, but must be done hy reason and
by prompt and rigid enforcement Of
the law against all criminals.
"There is 70 crime so shocking and
alarming as rape. The assault upon
the sacred person of woman arouSes a
feeling of Indignation in the breast of
man and thirst for vengeance far
greater than murder, arson, burglary
or any other crime. The co existence
of the two races intenSiles this feeling
OF indignation many fold when the ne
gro assaults a white woman. All con-
cur in the opinion that the ravisher
should suffer death for lis shocking
crime. and such is TIE law. This eX-
treme penalty is prescribed for rape,
murder and arson, and nc greater could
no tldCleu dSdlISl any crime. nat
the lnt0lerable crime of rape should be
promptly punished ard crushed ont nc
one will deny, and s., too, with murder
and arson. But how shall this he ac
compllshed? Shall it be done by tht
enforcement of the law through ON
courts of justice or by the maddtneC
mobp Here is the vital question, ant
upon it there is wide difference OF
oplnion,a small portion Of our peopl,
thoughtlessly advocating swift execu
tion 10y the mob, but the great body o.
law.ablding citizens rreferring to have
the death penalty executed by tht
Courts and the officers of the law.
Can the peace, happiness and pros
perity Of society he promoted ~ turn
ing loose men with their unhridle(
passions TO set law at defiance anc
take INTO their own hands the extcu
tion of the death penalty against one
charged with or guilty Of this frIghtfu
crime? Is the lustful brute more de
tered from perpetrating this crime by
the hOwls of the iniuriated mob thar
by the solemn sentence OF a Court OF
law. pronounced at the end of fai,
and impartial trial?
But short time ago Il highly re-
spectacle young white lady, IN the
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