Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-02-02
LYNCHING IN ALL ITS PHASES.
A Lecture That Excited an Intense Intere 81
Among a Large Audience.

"
| colored lady. who talks in a calm dignifed and
imprisoned style, but so horrible and full of
terrible brutalites are the stories that she tells
Of the treatment and lynching of the members
Of her race in the south that few could listen to
her without feeling flush of shame overspread
his face that such things still occur in this
/ civilized country. An audience of some
five or six hundred. the majority of whom
were colored. assembled in the Metropolitan
A. NJ. Z. Church last night to hear the lecture
which Miss Wells has delivered in the cities of
| the north with effect on ''Lynching in All Its
! Phase At the close of the lecture such
| the feeling of resentment her words aroused
that the audience was voluntarily turned into
/ a mass meeting and a committee of prominent
colOTed citizens was appointed to wait on men,
bers Of Congress to ask that Miss Wells be given
| an opportunity TO be heard before some COM
| mittee in the hope of starting some legislation
| or sentiment which will put a stop to these
| affairs
Mr.. DOUGLASS INTRODUCTION.
The Howard University Glee Club rendered
/ a selection when Miss Wells arrived and Rev.
Walter Brooks offered prayer. Mr.. Frederick
| Douglass came to the front of the platform and
introduced Miss Wells. He said that he had
often introduced speakers, but never had ne
had the pleasure of presenting TO an audience
one when he felt more in the line with his duty
and in harmony with his own feelings. He be-
iieved that the press mirrored the sentiment OF
a section. and in that connection he read an ex-
tract from the Nashville american on the death
of Gen. Benjamin +. Butler which began The
beast is dead"
such unmitigated and unsophisticated dew
iltry, said Mr. Douglass. 'justifes the belief
that the crimes of which Miss Wells will tell
you are not Unfounded, but real
PERSONAL EXPERIENCES IN MEMPHIS.
al Al
to the personal experience of the speaker in
Memphis and an account of the lynching which
aroused her pen to bitter statements in the
paper she editing there. the final result OF
which was that she was exiled on the threat OF
death and all her property conhscated. Il am
before the American people today. she began.
Through no inclination of my own. but be-
cause of deep-seated conviction that the
country at large does not know the extent to
which lynch law prevails in some sections of
the republic nor the conditions which force
into exile those who speak The truth. cannot
believe that the apathy and the Indifference
which so largely obtains regarding mob rule Is
other than the result of ignorance Of the
true situation. And yet the observing and
thoughtful must know that III one section at
least of our common country government OF
the people, by the people and for the people
means a government by the mob; where the
land of the free and the nome of the brave
means a land of lawlessness and outrage, and
where liberty of speech means the license of |
might to destroy the business and drive from
home those who exercise this privilege contrary
to the Will of the mob.
THE RACE PROBLEM NOT SETTLED.
The race problem has never been settled, !
because The right methods have not been en-
ployed. 1t is the Banquo's ghost Of politics.
religion and sociology. The operation OF law
does not seem to dispose of the negroes fast
favorlte psstime of tine south. As excuse for
the same a new cry, false it is foul, is
raised-a cry which has proclaimed to the world
that virtus and innocence are violated by the
Afro-Americars. who must be killed like Wild
beasts to protect womanhood and children"
Miss Wells then took up the thread of her
personal life and told how she had been born
and reared in the south. Had become a school
teacher In Memphis and later had become the
owner and editor of the Free Speech, paper
devoted 10 the interests OF the cOlored people. |
The paper pTospered and the colored people
began TO look for IL in their homes. This
narrative led up TO the lynching in Memphis OF
three young colored men, the editorials on
which caused the life of Miss Wells to be
in jeopardy and her self-made property
10 be taken from her. The account of this
lynching related by the speaker WAS
thrilling and of such character as
to cause the audience to utter subdued ex-
carnations of horror and surprise. The
negroes could do nothing but leave the city,
and this they determined upon. Thousands
departed, and every branch OF business felt the
change. Two months after the lynching
there were numerous business failures. and
whole blocks Of houses in Memphis were FOR
rent To restore the equilibrium and put a
stop TO the great financial loss the next move
was TO get rid of the Free Speech, the disturb
ing element. On casting about for an excuse
the mob found 1t i'll the following editorial,
which appeared in the Free Speech:
An EDITORIAL THAT CAUSED DIFFICULTY.
The same program of hanging then shoot
ing bullets into the ifeless body was carried out
to the letter. Nobody in this section OF the
country believes the threadbare lie that negro
men rape white women. II southern white
men no: careful they will oyerre ach them
selves ard public sentiment will have re-
action. A conclusion will then be reached that
will be very damaging to the moral reputation
Of their women.
The lecture goes on to give in detail how the
citizens held a mass meeting on this matter, the
editor was looked for and finally the Office was
sold out. Miss Wells continued: Il have been
ceEsUred for writing the editorial in question.
but when think OF those five men lynched that
week. and that not week passes but some poor
soul IL violently ushered into eternity this
trumped up charge, knowing the many things
do. and that the whole race was injured in the
estimation of the world because of the false
reports, could no longer hold my peace, and
/ am sure that If il had to be done over again
would do and say the same thing over again.
TABLE OF LYSCHISGs.
number of cases of lynching were recited,
and the following table Of lynchings was read
1882, 81 1855, 80; 1854 80; 1885, II; 1856, 10;
1851, 20; 1888. ~; 1882 IS; 1890, 100, and 1891,
l69
As a means of correcting this evil Miss Wells
suggested that every one could lend his or her
AID TO arousing in this country a strong senti-
ment again lawlessness. Herein lies the
remedy. and ii is in the reach Of every indiyid-
ual to contribute to this awakening. When a
strong moral sentiment against lynch law as
strong. deep and mighty as that against slavery
prevails 1 have no fear for the result The
lecture closed with the following: II am no
politician. but l believe that if the republican
party had met the issue squarely for human
| rights the result would have been different.
The voice OF the people ia the voice Of God, and
/ long with all the intensity Of my soul for the
| fire and power Of Garrison, of Douglass, of
Phillips. of Sumner, TO rouse this American ma
| ton TO a demand that mob rule be put down
! and equal and exact justice be accorded to
every citizen OF whatever nationality who finds
| u home within the borders Of the land of the
| free and the home of the brave
4 Witnesses Must BE Prompt.
In the Criminal Court. Judge McComas, there
was delay of nearly half an hour in entering