The Russellville Democrat., 1893-05-04
THURSDAY, MAY 1. 1893.
THE SUPREMACY OF THE LAW.

The consensus of opinion touching the lynching of Flanigan Thornton at Morriton is highly creditable to the people of the State. Not a sin gle expression has come under our observation tending to justify or ap- prove the crime, on the contrary the condemnation has been so general and so pronounced as to leave no doubt as to the status of public sen timent in regard to the outrage.
 Judge Wallace's charge to the grand jury which investigated the matter was clearly to the point and bristled with argument against or ganized ruflianism and in favor of the supremacy of the law.
 In delivering the charge Judge
 Wallace spoke as follows:
 You have been specially empan- nelled to examine and investigate one of the gravest crimes eever com mitted in the annals of your county. It strikes at the very foundation of society and which if tolerated and persisted in, would result in its over throw. Society was formed to pro teet the weak and repress the az gressions of the strong It was formed upon the principle that the united hand of all would be raised for the protection of each of it's indi- yidual members. The object was to establish a uniform rule by which the action of all should be regulated --the high and the low without dis tinction. In consideration of the protection of organized society each individual becoming member thereof surrendered portion of his natural rights. In state of nature, man rested the defense of hls person on his own strong hand, but in state of society ne looks to the law for his protection, and should our faith in it's efficacy weaken, the end designed in it's organization fails then every man would be thrown back into state of nature and an archy, and demoralization follows as a result.
 In the case before us Flanigan Thornton was in the custody of the sheriff, shackled and manacled. He was deprived of his liberty and ey cry means of self defense Thus sit uated, he had a right to expect the protection of the law, for the law had deprived him of all power off protecting himself. But at the dark hour of midnight when all honest men were at repose, band of law less men, perhaps not exceeding a half dozen irresponsible parties, stole to the prison cell of Flanigan Thornton and the next morning he was found hanging by the neck in one of the most public places in your city This jury is called on to fix the odium of this lawlessness where it belongs This community is not responsible for it. l do not believe there were more than half dozen (and they irresponsible) engaged in it; certainly no good citizen. Let us visit the guilty parties with a punishment adequate to their crime. ! The law mus be avenged with speedy execution of its offenders . The perpetrators of this dastardly crime stand out wholly inexcusable | Mob law is at no time justihable, ! but there are occasions when it meets the response of a strong pub /. lie sentiment But for the murder Of Flanigan Thornton there is abso lutely no excuse, and meets with none but a murdeTous response. He had been indicted for murder in the second degree, the extreme penalty of which is twenty-one years in the penitentiary. The court adjourned until yesterday morning for the pur pose Of trying him and visiting him with speedy punishment if guilty.
 In this state of affairs a lawless band of men entered the jail where they found Thornton manacled in his cell In a helpless and defenseless condition. removed him therefrom