The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1893-02-09


Paris is the elimination of this spirit,
long existing in few counties of the
state, msguifed ON a large scale.
Will the legislature stand by and per-
init this condition to continue undis-
turbed, unchanged any longer? | h pc
| not. So far as | am concerned, l be.
iieve that to tire guiItlest cuIprit
that may blacken his hand with crime,
the constitutional guarantees under
all circumstances should he jealOuslv
observed thrOug hOut in his trial and
execution. When any conditions are
made tojustify or excuse a precedent
TO law, others will arise at the con
venience of the murderOus class
The observation of every eX.
perienced man teaches that
when community is infested with
"A mob spirit, legal executions bee
rare and impracticable, il not impos-
a!ble. When murderer on trial
shows that he is before jury, COM
posed OF one or NOR men who have
escaped punishment for an equal
crime, he feels sure of either an ac-
quittal or hung jury. A mob execu.
non is no less than murder execu-
ton. No man or set of men, with
murder upon their hands, are capable
of justly enforcing the laws. A
rule the riffraff, louDging, indOlent,
lawless element of community IN.
spire and lead the MODS, while the
law. abiding, industrious, honest citi-
zen is terrOrized by the s1ectacle. II
people otherwise respectable are led
into the crime by the excitement OF
he occasion, in their cooler moments
they must see that their leaders and
associates are an element Of hardened
criminals. Something should be done
to teach them in advance shat tor
their crimes they must answer at the
bar OF justice. The question is diff.
cult to Oeai with; but if your honor
able body will enact suitable laws
and place the means at my hands
every person who takes part in a
mob shall bH brought to trial, or the
strength of the machinery of justice
shall be thoroughly tested in the ef-
fort Their is no higher obligation
resting upon the legislative depart.
ment than to have the constitutional
guaran ees for protection of life, .iber-
ty and property respected and obeyed.
If taxation becomes necessary to raise
funds by which this may be done, |
advise your honor able bodies to lay it
on and make the people pay 1t to the
full extent necessary.
To aid in suppressing mob violence
in this state respectfully suggest a
law embOdying the following features:
First--That whom any person, being
a prisoner or in Jail or other place OF
confinement, or under arrest or in Of
by or under the authority OF any cnun-
ty. city or state otficer,or is restrained
by virtue of any legal process, shall
be taken from such place or
authority in violation of law, and
put to death, the county within which
person was so held or confined, and
from which he may have been so
taken, shall he liable to pay a specifi
I'd large sum to the surviving bus
b and, wife, children and parents of
said person who shall so suffer death.
SecOnd-Make the county also liable
or damages when any person not be.
ng a prisoner or under legal duress,
! mOhbed by two or more persons,
md the said criminals are not within
/ specified time indicted and prose. |
'uted for their crime.
Third-Make each person or gcorpo-
'ation also liable for damages, who
lakes part in or aids by acts, encour-
ages by words or GESTURES, or who
keeps watch, or in any way abets in
the mobbing of a person.
FOurth-Give the surviving rela-
tivea an action in the district court of
any county where the murder was
committed, or in any county where
either or all of the plaintiffs may re.
side When the action is instituted.
Fiith-Render he sheriff ineligible
to hold his office, and provide
for his re mOval, when a prisoner is
taken from no Jail or from himself or
from any officer or lawful authority in
his presence and is put to death by a
mob.
Sixth-PrOvide for a change of
venue, either before or after indict-
ment in all cases of mob violence.
When passion in it's wild rush for
blood 0veTrdes The law and tramp!es
down the constitution, precedent for
Is set, marking the way for
the destruction Of this government.
Patriotic action on the line of wisdom
and Justice now ecOmHs necessary to
prevent its spread. Repeated overt
criminal acts in this state have sound
ed the warning. The power rests
with your honorable bodies to en-
courage anarchy by silence, or to
crush it by suitable action. Strengthen
the laws, supply tn means; and il the
executive fails to perform his du'ie.
fully under all circumstances then let
him stand condemned as criminal
himself before the civilized world.
Respectfully,
(Signed J. S. HOGG,
Governor of Texas.