The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-01-19
sEArrLE TRxDAy. jan 70.
A TYPICAL AxAkCHIsT.

The conviction Of blackburn yesterday
before the United States court Vas good
thing. This Blackburn has for nt least
three years past been writing insulting.
scurrilou. and threatening letters and
sending them 10 various persons through
out TIE country whose political opinions
or pubic action did not please him.
some Of these letters he sent by mail; but
many Of them he sent by messenger TO
persons in this community. He knew per-
fectly we'll that he violated the Lni.ed
States postal laws when he mailed such
letters, Tor IN dispatching his letters IN
this community he was careful 10 send
them by messenger when he could con-
vcniently, but when he wished TO insult
or threaten persons At distance he used
the mails, trusting TO escape arrest and
prosecution. During the last year this
scurriious crank has become embroidered
by immunity from arrest to write with
more frequency and turbulence than he
did 81 the first.
The assassination Of Mayor Harrison, of
Chicago, was executed By a ietter-writing
son with good-humored tolerance. and
Guiteau, who murdered Garfield. was for
fifteen years letter writing crank Of this
sort These fellows gradually through
indulgence Of their morbid egotism be-
come 50 reckless that they put into execu-
ton finally the murderons threats they
had for several years been content TO CON-
NIT to paper. They know what they are
about; they know the law. bat deliber-
ateiy defy il.
This fellow Blackburn knew perfectly
we'll that be was a law -hreaker. for he never
used the mails when he could conven-
icntiy use . messenger boy. in spite of the
fact that Ii was cheaper to mail one Of his
letters than it was TO dispatch IL by mes
senger. He has been convicted. and we
hope he viii get punishment enough TO
teach these letter writing oranks that they
cannot with impuniiy make every man a
target for abusive or insulting letters
whose opinions or public action does not
please them
Nobody rated Prendergsst as any more
than a sc rihhiing. vain and ugly minded
crank until he killed Mayor Harrison, and
nobody knows when such scribbling
anarchist as Blackburn might become q
Gui,eau or Prendergast. ifsuch creatures
are insane, let them be placed In an
asylum, and il they are only ngly-tempered
vain, malicious cranks. let them feel the
switch OF the law TO which thew are re-
sponsibie and for which they express so
much contempt These creatures left
without punishment or restraint grow
more and more vain and lawless, and IL Il.
good education for them 20 be made to nn-
derstsnd that they will not be permitted
90 threaten the lives Of their fellow citi-
Eeas with impunity. Ii they have lost
their wits let them be placed In the hospi-
tai for the insane: ii they are legally re-
sponsible let then, be punished like other
chronic law-breakers aud insulters of the
pue1le peace.
The truth is that these fellows are not
mad al all; they are only malicious ugly
tempered ioaiers, pulled up With morbid
egoiism and arrogance. The difference be-
tween these scrihhling eranks, who con
staa,ly write threatening ls,,ers to public
men. and the bomh-throwing anarchists oi
Chicago. Barcelona and Paris Is only one
OF degree and temperament Salvador
French. who threw tho bombs that killed
twents-tve persons in the Barcelona the
alter November :, ira hts confession eoasted
that he deliberately threw his bombs into
group of women whose dress and level.
indicated thst theys were well.:o-do lie
admitted that he had 40 particular spite
against these peopie except that they were
evidently better oH than himself lie
simply hated these reopls because taes
we're better oft than he Vas aud because
they were Jewels while he was WORTHLESS,
vasaeond. SO this malicious ioafrr and
desdbsat killed these women and then
threw second bomb at another sroup
composed o. middle class people. whom
hs hated, not because they were rich. bat
because they appeared 20 be comfortable
and happy.
These hemicidal anarchists. wheshe,
yea mad ,Aen la ancient or modern his
tory, whether in Europe or America. ara
not tho pro3act, a. some pretend. Of mod
variasiy mixture Of human mad cat
cEiainsi vsgaAond aud lndclens dsSdbest,
valiant, Who threw the bomb ia the
French chamber of depatles. eonfe.sst
thai bis hle had always been that 81 !
ne'er-de-wel and thief Tia; was N,
character Of Rsvachoi. The ~rstehed al
arehis' whe tried to murder Snper.ntena
emf fTleS WAS .oager. beer saloon
ioungeF; his mistress. who waS recently
seat 10 prison Tor aaeendiary speeches, "a,
never working woman. never anything
bat lazy. INDECENT. inssleni wansoa
There Is nos single case q male or femsls
anarchist Who has beea punished fev
crime within the last flity years MAO eoasd
justly claim thai society vas resf~on si.,l,
for his eandass. lie is AWAY. a creature
who from yeutA up has lesa uuwllslns
- work: WAC has reesisea srAan<s society,
not because eslsEed Ho opportunity q
WORK. bat because society has refused e
siys LIN q psas.ea ~ tAas &c eaa.4 ave