Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1895-05-30
TWO SIGNIFICANT LYNcHINes.

mitted an outrageous assault on two
young ladies in Danville. Ill. Early
Saturday morning the Jail in which
they were confined was stormed by a
party of indignant citizens and the
prisoners were taken out and hanged.
Before the jail was broken the judge
of the circuit court appeared on the
scene and begged the mob to allow the
law to take its course. The leaders
replied, "Yes, we know the jury will
convict them and you will give them
a severe sentence, but Governor Alt
geld will pardon them out. He re-
Gently pardoned three brutes you sent
up from Champaign county for twenty
years, and he will pardon these men.
If any other man than Altgeld were
Governor, we would not lynch them. -
A colored man named Henson was
recently convicted and sentenced to be
hanged, in Howard county, Md, for the
murder of his employer under clrcum-
stances of peculiar atrocity. Though
he was ably defended and found guilty
by an impartial jury after fair trial,
determined effort has been made IN
the last few days to convince the
Governor that he was insane, no less
than four experts having been enlisted
in the cause. 1t was generally be-
lieved that his sentence would be COM
muted; and on Tuesday morning he
was taken from the jail by party Of
men and lynched. Pinned on his
breast, the following placard app cared:
eve respect our court and judges.
Governor Brown forced the law-abid-
ing citizens to carry out the verdict Of
the jury"
We need not discuss the question
whether lynching is ever Justitable Ill
the abstract; we only wish to deal with
the facts attending such mode of
punishment for crime. Heretofore it
has been excused on the ground that
the administration Of the laws was un-
certain or impracticable, as in a new
or unsettled country; or else that a
crime had been committed against a
woman, for which every human in
stinct demanded the most summary
vengeance.
But in the cases above cited we have
an occasion for the lynching which is
altogether novel. The threatened
abuse of the pardoning power was the
excuse given in each case; and we
cannot believe that men would will
fully take the life of human being
upon such a pretext unless they were
absolute sincerein their apprehenslons.
Much will be said and thought
about the moral aspects and effects OF
these two events. Their practical les
son, however, is simply this: There Is
in the people at large stern and Wig
orous sense of justice which cannot be
outraged with impunity, whether by
lawyers, courts or governors. 1t Is
necessary that some tribunal, other
than the courts, should be invested
with the power to pardon. But, In
the interest OF law and order, it is I'M
safe to entrust this power to single
man who, on the one hand, may be
swayed by political considerations
as we believe the Governor of Illinois
has been heretofore-or who may be
unable to withstand the pressure OF
petitions signed by soft-hearted OF un-
thinking people. 1t is impractioable
to legislate on the causes for which
pardons may be granted. But the
power to grant them should be vested
in a commission of several members
who are prohibited from holding any
political Office at the same time. The
cases mentioned show that when re.
posed in the Governor of a State it may
become serious menace to the peace
and good order Of society, and func'
ton which may prove fatal to the rep
utation of him who is commanded to
exercise it at his discretion.
THE Democratic plurality in Mary.
land in 1892 was over 10000; in 1894
it was 1000. This vast decrease was
not the result of any change in the
votes from Democrats to Republicans
II .. L. J., ~ = ,,or,,,o1 &C ~ oreo >, ! ,