Birmingham age-herald., 1895-07-14
THAT PREACHERS LYNCHING
A Mass Meeting of Negroes at Lake City Fla, Is Addressed by State Senator
 Palmer.

Lake ICity, Fla. July 19.-A mass meeting of negroes, which was attended by many whites, was held here this after noon to condemn the lynchng of Rev. Robert Bennett, the negro preacher, who was dragged from the pulpit by a mob on the morning of July 4. State Senator E. II. Palmer was present and addressed the negroes He condemned the lynch ing and crime that leads to it. He point ed out, amid cheers from all that every race on earth is measured by the chasti- ty of it's women, and that through them the race must rise, if at all. He pointed out the inevitable of race strife and the futility of blacks should they engage in it, and closed by saying, Let us live to- gether in peace"
 Justice Parneli, who issued the war rant for Bennett before he was lynched was present and told all he knew of the affair, and also what evidence there was against Benett. He said Bennett had been in the habit of taking improper lib- oerties with Alice, the 11-year-old daugh- ter of Brantley Paggett, of Suwanee county and had actually on one occasion attempted the perpetration of the crime, which was not discovered for some time afterward the child fearing to tell. This is the reason Bennett remained at Pad gett's from June to July after the offense and also the reason for the tardiness of vengeance.
 On motion of colored participants the following mixed committee of seven was appointed by the chairman to draft reso- lutions appropriate to the occasion and matter in hand: Hon. A J. Henry Col B. H. Palmer, Mir J. w. Perry, Rev. A. B. Dudley. Rev. A. D. Holland, John Jones, Sr., and William Tarver. The first three are white and the last four olored.
 The committee presented the following resolutions, which were unanimously adopted:
 Whereas, on the 4thday of July 1885, unknown parties from Suawanee county invaded our borders and took from Hope Henry church one Robet F.. Bennett, well-known citizen of our county, and without authority of law, hung and shot him to death; therefore be it
 Resolved That we, the citizens of Co., lumbia, county, in mass meeting as- sembled do hereby give public expression of condemnation of so unlawful an act and stamp the same as an unwarranted violation of law; that we have confi- dence in our courts and citizens to in- force the law in all such matters and to bring to speedy trial and punishment and offender against the virtue and chastity of our women; that lynching is nowhere justified by law. nor should it be pallated by the good citizens of our county and state. and we now call upon the governor of our state and all the officers whose duty it is to enforce and carry out the law, together with all good citizens everywhere. to use their best endeavors to stamp out this grow ing evil in our midst. We believe that one legal inflicton of the punishment pro- vided by law when visited upon law breaker against the virtue of our women would have better effect upon the morals of the public than dozen lynch- ings.
 Facts relating to Napoleon are not bounced upon more eagerly than deli- cous biscuit made with Dr. Prices Cream Baking Powder.