New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-08-15
JyNrUJNG NOTE FROM MISSOURI

Klmball Green is an iconoclast who has arisen
at Steelville. Mo. Or. rather, we ought to say he
has come down at Steelve, Mo. Anyway. Kim
ball Green Is at Steevile. Mo. overturning and
demolishing the most sacred traditions OF the
State. In short. Kimball Green boldly questions
the right OF man to lynch his brother man.
What" asks the sturdy citizens OF Steelville,
''is there left u.s.
The facts concerning Kimball Green's de-
parture we find embodied in newspaper dis
pa tch From this 1t appears that some time ago
the Green family afoul OF the law, being
charged with nothing less than the making way
with a neighbor named Hildebrand They were
much surprised at this and asked pathetically II
we are not all enjoned to love our neighbor. and
II the Greens looked like folks that wouldn't do
IT. They nevertheless cast into Jail. the ia
Their and three sons. one Of whom was Kmball.
For some reason not stated. Kimball decided
not to follow longer the fortunes OF the family.
He accordingly applied for and got a separate
trial He was acquitted. This naturally aroused
the Indignation OF the best citizens OF Steeve.
They argued this way: There a circus in
June the county fair is get down for October !.
What Of the long and arid time between? AS
community of free and tax-paying citizens. have
we not right to expect hanging In July
August? There seemed to be but one answer to
this line OF reasoning and the more the citi-
zens thought about it the more incensed they be-
came
Now, as readily may be suspected the citl-
Zens Of Steelvle are not the people tamely 10
submit 10 a manifest outrage. Despotism does
not flourish in the soil OF Steelville. They deter
mined To have the hanging anyhow They ac-
cOrdngly, in the words of the dispatch, went to
his house dragged him to d tree. and strung him
up. leaving him for dead" There about
twenty who took part in these exercises. and they
went TO their homes with the feeling that the ty-
rants heel had. in measure. been removed
from the neck OF Steeve. They had shown the
judge and jury that the time honored outdoor
sports OF their fathers could not be lightly
snatched away from them.
But kimball Green did not enter into the thing
in the right spirit. The longer he hung there In
the darkness by the neck the more convinced he
became that he not being treated right. lie
could not dismiss from his mind the fact that
he had been acquitted by the court and he
seemed unable ~ take "a sufficiently broad view
OF the situation to recognize that there Is a
higher law than the Constitution which at
steelville is public sentiment. 1T isn't a fair
deal" he said to himself. he swung gently In
the night wind III they felt that they must have
something between the circus and the fair they
Ought TO have got up a basket picnic" The long
he remained suspended the more gloomy his
thoughts became. and he at last resolved on a
course OF action.
His hands had thoughtlessly been left free,
from a pocket he fshed out a jackknfe Reach
ing a foot above his head he cut the rope and
dropped gently 20 the ground. He slipped the
rope around, tucked the severed end care
essly into the bosom Of his negllge shirt and
walked home through The woods Here he ate a
piece OF cold possum, left the rope on he dress
ing-case and went to bed.
The next morning Kimbali Green came to
town He wearing his necktie Of the night
before as a guarantee OF good faith But instead
Of laughing the matter on and wishing bis friends