New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-06-09

4 LESSON ~ CIVILIZATION
4 gentleman who calls himself "A True South
crucr" sends us a marked copy Of The TO-
umhus Ledger" of Columbus, Ga. containing
q four-column pictorial account OF the lynchnS
of two negroes FOR the usual crime, i'll that city
on the morning of June /. With it he SENDS
III. comment that that is the way they treat
negroes under such circumstances. and Asks:
"liavc you any objrctions?'
That question might be- answered both Yes
and No Columbus Ga being part of our
common country. We naturally are concerned
for tho state of civilization there and anxious
for the maintenance Of law and order and IN"
cultivation Of dignity aud dccency in face OF
luadrquatc laws against crime. ON the other
hand We recognize the fact that no savage was
ever vet civilized against his Will that II ~
useless Ia make objections 10 n Zulu against
rcvcrylug himself on his enemies or 10 preach
self control 10 n passionate mob even In eau
caslan community IA for the two negroes
their crime. Ike their death. was horrible, and
there T. no use In wasting pity on them Any
how. they are dead. and II there is anybody TO
b. pitIcd II Il the living who looked on that
srcnc and rloaicd We havo examined with
Interest THE Icdgcrs" account OF the lynch
I'M. md hive thought with what pride the
fathers Of Georgia would direct the eyes OF
their SONG 10 those columns and toach them how
chlynlrous manhood there works its peculiar
institution" for the defence Of society. With
what determination these men proceeded! With
what order and deccncy and solcnnity they
performed IA stern duty, extra legal II Is true.
but A. they felt necessary. What n lesson In
order. self .rcstrnint and dcccncy II was TO the
b.nlghiel blncks so much IN need OF q lesson.
Describing the scene. The Ledger says:
They hung there. nu awful. CORY. hidcous
horrible spectacle. Below was raging. furl
'.ous mnddcned mob Above, swung limp md
''llfclcss two Things which were once human
beings one of them was hardly recognizable
rs n man. 80 far rs his facial features were
concerned His face had disappeared In It's
stead was "A bloody. qulvcrlng. CORY, hdeous
"blauk with the facial features disappeared
"Ruilcts Of vengeance lraden missives OF rage,
.nf hate Of fury. OF vindicntion had obliteru'-
FED them"
one Of the negroes was taken from the
courtroom where he was on trial The day
before the military had offered To guard the
place but the court officers said IL was not
necessary The Ledger says: 1T was good
thing that the military WAS not on hand. Ii
would only have made trouble. SO the mob
gathered outside Judge Butt was on the bench.
and BEGAN 10 try the ease just ms II he expected
10 go through with II. Soon there was an in
tcrrupton. and Judge Butt was heard Of no
more The negro took refuge under the Judges
rostrum He WAS dragged out. The people
had risen in majesty 10 punish him by hang
ing But they could not whit. Before he was
In the street The general desire for pistol prnc
tcc broke out. The firing nccssant. Men
ran beside him aud poured lead into his body.
The dead negro dragged for n block up
"thc street and almost every instant there
"was the sound Of a shot and bullet tore its
"way through It's quvcring flesh" Then he
was hung up
After that the crowd went to the Jail There
the jaer. who wisely says he knew nobody
who called was forced to give up another
negro. who was hung to the same tree. In this
case he was hung alive. but the moment he was
of the ground general pistol practice again
began. and this body was nlso left an unrecog
nzablc mass. The Ledger" remarks that 1t
wns wonderful that none Of the spectators
were seriously hurt" Only n few people were
shot In the heel or had finger blown Off or a
head grazcd by bullet. The account ends AS
follows: Before the bodies were taken down
'many mementOs OF the occasion were taken
by crowd IN shape OF pieces or the stained
"rope and bits Of the negroes clothing"
| Precious bits to hand down to children as n
memorial Of "sccncs unparalleled In the history
OF Georgia" rs 1t Is announced They will he
treasured with locks Of sacred hair swords OF
the Revolution and autographs OF statesmen.
The bloody rags Off mangled negro's body
will be the glorious symbol Of Georgia justice!
II that Is the civilization that Georgia likes. It
IL difficult for outsiders to object. Only we
wonder how far n people can not merely over
step law and rely on mob rulc-that is the least
! part Of the evilbut give itself up to wanton
brutality. to delight in blood, to gloatlng over
horrible scenes to cxuting In vengeance. TO
treasurlng grewsome Objects without becoming
| worse fends than the wretchcs Oh whom II
vents fits savage instincts. We wonder how
| long 1t will be before the Matabeles will be
sending missionaries to Georgia.