The evening times., 1896-07-24
SAKS'
NOT A RACE QUESTION.
Whether the Victim Is White or Col
ored, Lynching Outrages Society.
Bargains are big bargains.


Editor Times: In your morning edition OF
July 20, under the head of The MontGon-
cry Lynching," II find the following:
1T is exceedingly unfortunate that at the
meeting of coiored men which was held a
few nights ago the lynching of Sidney Ran
dolph by the Montgomery CO unity mob should
have been treated as a race question. To
put IL upon that plane beiittles its impor-
tance. 1t matters not whether the victim
OF mob violence is white or black, red or
yellow his murder is an offcnse not against
race. or sect. or nationality, but against
tue established order of society"
This is the only sense in which the crime
of lynching should be viewed. 1t is true
that more than 199 per cent of these un-
happy and outraged victims are co.o-ed
men: yeti can never regardthe crime in any
other light than as put by The Times Coi-
ored men lower themselves in the estiina-
ton OF the enlightened public when they
take such narrow view of the degree. scope
and range o. such willful and premedtated
violations of law and order.
| The iynching of Cooking was Just as
/ high a crime as that of Randolph There
! appears to be no difference between them
in the criminal code. Both equally call for
the public condemnation and the Just pun
ishment OF the wicked perpetrators of the
crime. Every murderer should be appre-
hended and punished
Lynching should not be tolerated. HUI
man life should not lie taken without pro-
| cess of law no matter what the crime with
which the culprit is charged. Were lynch
| ing even justifiable in the cases of Cooking
| and Randolph, sufficient evidence in neither
| CO Sc has been adduced 10 satisfy Inc OF the
guilt of either. Thus the IRA tion:il Con-
duct of the lynchers renders it possible
| for the real guilty parties to go free, while
| by their conduct they (the lynchers, swell
/ the number of red-handed murderers that
| stalk around us and mingle in our society.
just think OF it, that many, very many.
| OF these murderers are swells in our high
| est social circles. The course taken by
Coz Lowndes is highly commenda BILE.
Had the governors of all States In which
| the number OF murdercrs in the State is
| increased by adding the lynchers TO their
victims, who can harm no more. taken the
| same or Il similar course to Maryland's
| governor, this diabolicai crime would long
since have been lessened in our minds
| Gov Lowndes writes me:
| Executive Department.
Annapolis, Nd, July IL. 1896.
flames W. Poe, ESQ.,, Washington. D. C.:
| My Dear sir-I have your favor OF tire
sth instant. and. as you know. have Of
| fered a reward for the lynchers in Mary
land 1 sincerely hope they can be dis
covered and punished.
"Yours Very Truly,
| LLOYD LOwNDEs-"
This letter speaks for itself, aud it is D
| worthy example to be followed by the ex-
ecutive OF any State in which the high
crime of murder is committed. Whenever
this class of murderers find that they viii
be hunted down by the civil authority upon
executive sanction backed by rewards
they will desist from the rerpetra tion or
crimes which pollute the fair reputation
OF the State and which is an insult to the
courts of justice.
JAMES W. POE,