The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-07-11
THE 0UTBREAKOFMOBLAW
rs THE LAWS DELAY REsPoNsIBEE
ron RECENT LYNCHINGsf

ron RECENT LYNCHINGs9
The Spirit or the Mob In the Urbane AMIR
illustrations OF Lynch Law In Kentucky, at
Key west nnd Eisewhere-A JudEe In Ala.
bamn who DcrouHces LynchinEs Openly.
Tho unprecedented epidemic of mob violence
that has prevailed in all parts OF the country
since tho unfortunate affair Mt Urbana, o., on
June 4, has called out from tho newspapers q
variety or opinions, which, as a composite pio-
ture. would rival any Chinese puzzle that could
be evolved out Of Doycrs and Mott streets. The
yellow Journals OF Now York, which habitually
teach disrespect FOR law and legal authority
and incite tho passions of tho masses"
against the Glasses" as they are pleased
to phrase distinctions not recognized In
our republican system of government, have
found themselves compelled to donounce mob
law, but they have softcnod tho condemnation
by setting up the plea that there would BIO no
lynch law II criminals wore promptly tried and
convicted and sentenced for their misdecds.
And this absurd apology for mob law, which was
started in the South. was presented by this class
of journalism In discussing tho UrbanR lynch
Ing, whom all the facts In that case were OPP
posed to my such plea in indirect justification
Of lawlessness.
There was no delay in the operation OF the law
In tho case Of Click Mitchell. He was promptly
tried and convicted, and sentenced to prison
Tor q term Of twenty years. the maximum
fixed by the law Of Ohio for the crimo OF criminal
assault; but this fact did not allay the mob
spirit in the least. The mob attacked tho jail,
overawed tho militia, and defed the civil
authority. and, securing the miserable wretch.
did him to death. As the laws delay could not
be set up by the Urbana mob, the excuse was
made that tho punishment fixed by tho law Of
the State for the crimo of rape does
not At the case There ia n reasonable
difference OF opinion among the thought
full people of all the States as to tho
wisdom and the restraining influence Of capital
punishment. I believe that the man who as
Baults a woman should DO hanged; but he should
have n fair trial, SO that his guilt could be estah-
lished beyond tho shadow Of q doubt, and this 10
just what a majority of tho lynchers insist that
they do not want and will not have. They
declare in the States where imprisonment ia
prescribed as a sufficient punishment that they
lynch the criminal because he should be hanged
by legal process, and in the States where hang
ing IL prescribed, they insist that the accused
s sompei i ,{ht fo a because in no co %Ema nps shoIia tS pc
n, man l.. who 1bo, has OUTRAGED SgoS her. Reduced tsd
theory that 1t is superior to the law and to legal
restraints. and thai a person accused Of rape or
murder or chicken stealing. or any other crime
ter is regarded. the mob theory is destructive Of
III thC hiS utI III boCitty u tliEOWu
against the strong, of tho inncoent against ID lis
In the case of George Green Dining, at Frank.
lin, Ky. the civil and military powers of the
violence, which threatened him because. in de-
tending himself from an attack BY n mob, he
WIFI Mbiie thS pfi9Tef tbis man aPFG fbe @Iit,iS si aiiesrs
were openly assailed, and derided by the mob
inclined portion of the populace. and an unspc.
commander of the militia. The court was able
TO try the man only by reason of the strong
that II he were found inn9Sent and discha, gcd
black man has no right whatever. in the
estimation of the mob spirit Of Ken,
sb%skf The 10 mo RBt0''Dfai nn hl@'e Was from Sanvic ssedene &c
killing Farmer Jodie Conn. who had sought to
years. 81 IN Prison. me S Seca Ssa't the court 20 'Sa@ AFRAID IL ssif to
find him innocent and discharge him. although
Il was given out from time to time that the evi-
in the face Of this and other related facts. it is
expected that Gov. Bradley viii pardon tho man.
took to intimidate the militia at Franklin are
described in The public prints as prominent
ing. They are not classcd as the hoodlum ele-
ment OF the population.
by col. e. e. b. "f Pe pdisipisa' who o. r Sss eI gained fnad
much potoriety By, getting himself tangled up
He arose in the Court House while the hearing
was in progress and called for volunteers to
lyNTn one SylNhnuS Johnson, CnhrRcu Win com
uniting a criminal assault, upon Q white woman.
Several Eootecitizcns were killed or wounded Ms
less act, but he came ont of the turmoil a hero
in the eyes Of his fellow citizens. instead of
being branded as This man had been
West. He had been a light unto the community.
lie should have been the most nc lous man in
the island city to urge the maintenanee of the
law and respect for the Judge on the bench.
Instead, no did not hesitate TO fly in the face OF
community. so that appeal had to be made 10
the Governor fo- assistance TO maintain public
order. and the Governor in turn WAS persuaded
to appeal TO the President OF the United States
for assiStance. But ii docs not appear anywhere
placed su nRde Ha arrest s 1ai' tined or fnnnfstSm d fo or
contempt OF court, Had the Judge done this
there would have been no riot and murder. On
the contrary, Pendlcton WINS allowed to go At
large. with the resulting riot and murder. The
troops were not asked for to punish Pendleton
ance. but to ovorawe and punish tho black men
who resented, the conduct Of Pendleton and
tho dignity of his court and the majesty Of the
law, Pendleton and the other white men who
lice. but tho blacks whom his indiscretion pro-
EShksdd VIII II. be apprehendad and pdi,ttfriscd and pun.
has been done in all the States Of tho South. and
done so persistently that the blacks have como
u Sio 5esi ,h of the they m haze r ro p matysI Is from pSf , iSs
they are goadcd to violence occasionally. but
that they are not kept busy T%Ssenting the ire.
the right and tho left cheek.
At Crystal Springs. Miss. John Moses. who
was accused OF numbering a prominent Citi-
zen" was taken from the protection of the legal
authorities and hastily done to death before the
troops that had been asked for could reach the
point. while a preacher who swore to the limo.
cence OF Moses was taken in hand by the mob
and numerically beaten. Parry Gillian was
taken from the Monroe County Jail. in the same
state. and lynched. lie was charged with hav-
ing robbed a white woman and with crawling
over her bed In his efforts TO get out Of tho
house, at OkolOna,
All these acts of lawlnssness, and many others
not here enumerated. occurred in the month of
June. They occurred in widely separated States
ana In cases with which the law was capable Of
dealing in every instance.
Judge j. NJ. Carmichael Of Alabama appears
TO possess the spirit OF hcroism. In a long ar
ticle IN the Montgomery DdiIU advertiser no
takes. into consideration the whole subject of
mob law and unhesita!ingily condemns IL in all
lts phascs. He says: "Why should the law he
disrcgnrded and these shgmeful murders be
tGmmitted In open dayliShlf And they, say
Thai II Is largely due to the laws delays and
that is paraded through the country. in tho no.
tells. upon the public highways. and In the col
nmns OF newspapers. as an excuse for these
6einous murders. Is H. true that lynchings are