The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-08-03
A MONTH OF OUTRAGES AND LyNCHlNGS.

n MONIn VI OOtVno-o WV
The month of July will be long re-
membered as a month Of unprecedented
outrage of white women by Southern ne
groes, followed by the quick retribution
of lynch law. A hasty examination OF
our files discloses the following lynchings
nearly all being for crime for which
no punishment except speedy death is
adequate:
Birmingham, Ala, July 6, assault, Bill
Thomas.
West Point, Tenn.-July 15-Murder
and assault, Anthony Williams.
Talbotton, Ga, July 1S.-Murder, Dr.
w. l.. Ryder.
Alexander City, Ala, July 81. assault,
George Richardson.
Baldwin, La, July 81, assault, Jack
Davis.
Griffin, Ga, July 90, assault, Oscar
Williams.
Madison, Ky, July %, no charge,
Ephriam Brinkley.
Scott county, Ark, July q, horse thief
In addition to these cases in which
the people took the law into their own
hands, these parties were convicted in
court and sentenced to be hung:
Richmond. Va, July 20-Joe Fife, as
sault.
York county, Va, July 20-Jackson
Wilson, assault.
Decatur. Ala, July 29.-Lewis Thomp-
son, assault.
This list does not include the case at
Kittrell. North Carolina, or other cases
which have not yet come to trial. 1t
would be safe to say that the average
rate has been one assault every two
days in the month. 1t is the highest
evidence of the faith in the law of the
North Carolinians, though chivalrous and
high-spirited as men of other States-that
the Kittrell fined was not swung up
Immediately without process Of law or
benefit of clergy.
The assault at Kittrell and the bring
ing of the brute to Raleigh for safe keep
ing discloses a spirit among the negroes
of this city and State that is in marked
contrast to the law-abiding spirit of the
white people under provocation that
was well-night overpowering. The
white people of Vance county rallied
and sent the ravisher to Raleigh that
he might have full benefit of the law.
Did they do this because they palliated
his heinous crime? Not at all. They
preserved his life because they depre-
cate mob law, having confidence that
the law in due form will speedily pre-
vail and that he will pay the penalty
of his crime with his life.
This self repression on the part Of the
people of Vance county, hot with righte-
Gus indignation, stands out in strong
relief against the background of the
expressed sympathy for the negro brute
on the part Of some members Of his
race in Raleigh. There has not been a
moment when if the desire to lynch had
existed, it could not have been carried
into execution. A crowd of negroes in
Raleigh, on both nights since the man
has been in Jail, have lowered about the
court house, ready, some of them said to
defend the prisoner if attacked. On
Sunday night they sent committee to
the S. A. L. vestibule train from the
North to ascertain if any large party
left the train at Raleigh. If so they
were ready to stand by the one against
whom they alike with whites should
have felt incensed. Was this because
they loved law and order? Was it be-
cause they had any ground for believ-
ing white people, who had shown mar
vellous self repression, were trying to
lynch the man? No. 1t was because
he was a negro. If he had done some
good deed, not p dozen of the watchers
about the cou, 'se would have met
him and shown 2ourtesies while in
1AdlCiShs l. "Chty piu NV ave pCCh
gotten together to do honor to an educa-
tor of the race, but the negro rapist has
a body guard all night long. What i'm
preston does this make on low and de-
PRAYED negroes? They argue naturally
that if they go and do likewise, they
will also command the sympathy and
protection of their race. Their pre-
sence not only has this dangerous ten
dency, which the good men of the race
will deplore, but it naturally irritates law
abiding white men whose respect for law
has been put to the severest test. 1t
cannot be said that it is a precaution
against lynching, for there has been no
suggestion of lynching the scoundrel.
Even if there had been such suggestion
the presence Of the military is worth
hundred men without training in arms.
The truth is that the presence of the