Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1897-02-25
ORIGJNOFLYNCHLAW
i IS CLAIMED BY IRELAND AND THE
UNITED STATES.


law, of the United States to hang soma
criminals without the formality of trial
by jury.
Lynchbufg, Va, advances q claim to
the originality Of the idea, and tho claim
10 skillfully maintained by reference to
we'll known facts that actually existed
prior to and during tho Revolutionary
war. At that period the country was thin
~ settled and the founts of justice few
and far between. Desperadocs and Tories
Of guerrilla type, taking advantage of
the unsettled condition of affairs, plum
dered, robbed and killed indiscriminately
wherever and whenever they pleased. A
officer of the patriot Ameri-
can army, Colonel Charles Lynch, organ
lied protective force, arrested the out
laws, and at a sort of drumhead court mar
tial first satisfied himself and bis comrades
IS to the guilt of the accused and then
hanged them to the nearest tree without
reference to the constituted authorities.
At first this was known as Lynch's law,
and the term has gradually become podi-
fed into what we know today as lynch
law. T'-- '''--, -
Colonel Lynch's brother founded Lynch
burg, hence the name of that old town.
Now, as in fact nearly all of our law,
both civil and military, comes from the
other side of the water, they, too, over
there, have claim that lynch law origi-
mated with them: and in proof of the asser-
ton recite a very curious historical tradi-
ton which occurred during the reign of
the seventh Henry in England. The sys-
tenn OF government was not then as COM
pletely developed in Europe as it is today,
for baronies, cities and leagues, although
often subservient to one great centralized
power, were in a measure independent of
outside control and managed their own
private affairs almost exclusively, except
during general CT foreign war, when
they united forces for mutual protection.
Galway, in Ireland, was one of these cities,
and Mayor James Lynch FitzstepheEs was
the great Lii Hung Chang. or chief mogul,
who was not only supreme judge, but also
commander Ct tie militia, Chief comptrol-
Ter of finance, director CT commerce, and
In fact the holder of all tie political
plums worth having.
Mayor James Lynch Eitzsteplens found
1t necessary to send his eldest son to Spain
on commercial NISSAN. Tho boy was of
a wild, reckless disposition, and instead of
attending to bis fathers business, straight
way got on y tear and soon squa pdered the
funds intrusted to him in the widest sort
OF dissipation. This compelled him to Dor
row large si.nl of money FROM Il merchant
to whom he was accredited, and the usual
result followed-that of giving notes bear
Ing his fathers name, every one q forgery.
However, with this money the young man
concluded his business arrangements, and
when he embarked for home the nephew
OF the money lender accompanied him back
to Ireland, where he was to receive pay
ment for the loan.
Young Lynch was in box. There was
no way he could personally settle SO large
a debt, and be dared Lot avow his defaica-
tlon to his father. So one night, while
calmly sailing across the bay of Biscay, be
induced some of the crew Of the vessel to
assist him, bought the silence Of the rest,
and then the young Spaniard was seized,
bound hand and foot and quietly tossed
overheard. The ship belonged to the muir
derer's father, the seamen we're in his en-
ploy, and Spain was far distant. Return
Ing to Galway, he told his father tale of
how the young Spaniard had started with
him, but that q gale had blown the for
efgner overheard, never mentioning, how
ever, the matter of debt.
Years passed on, and James Lynch Fitz-
stephens, Jr., now prosperous merchant,
became as widely respected as his father,
but it was remarked that he cid no bust
ness whatever with the Spanish houses.
One day he-elder J. Lynch Fitzstephens
received q pressing summons tc attend tie
deathbed of one of his old seancn, who
had served him long and faithfully. In
PEELED by remorso, the dying man let the
cat ont of the bag, confessing the whole
villainy Of the mayors only sen and told
of his share in the crime 1t was fright
full blow, but the old man deterinired to
do the right thing, cost what it might.
His first act was to arrest his SCH, whom,
despite the entreaties of his wife ard rela-
lives, he committed to prison OH the charge
of murder. The next, to secure other evi-
dence, which was obtained in the persors
Of four or five survivors and eyewitnesses,
those who had not taken part in the crime,
but merely looked on; the accomplices,
strangely enough, had either all died or
left for other parts. $780,.
. The mayor, by virtue Of his Office, pre-
sided at the trial, beard the verdict of
guilty and pronounced sentence Of death
on his son. Few persons believed the SELL
tence would he executed, and many re-
solved that it should not. "Neither the
laws of God nor man can demand such O
sacrifice at the hands of a father, ''athey
"for 1t is horrible, wicked and
against nature, and, after all, it was only
The carcass Of hated Spaniard in the bal
ance against his own son. r. -'e-.5
No use. The judge was steel, and he
set the day for the execution. Then the
women took hand. Mother, sisters and
relatives -canvassed the community, and
ehe result was that on the morning when
The mayor-judge appeared with his sou,
by the officers of justice, on the
way to execution, a rush was made by u
large crowd of citizens, who had formed
Tor rescue. --'.-~rf2s - -
; Unable to contend against such num-
bers. the resolute old man ordered the cul-
prit taken back into the house, where he
had been kept since the trial for greater
security against escape or assistance The
mayor was the last to retreat, strongly bar
ring the door behind him and securely
the windows. The mob set up
> shout, for they supposed they had sue
needed In preventing a hanging, but little
man. In few minutes prisoner and judge
appeared at an upper window. The crowd
below were stricken speechless at what
they beheid. They saw the mayor himself
Ok stout rope around the neck of his son,
who made no resistance, and, after en- brac-
Ing the latter once, resqlutely launch him
Into eternity This act of stern Justice SO
them that they dispersed in ST.
lenoe. <
Z, After the death Of his son Judge James
Lynch Fitzstephens resigned his office and
spent the few remaining years of his life in
retirement and prayer.-St Louis Globe
Democrat.
Genuine Hospitality.
"Talk about hospitality" remarked a
broken down actor, "the place to find it is
In the far west. The last tilro was out
there we were playing 'Unclc Toms Cab
In with a real mule We played to fair
business and paid our bills until wo reach
I'd Red Bluff. There the owner Of the
opera house had q piano for an orchestra.
and it stood just below the STAGE When
the mule came on, some one in the audi
ence got funny, and, throwing lariat
around the neck of tho animal, pulled him
Of the stage The mule and the piano
4; oL A.