The Washington weekly post. (Washington, D.C.) 1878-1916, 1899-05-02
A SUGGESTIVE AFFAIR.
Reflection oG Southern Newspaper on the
Recent Isnchinc at GAlsaa. Haas.

Recent Lynchinr at GaIsna. ksas.
Frum th- ctarission Ness and Csgrisr.
a Dispatch from Galena, kaus-. reports
that a mob shot Charles Williams 10
death IN the eity jail or Wednesday for
killing Laura Canatan two days before.
The Circumstances Of the wornan's
death are not reported. but Il appears 10
have been simply case of honicids, and
the DISPATCH adds but few particulars Of
the iynching OF her slayer The mob was
composed OF about twenty-five masked
men," who went to the Jail In daytime
and broke the door IN. The FIRST man
had az AK, the second a rope. and the
third carried a pistol Williams vas
locked IN his cell but the lock vas quick
ly broken. AMI be was ordered 20 come
out This he very naturally refused 10
do ''The man wEo carried the revolver
then began shooting through the bars.
-Four shots took effect, killing Williams
instantly" The mob then dispersed
quietly. and "a Coroner=s jury found that
Williams came to his death from the ef-
fects of pistol shots from unknown per-
sons" NO arrests have been made"
The proceedings. as will be noted. were
all perfectly regular in character. and
there vas only one feature Of the Incl
dent. indeed, to entitle it TO special con-
sideratiOn- All the persons concerned IN
it-Williams. his victim, and the mob
we're negroes
In view of this fact. the affair. Of
course, viii not receive the kind and de-
gree OF attention which would have been
given TO ii if Williams, or his victim. or
both, had been OF the white race; but il
still suggests some interesting questions
One Is: Would the CorOner's jury and the
community have dismissed the matter 50
lightly If Williams had been a white
man? No arrests have been made q"
Would any have been made If a white
man had been lynched in the city jail,
or elsewhere, by a mob OF twenty-five
masked negTOesT' Is the crime OF the
lynehers any the less or any more TO be
Winked at by the Coroner's Jury and
other authorities because their victim
was of the same color as the mob? II
so, how far Is this principle to be ex-
tended2 Are negroes everywhere to BE-
allowed 20 lynch negroes with impunity
in the same circumstances which are held
TO warrant white men In lynching both
negroes and white men? And if twenty
five negroes are 10 be permitted to lynch
one at their discretion, with the assur-
ance Of blind verdict from the COroner's
jury. and Of no arrests 10 follow. are
twenty, ten, or five to have the same
license-as it is conceded in effect TO
white men? Or is the privilege of mob
murder to be restricted to white men?
1t seems to us that these are pertinent
questions. and of general interest. NE
groes," as is very frequently and truly
said of them. ARE very initiative in their
disposition. They follow the example Of
their white neighbors in many things
Are they TO be allowed to follow the ex-
ample of many OF their white neighbor5
in the respect Of lynching men-of their
own race, at least-who have committed.
or are charged with committing, serious
crime, or who are obnoxious to them for
any cause?
The conduct of the twenty-five men at
Galena, and Of others of their race at
other places. shows that some of them
are disposed to adopt this view as to
their privileges. What view are We TO
take?
Are we to assume and insist that the
right of lynching, administering the ex-
IRENE penalty of lawleSs law, pertains to
the superior and more civilized race. only?
That what is murder when committed
by black mob or by a party of black
men Is not murder, and not a crime in
any degree. but a dispensatiOn of justice
when committed by white mob or
mere handful OF white men? That we ex-
peet more of self-control-more of re-
spect for life and the forms of law-more
Of the spirit of oivilization-to be exhib-
tied by negroes than by their white ex-
emplars? 1t is the simple statement of
fact TO say that white men in the South
have been for years, and are still, setting
the negroes among US almost daily ex-
amples Of lynching for every degree of
onense, or for none. and Of every degree
OF cruelty. Are We 10 permit our apt
pupils 10 apply the thousand lessons we
have taught them; aud ii SO, what is the
END to De-for them and US? The Kan
sas lyncnlng appears to raise the question
fairy. How is IL 10 be answered?