The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-05-21

staf, came South three weeks ago and
has made persistent broad minded in
vestigation Of racial conditions in the South
particularly in Georga--from the stand
point of political economy. For years DR..
Hepworth has been the leading member
of the Herald's staff. He was for many
years a minister, but surrendered active
religious work ten years ago. He went to
Armenia for the Herald and his summing
up OF the conditions and situation was so
completely fair and logical that even the
sultan did not disapprove.
The burning of Sam Hose alias Tom
Wilkes. was the special lynchlng that
brought DR.. Hepworth South. This lynch.
ing is given much space in this the first
and intensely interesting Ntter OF the
Herald's correspondent. He deals with the
crime and writes of it shudderingly --seem-
ing to admit without saying so tnat IL sur
passed the outrageous ar-compeiilng-ray
ages of the red handed bruLes Wno made
massacres hoGrisn IN Armenia. lie de-
plores the lynchng from every standpoint,
but finds his strongest foothold on the ar
gument that lynchings are barblric and
therefore engender depravity in those who
take part.
When asked what he would do, Or. Hep
worth frankly begs the duekion by telling
what he ought to do.
The letter folows
~
Atlanta Ca, May 10, 1S99--To go South
at this season OF the year is a good deal
like passing through May and half OF
June during a railroad ride OF twenty foui
hours. The changes are so rapid that one
naturally "a
fakir on the train who mas his apparatus
in working order ana is waiting Tor tho
applause OF the passengers In New Jer-
sey the orchards were in travail; in South
Carolina the blossoms were born and In the
full vigor OF their fragrant lie. In North
ern Virginia the leaves on the trees wero
doing their best TO cover the naSodness
Of the branches. but IN Georgia the
branches were invisible, for the clothing
OF the trees was complete, ana they
seemed In a merry mood with their clean,
bright and wellfitting spring suits.
But it is not my business 10 describe the
glores Of the landscape. | have another
task In hand. and one which / approach
with some trepidatioI.
The friendliest relations exist between
the North and South II We are rivals at
all it is In the race for wealth The old
animosites have been buried ten thousand
fathoms deep, beyond the possibility OF
resurrection under any conceivable circunl-
stances. Mason and DiNon's line has been
erased from the map and Daniel Web
ster's eloquent statement The union
now and forever one and lnsoparable. -
has become an accomplished fact
But startling a thrilling and a very
significant Incident had occurred The
country looked on In wonder as Its details
were recited. And yet our apprehension
was excited not so much by the Incident
itself as by the possible causes which lod
up TO 1t and the possible consequences
which might flow from It. Was II the re-
suit OF temporary alteration or did It
indicate a dangerous condition OF society
which rendered such occurrences . neces-
sary evil an evil TO be regretted hut still
an evil which the people were forced 10
accept?
! was cordially welcomed by the people
of Georgia. who are willing to be Judged
provided the judgment Is Just, and who
are more ready to accuse themselves than
we are to accuse them. They take as
grave view Of the situation as we OF the
North do, and as earnestly seek a remedy
for existing evils as the spirit of progress
could desire. ] found every door open. and
neither threat nor caution was to be heard
IN any quarter. have seen judges, law.
yers, officials, physicians, business men
college presidents and professors | have
moreover held long conferences with the
better class OF colored men, and on every
hand was urged to get at the facts with
out fear or favor.
! say this in the Interest OF absolutely
fair play. And il as the result OF my work
am impelled to criticse some things and
to find fault with certain tendencies which
mink are detrimental to the public in
terest, the people of Georgia may take is
sue with me es to statement Of fact or
logical deduction, but am sure they will
give me credit for being entirely lndepend-
emit even in the face Of a hngpitoIItx nh; Oh
might seem to be irresistible but which
was, | well know, not intended TO influence
me In my final judgment
The case of Sam Hose, alias Thoma,
wilkes, has happily one popularity name
ly that II can not be duplicated in tho his
tory Of this or of any other country. His
crime was unique in its hldeousness It's
atrocity was simply unthinkahle and Il
seems necessary to give its salient points
In order that we may understand the inhu-
man vengeance which was wreaked by a
frenzied populace. / am sure of myself
In this recital because ] have conyerxsl
with those who were dlspsssionate lockers.
on In Vienna, and were witnesses 10 All
that occurred. II, however. had the pen
OF Victor Hugo or the descriptive genius OF
Balzac' could not paint picture as lurld
as the reality.
This man Hose was fellow OF infinite
natreds- A thousand insanities surged
through his nature. Physically corrupf In
consequence Of nameless mmoralities. ne
did his farm work with sullen temper.
the consequence of his abnormal condition
and excited the terror Of the Crawford
family whom he served with that care
lessness which Is an element of the South
ern temperament, his presence was en-
dured, but under a constant presentiment
that harm might result
~
On that fatal day he crept into the house
In bare feet. AK In hand, while the father
mother and two children we're at the table.
1t was supreme moment, and the fate of
all four trembled in,the balance. 1t was
a moment of speechless horror TO the wife.
for she saw the murderer, saw the uplifted
ak. but before she could warn her husband
the weapon flew to the mark, swung by
the frenzied arm Of Hose. and buried itself
up TO the handle in his head
Thus for an assassin's work: now for n
aemons. When the victim had fallen Holt
hewed and hacked him as one hews piece
OF timber. An active volcano is sublime
though awful in its destructive power; but
: man acting under the impulsion OF