The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1899-03-22
Wednesday, March %, 1899.
The Lynching at Palmetto. Georsia

The Lyuching at Palmetto. Georgia.
Las. Thursday night In Palmetto, little
town in Georgia, nine negroes were unoer
arrest, and tied together. charged Win arson.
One of the negroes had confessed, ana lmpii'
Gated the others In the burning OF houses.
Halt dozen white men were guarding tne"
In a room. About one o'clock In the mgr q
number Of masked men entered the oulialns'
made the negroes stand up, and "nen tne
assassins were ready. they fired, and four Oh
the negroes fell, dead, another was 1alaliy
wounded; two were less dangerously "ouno'
ed. two escaped with bad scare. Inc man
who confessed TO conspiracy for arson, and
WAS the witness against the others, was
among the slain.
The newspapers are now busy delivering
their old stereotyped sermons on lynching.
Instead of remarkiug upon the lacs OF a
performance OF duty on the part OF the known
members Of the guard, the newspapers, as lar
as we have noticed, have attacked the un-
known ~ assassins in general terms.
Our own opinion is. that the men who were
entrusted with the protection and care OF the
prisoners are responsible for the murder, and
they. are scarcely less culpable than the
alleged unknown" men who fired the fatal
shots. II 1t was possible for the guards TO be
surprised, It is certainly improbable that
they we're taken unawares. It is certain that
no report is made Of even a protest against
the murder, and 1t is certain that we have no
evidence that they fred single gun In de.
fense OF their helpless prisoners.
A mob Is always coward. and that aggre'
CATION Of men, who assemble for lawless
Oh To Win 70
even the show OF resistance. Six men, who
were faithful totheir trust, should have, and
could haye, protected their prisoners.
There is not q mob on the face OF the earth,
that will attack six well armed officers who
who are determined to do their duty.
Was there collusion between the guards
men and the mob who murdered the helpless
Victims?
II there was collusion, We are incompetent,
to properly characterize the act.
II there was not collusion, and the guards.
from fear to do their duty, allowed their pris-
oners to be murdered in cold blood, without
the firing Of gun in their Defense our
knowledge Of the words of the English Ian.
guage Is inadequate to describe their conduct.
AS long as the statutes OF the country ex.
cuse the officers Of the law for surrendering
their prisoners to be murdered, and as long
as public contempt is withheld from such
unfaithful officers, we may expect to hear OF
lynchings and assassinations.
1.-THE guards were overpowered" Is stereo.
typed expression, and 1t is statement which
is absolutely false. The guards may surrend-
or their prisoners TO be murdered, but no
guard Of six men were ever overpowered by
mob.
mob being essentially timid, 1t is not In
the nature Of things that they would attempt
to carry out their murderous designs on pris-
oners that are in the hands of men who are
armed with shot guns and backed by the
authority Of law, are determined to do their
duty.
The Governor of Georgia, perhaps in i'm
itation Of the editorial writers, proceeds
to offer $500 reward for the capture, with
proof to convict, the psrticipstors iu the Pal.
metto assassination. With the newspapers
denouncing the murderous act, and with the
Governors proclamation, Offering a reward,
the public may think that the sin Of the ter
rible crime that has just been committed has
been effaced.
The names Of the guard could no doubt be
found out, and II there was law making
them accountable for their failure to protect
their prisoners, we would have fewer occa.
sions for Mysteries over the deed OF mobs.
II the guards had fred on the mob who had
come to shoot down their prisoners, who
were tied together by big rope. the mob
would have retired. A mob always runs, If 1t
Is fred upon. But mob seldom or never
makes an attack where there is danger Of
being fired upon.
Let Governor Gambler find some law by
which he car punish men for surrendering
their prisoners to be murdered, and We will
hear no more Of guards being "ovsrpowered."
The guards at Palmetto should be held ac-
countable as accessory TO the murder of the
men whom 1t was their duty to protect.
No matter how many there may be In the
mob. whether five or fifteen. reports generally
set their number down to exactly one hun
dred. If proper effort is made by the Gov
ernor Of Georgia, he canfind out the mum.
Der engaged in the Palmetto murder, and
he can learn their names. There were too
many engaged in 1t. In every conspiracy
there is always one with less principle than
the rest, and, he generally volunteers to give
the whole thing away. ifthere is any demand
for the facts, or II he can do an injury to his
fellow-oonspirator.
Don't Put Politics In 1t.