The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1899-06-20

day says
The Lewiston Journal thinks that
ex-Gov. Northen, Of Georgia, whom it
accuses Of having recently apologized
for Southern lynching and mob law,
will read with good deal Of sAtisfac-
tion the reports Of the mObbing Of
EganRelists Higgins aud Clement at
Levant, in Penobscot county. the other
day IL was one Of the most brutal
outrages ever perpetrated in civilized
community, and while we do not be.
lieye that ex.Gov. Northen or any other
citizen will rejoice at it, we mas be
permitted to hope that it will temper
the judgment Of the good people Of
New England toward other communi-
ties. There is not a single mitigating
or palliating circumstance in this af-
fair 1t was utterly unproyoked The only
Offense Of the victims was that their
religious views did not harmonic with
those generally held by the people of the
vicinage. The Journal speaks of Hig
gins and Clement as religious teachers
who take ST. Peter literally. " One Of
them was stripped, a part Of his skin
was torn of, and then he was tarred
and feathered and ridden on rail. An
effort was made to set one Of them on
fire, but 1.-The lucifers did not work
well " One Of the principal officials Of
the town. Selectman White, is
said to have been supporter
OF the mob. There were in all, about
100 men, all Of whom were masked and
disguised in regular Ku.klux fashion
The victims sang hymns las their per-
secutors tore the flesh off their bones. "
In thus doing, the Journal says these
evangelists illustrated certain phases
Of the antique religious enthusiasm
which it will be difficult for anybody
to despise who does not soorn the various
phases Of religious martrydom that have
given to Christianity itself command
ing place In the annals Of character and
courage"
Not single unlawful act has been
charged against the sect Of which these
men are leaders. They are accused OF
inducing their followers to give up
all for humanity" They are indus
trious farmers and mind their own bus
mess. Their fanaticism consists in be-
lieving some things that their neigh
bors do not believe. All things consid-
cred, the Levant mob has less in the
way Of excuse than any of its infamous
contemporaries, not excepting the Rip |
ley county, Indiana, organization of |
good citizens who summarily put to |
death a squad of their i'll behaved |
neighbors.
Our Lewiston contemporary says |
that "of course neither Maine nor Pc |
nobscot county will allow this audaci
GUS crime against the rights and liber
ties Of men to go unpublished. " We |
can recall number of instances in
other States where the press and the
best elements of the population have
declared that such an 'audacious
crime" must be punished, but we
have not recorded the fact of punish
ment Gov Mount felt confident that
the Ripley county lynchers would be
brought to justice. He did all that
he could do, under the law,
to accomplish that object But
local sympathy neutralized his ef-
forts and the murderers were never in
any danger. The State cannot take q
change of venue, and that fact insures
immunity to criminals who have large
influence in their own counties.
How will it be In this Maine case?
Will the Selectman Of Levant and the
reputable citizens who joined him in
his infamous enterprise be convicted by
a jury Of the vicinage5