The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-12-07

Inc revolving story of the death by
torture and burning inflicted on a negro
at NIaysville, Ky, which the press dis
patches relate, cannot be said to be
without its parallel in the history of the
relations of the two races in the South.
Nor. unhappily, can it be said that the
awful crime in atonement of which the
Incredible punishment was inflicted can
not find more than one parallel on the
part of the negroes of the South.
The G o e, on the occasion of the
murder of Mrs. Lashbrook, felt called
upon in these columns to direct It's read
ers' attention to the savage incItement
which is so frequently offered to the
Southern people for wreaking vengeance
on negro offenders in such demoniac
form
1t is impossible to advance anything
which will suffice to mitigate the awful
crime against humanity and civilization
which the death of this negro represents.
Yet it is true that no account VET fur
nished Of the awful event of yesterday
has succeeded in bringing out in any
thing like its true brutality the crime
committed by the slaughtered negro. As
in the case of another negro who in
Georgia some months ago met death
similar to that inflicted on Coleman it
Will evidently need the services of one
or more capable investigators on the
ground to apprise the American public
Of the facts, and all the facts, of the
atrocious offense which has been followed
by such fearful vengeance. Perhaps it is
best that the full details of that crime
should not be made generally known.
Nothing short of the need Of Offering
something IN palIation of the scenes enac-
ted yesterday at Maysville, and in defense
of the character of the Southern people
as a civilized and enlightened race, could
justify the spreading before the American
public CT the details of the offense which
this negro 50 grieyously suffered for.
A social problem which presents such
abhorrent features to the world as that
revealed in the crime and the death
of this negro is a fearful one to con-
template. It's solution is by such events
made impossible in any other way than
by the disappearance Of either the one
race or the other. 1t reveals "a rela-
tionship existing between the two races
which, in point of savagery, finds fit
ting counterpart in the former relation
ship Of master and slave. Nothing in
all the annals of the sIave-holding be
Rod. however. would furnish such an ex-
hibition of sheer deviltry on the part of
the representatives of either race as is
presented here both by the MaysviIle
mob and their victim.
The one crime is the complement of
the other. The murdered negro had
shown himself to be an unredeemed saw
age. He had violated, on his part, every
sentiment and principle Of conduct that
distinguish man from the brute beast.
1t is indeed a reflection even on the
most degraded and savage Of the brute
creation to charge against them the pos
sibihty Of the commission of the crimes
which lay at the dead negro's door. But
horrible as his crimes were, and great
as may be the need of the protection of
the women of the South from the posi-
bility Of such outbreaks among a race
which maintains many of the traces of
its pristine savagery, the effect of yes
terday's holocaust is none the less a
hideous stain on the honor of the South
ern people. They should hasten to bring
to justice every man who participated
in the shocking affair. Unless the law
is indicated in this case, the people of
Kentucky will do well to dispense with
even the semblance of respect for the
usagcs Of civilized society.