Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1899-06-16
TIE LATE LYNCHLNGS IN THE
SOUTH

who recently perpetrsted the deep and dark
murders and more british crimes in several
OF the Southern States.
The Philadelphia Press, Republican
journal, in its issue Of Friday last, says
Some recent lynching developments in the
South are both discouraging aud encour.
aging. A knowledge Of them Is necessary
to keep track Of these events and to under
stand the trend Of public sentiment on this
subject These latest lynching develop.
ments, however, mark progress in the South
In the one case the mob had its will. In
another case the law was obeyed literally
and the guilty persons are now receiving
their merlted punishment. Considered TO-
gether they show progress in the South in
the attempt to check lynching and permit
the law to have its course"
The Pres then gives the subjoined sum
mary oil "the recent developments" OF the
South as evidence of its assertions:
LAST Monday two negroes shot and
killed a farmers wife near Centreville, Bibb
county, Ga, and desperately wounded the
farmer and his babe. A mob was organ.
lied and one of the negroes was captured
and taken before the farmer for identified.
ton. This having been established, the
negro was placed just outside the farmers
house upon box with rope around his
neck, the loose end OF which was thrown
over the limb Of nearby tree. Then the
injured farmer was lifted from his bed, put
in chair with his night garments on, car.
ried where he could face the murderer and
shotgun aimed at the negro was held 30
that he could pull the trigger, and he was
told TO fire the first shot. A single shot
rang ont on the air and then every member
of the mob sent a bullet into the negro's
body who fell over dead. There was no
rape. 1t was lynching for murder only.
"a second development is as encouraging
as the first one lie discouraging. In Conway,
S. c., Judge James Adrch sentenced two
negroes to life imprisonment at hard labor
after they had been tried and convicted OF
offenses against two white girls. The GRIM
inals were captured and although they con-
fessed their guilt they were turned over to
the Sheriff and tried quietly. Judge AL.
drich in passing sentence denounced lynch
ing in the sevcrest terms and declared that
the spectacle of the law taking its own
course was worth thousand lynchings as
crime deterrent. He then added Behind
the hand of the lynchers may be the power
of Samson, but in the exercise of that pow.
er they pull down the Temple of Justice
on the heads OF themselves, their families and
posterty, and in place of peace and order,
civilization and Christianity, they would
hurl the country into the lap OF barbarism.
A land without law is land without liber.
ty, and land without liberty is a land
where the powerful Cypress the weak, where
might makes right"
The Press could have added that one
week previous 10 its issue containing this
summary, in the county Of st. Mary's, in
this State, negro man twenty one years Of
age, was arrested for committing al outrage
on colored girl under fourteen years A
grand jury was summoned and assembled
on Thursday. On Friday the petit jury
was also summoned, the case tried, and the
negro found guilty, and Judge CRANE gave
the convicted criminal a life sentence in the
State penitentiary. This instance certainly
marked progressf
Ii will thus be seen that notwithstanding
the frequency and Nervousness of the crimes
recently committed in the South, there has
been a degree Of patience desire on the
part OF the outraged communities to have
the law take It's course that is simply mar
velous. A british negro in the broad day
time entering peaceful aud happy home.
stead and numbering in cold blood the head
OF the family, or, even worse and more
fiendish, In committing an outrage upon
the wife or daughter Of that homestead, is
enough to drive reason from its throne and
make that people its own jury and execu-
TONER A mad dog is shot down because
it is dangerous to the communicable incen.
diary who applies the torch to a sleeping
household and hears not nor cares not for
the screams Of the helpless inmates break
ing through the lurld glare OF the flames
is sufficient TO cause the blood to curdle in
the veins Of q savage-what more terrible TO
contemplate than the piteous screams of
helpless female In the arms Of a stalwart,
british negro-his deed accompllshed-the
horrid spectre OF the terrible and frightful
deed haunting with blood.shot eyes and
swollen veins her every pillow, or resting
as dark spot in every niche Of her once
beautiful and happy home. If the blacken-
ed and villainous wretch Is arrested add
given over to await the slow, tedious, doubt
full and hooking mandates of the law, then
and In such case, In the eyes Of the Pres
at is progress" There is but one way to
stop british violence, and that is by speedy
and BRUSH punishment
Thirty and odd years age the "irrepressible
conflict" came, and 1t "cut loose the shackles
from the slave"-if this march of outrage
and crime is not stopped soon it will come
sgain-"not to lIberate the slave" but to
protect our homes and those who are dear
IN us from the violent lust of british negro
Then, indeed, 1t will be "progress"-such
progress as is in keeping with the liberty,
civilization and refinement of the age.