The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-06-03
LYNCHINGS BECOMING FEVER.
Prompter Administrations OF Justice Causing a
Changc-Negro whipping Coming In.

B~IRMINoHAM, Ala. June The negroes in
the South are reminded constantly that they
are not equal to the white men. and while there
are not SO many lynchings as there we're two
years ago, the negroes still have reminders that
they must be kept down. southern Governors
during the last few years have taken strenuous
means to keep down l~ynching, and they hove
succeeded to some extent.
Gov. Johnston Of Alabama is very much OPP
posed TO lynching. II was in Morgan county
that Gov. Johnston prevented the l~ynching
Of two negro men and a woman who were
charged with a most brutal crime, a little white
girl being the alleged victim. The Governor
sent troops TO the county and had the prisoners
removed TO another county. The negro woman
accepted a long sentence in the penitentlary.
The two men have secured a new trial. Again
the Governor saved the neck of a negro from "A
lynching party by ordering the Sheriff Of the
county TO remove the negro 10 another county,
then ordering a special term Of the Circuit Court,
which gave the negro a trial. He was convicted
and was afterward hanged legally and a blot
kept on the record OF the State. This took
place in Bibb county. There were other Incl
dents to show that Gov. Johnston was opposed
to lynch law. and his efforts saved more necks
Of negroes from the hands Of mobs than those
enumerated.
The cause Of mob law is the slow action Of
justice. A double legal hanging took place in
Eutaw, Greene county, Ala, this month. Two
negroes. Beauty Ingram and +. Harris. were
hanged for the murder of a white man named
Tom Buntain, an aged clerk in a country store.
The trial, conviction and hanging Of the
negroes all occurred within forty days.
rpphipuE are growing ont nf fashion
throughout the South rapidly. Mob law IS
the last thing thought of now when it II is an
nounced that the Sherirs have the prisoners
safely in their hands, In the mountainous
regions of Alabama now the negroes are be-
ginning to become more pacified and in the
cotton growing districts the negroes are be-
ginning to go to the towns and hunt work.
Whipping parties are heard Of often through
out the South, Negroes who make incendiary
speeches are visited during the night and
whipped In Columbus. Miss, a few nights
ago a difficulty arose between a negro and
awhile man and the latter shot the negro dead.
There was an arrest, of course. but the white
man was released after the investigation.
There was In the town a negro namedSam Ball,
who worked in a dry goods store as porter
STd y wSS dsr%Td dn 'H enys a E hi, of pa. tals c that
ment on the killing of the negro. which was
very offensive to the white people. Ball lived
with his family. in a hut near the outskirts Of
the city and after his talk a party of white
men. some with masks on their faces. and armed,
went IN his house, called him ont and admin
istered 10 him a sound thraShing. He was
informed that IL would he better for him To
keen his tongue quiet in The future. II was
ku Kluy over again.
Investigation never revealed the parties
To this act. The negro has since made little
efforts 10 establish the identity Of his assailants
for fear he might be killed or whipped again.
There are not 80 MANY man-hunting hounds
kept in the South rs formerly. II was the
custom n few venrS ago fer all SheriTs
to keep a pack of hounds capable Of tracking
mon. NOWADAYS very few Sherifrs handle
dog and outside Of the packs kept at the pen
itentiaries where the %convicts are worked
on farms or IN mines from which they ocCa-
sionallv get away, few packs of man-huntinR
dogs can be found.
There are still many negroes being killed
throughout the South in difficulties with white
people. but In every instance almost there IS
Investigations are becoming prompt H. one
reason why lvnchings throughout the South
are becoming rare. ~ q Of the worst crimes
have been Chroniclad : cntly. but no efforts
10 lynch have been noticed. tho information
always being given out that n special term
Of the court would ba held 10 give the accused
men under arrest n speedy trial. The sol,I-
tion Of the problem seems IN lie in an early
trial and the higher Officials of the South are
using every effort IN prevent The blot. Negro
hangingS occur in private, the laws Of the
State requiring this work to he done In jail
wards. though Whenever n hanging occurs
in n county whore thero ~ n large city n bic
crowd Of PEOPLE for mics and miles around
gather in the hope # seeing the unfortunate
take the drop.