The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1900-05-19

Lynch Law in HarfOro-JuQge WaterS
Charge to the Grand Jury.-ln bis charge
to the Grand Jury at Belair on Monday Judge
James D. Waters, one of the Associate Judges
of the Third Judicial Circuit, said:
"In addressing your predecessors for many
consecutive terms, have had little TO say De-
yond concentrating them upon the compare
tive good order which has characterized our
county for so long. and urging upon tnem Ihe
nrompt dispath of the business in hand and
speedy adjournment. To charge grand jury
when offenses liable to come before 1t consist
merely of attractions of this law or that one, IS
very different from such a charge when the
offense to be investigated ana passed upon ~
the grand jury is an assault upon law ITSELF
The former has been my only task heretofore,
II confess / stand appalled, before the re-
proybabiy noticed the expression have
already used, an assault upon law ITSELF; ana
meant exactly that, an assault upon tnis law
or that law, but upon law in the ABSTRACT as we
NAV saw or upon law as the basis of organized
society. For example: A combination 10 XIII a
in the peace OF G4d ana 11e Seaie ss caT
ried into effect it is murder; but 1t is not neces-
sarily treason. On the other hand. q comolna-
tion to kill an officer of the state for the purpose
of preventing that officer from performing
some duty due from him to the state, then the
crime involved in the combination IS waglng
| war on the state, or treason.
| MEN, qualified for civilization. living IN
| community without law and without recog-
f h14eh rules Of action, may with propriety
| prescribe and enforce quasi laws Tor SELF
| protection: but under any organized govern
iaWimaking bower. to override the law of the
| land, substitute for 1t any rule OF action NOT
prescribed by superior IS treason 70 tne s .
| lightly any attempt, however feeble, wnlcn
| tends to impair or destroy law. 10 impair tne
basis of an organization is to impair tie organl-
zstion itself: to tolerate mob-law is to endanger
organized government wherever sucn govern
ment exists. ..o,,.,,
and so has the cannon ball. which flies direct 70
its goal 'shattering that it may be and snatter-
ing what It reaches ne c saIg the fair trial
and the impartial judge in the oox ana on tne
bench. ,.otor rrob law and
cannon balls, they can have them by All means
but as to this community 1t Is emitted 70 tne
safe consideration of the law It mas rlgnt. 10 "
look to YOU and to me for protection from tne
horrors and terror of mob law: charge yon as !.
earnestly as l am capable of doing that II Is
vOur duty to afford that protection, ana charge
You you to perform the duty according e your oath
without fear. favor or affection. Neitner YOU .,
nor rd hnow st needs perform your duty in
do IL honestly, bravely and manfully, ana you
will be sustained by good confidence ana tne
ultimate approval of your fellow citlzens. n,
II charge you as q matter of law, that wnile
person charged to a crime is in CUSTODY on .
awaiting heagf ey ay OF
of the offense charged, IN the peace vi Uou ai1I
of the state If. while thus in the peace ~
God and 10 the state, the person tbns ~ committes
is murder. ..uo. .La oharif
involves an assault upon his person. endanger
ing his own life and the inmates OF ms n eec
a leyyinR of war on the state. III you ma Una
such an outrage as have referred TO mas os sa
committed il is possible, as well as propd1Diie
that those engaged in the outrage may claln
that they were so excessively good, ana u I'M
sansitive goodness was so stirred up by the mer
Charge Of a crime committed by somebody tina
could not contain themselves, but must nee
| ,rda the eLaL
rather than await the tedius process OF the Ia,
which their righteous souls reverted aedins
which goes forth in darkness and o disg 81 So6
exploit itself. If mob law In the lano o o. EoV
; | neople is so cruel. what can we e1pect IL
Should get into the hands Of bad hpp people n outraa
: hos heen Committed in the presence or cor
siderable crowd who were looking II gw 9n' be- oet yer
difficult to satisfy this community that tne "
cannot be wt nvestaato
I thoronrh and suggest no limitation OF tine tlm
q or means to be used in your discretion.