The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-03-30

"conspirators to have tbs soldiers with
drawn and then for the mob to do their
bloody work Law abiding citizens
protested against the deed. Hundreds
of people witnessed the hanging and
among them. pitiful TO say Ii, were
some ladies. 4 great many country
men from all around the county were
the negro is innocent OF the charge OF
murder. Governor Tyler Toes not at
tempt to condone the crime, but gives
some mitigating circumstances. while
maintaining that the law should have
taken its course. He says tha the de-
feet is not in the law but in the peo-
pie, and that the remedy is to be found
in the cultivation of a higher regard
for the constitution in the minds and
hearts of the masses. If the military
had remained there would have been
no lynching. People differ as TO the
serious matter. Major Cutchins is re-
ported in The Richmond Times as say
ing that he was under order from the
sheriff, n when that official request
ed him TO return with his men to Rich
mond, without imperative orders from
the governor, who is commander-in-
chief of the state militia, all he could
do was TO return. The judge and the
sheriff were two frightened men for six
hours last night on a stretch, and sew
raj times it looked like an outbreak.
Pint we kent thano 6nuyn Thara u-ara
about 500 men around US and in the
vicinity, armed to the teeth with pis-
tolls, rifles, shotguns, carbines, and all
conceivable weapons. Our men acted
like veterans, n were determined to
uphold the law at all hazards. The
judge and the sheriff were intimidated.
They we're frightened almost out of
their wits, and didn't know their minds
five minutes at a time"
From this it looks as if the governor
had not given imperative orders" and
the sheriff was at fault. 1t is a bad case
all the way through, and is quite an
archie in spirit. The reign of mobs is
unhealthy and unsatisfactory and un-
constitutional and full of peril and
chaos. The Richmond Times is heavy
on the governor. 1t says:
But the worst has no beer told
yet. The governor of the state of Vir-
ginia permitted his troops to be with
drawn in full knowledge of the fact
that as soon as they should be with
darawn the states prisoner would be
taken from the jail by the mob and
Iynched, and before those troops reach
ed Richmond the man was lynched.
I'VE have the indies personal re-
gard for Governor Tyler, and it dis
tresses us beyond expression to be
compelled to speak thus plainly about
his action in this case. But we must
speak. The state of Virginia has been
disgraced and Governor Tyler is re-
sponsibIe for it,"
1t insists that he should have kept
the troops at Emporia, after he had
been informed by the officer in COM
mand of the situation and not left it to
the timid sheriff to act in the case. The
Times insists upon the culpability of
the governor and asks this;.
Suppose Major Cutchins. had report
ed to Governor Tyler hat if the troops
should be Withdrawn the mol would
carry out their threat made the day be-
fore and lynch Judge Goodwin. Is it
possible that at the instance Of the
sheriff the governor would have called
the troops away? Suppose the mob had
begun to set fire to the town of Empo-
ria, would the governor a called
the troops away simply because the
sheriff said SO, and let the mob destroy
the whole town? To ask these questions
is to answer them. The governor tool
a most indefensible position and the
responsibility for the double lynching
at EInporia is upon him."
1t is a sad scandal 1t best. Probably
the men hanged may haye deserved
hanging at the hands of the law, but it
was unfortunate that the culprits were
turned over to the mercy of an angry,
highly incensed mob of $40 armed men.
If law does not prevail in a state then
disorder, rioting, and lynchings will,
prevail. The safety of society depends
upon the maintenance of law, duly en-
forced