New-York tribune., 1901-03-19
THE WOMAN KILLERS.

The defenders of lynching as a regrettahe nut
necessary measure to protect homes from me
ravages of humsn monsters will find their
theory somewhat strained by the expression or
popular sovereignty at Rome, Tenn. on Friday
night. In that case il was the sOyerelgnS who
were the human monsters wTeaking savage ana
brutal passions on a defenceless woman simply
because there was no other blood than hers
available for them 10 safe their thirst with.
The Rome lynchins had nothing to do with
the usual crime" behind which mObS common
ly take refuge. The community was not
aroused by an atrocity of any kind-violence,
murder or highway robbery. If any lynchinS
at all was justified, then death should be the
lot Of every shoplifter or chicken thief under
the law \ man lost 4 pocketbook containing
Sl20. 1t was found in the street by negro
boy. from whom a negro man. William Crutch-
field, obtained il. representing that il was Of no
value, The owner had Crutchficld arrested for
the theft. and in any civilized community in the
world moderate term of Imprisonment would
have been considered adequate punishment for
the offence. Among these white Zuius Of Rome
Tenn. 4 different standard Of morality pre-
vailed. and il WAS decided that the negro who
had yielded to the temptation to steal Sl2O
must suffer death. Accordingly, the mob took
him from his place of confinement and was
about TO Kill him. Bur he escaped from his
would-be executOners in the darkness. Thus
deprived of their victim. these servants of jus
tice hethought themselves of the fact that
Crutchfeld had sister. who might possibly he
supposed to be attaintcd by his theft. and so
they went 10 her house. dragged her from IT NJ
about midnight. took her 10 n bridge, where
they killed her and threw her body into the
stream below.
Now. that was just plain. brutal murder and
in any community where human life was re-
spected and criminal law enforced the murder
ers of that woman would he hanged. as they de-
serve 10 he. Will the lawless spirit which has
been developed by a long course of riot rule.
apologzed for ny the best people I'm many parts
of the Union, protect them: II has hitherto
protected monsters who roasted men and then
cut them up for souvenirs, ana woman killing
can be covered by like charity for the uncon-
ventional ways of a virtuous people reSuming
the administration Of their delegated powers.
The Slaughterng Of women iecause their broth
crs kept lost pOckethOOk3 would he only the
natural outcome of lynch law. If il is to be
tolerated at all its results must he accepted.
Mobs hahtuated 10 bloodshed will not weigh
evidence. or appraise with hneness the degree
Of crime aud it's just penalty. or respect
womanhood more than manhood, or restrain
themselves long from taking white blood after
tasting negro blood The history of lynching
shows this plainly. The usual crime" is pro
Gressively less the dominant cause Of popular
killing bees. The murdeTous appetite grows
with Indulgence. and finally reaches the savage
standard of Rome, Tenn. But will il ever reach
a standard so shocking as To arouse the civilized
people of Tennessee and other States. North as
we'll South. which tolerate this crime 10
stamp it out ruthlessly as the only refuge from
a general relapse into barbarism: