The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1901-09-06
NORTHERN AND SOUTHERN VIEWS
OF RAPINGS.

IL iycnlnSS do not cure iLe SiedI tNi
of rapings they are sure 10 lessen the
number of the brutes- You would sup
pos from III ceilings d the north
ern press over ~lynchings in the south
that they never occurred in the north,
and that the fellows lynched were no
BILE specimens OF humanity. The New
York Evening Post is now Gevoting
much time and space to the barbar-
isms in the south-meaning the whites
who lynch the devils and not the
brutes who are punished-and is try
ing to work up some ~fanaticism about
white women of character. and the de-
fenceIess little children are to be ash
ed, killed, we opine that the rifles will
continue to be handled and the blood
hounds will continue 10 pursue, and the
trial in the woods will be held. We
believe that public sentiment is in IA
vor of an immediate trial by a regular
appointed court, and to protect retired
modest ladies from the awful ordeal
Of a public examination. This being
done we do not say that rapes will be
discontinued. We believe. to the con-
trary, that so long as there are brutes
of any color or race there will be as
saults upon women in ~unguarded
houses or upon the highways. In other
words, we doubt if courts can cure the
devilish work any more han lynch
ings have done SO. But the wrong and
violence of the mob viii be thus avoid
ed, which is a good deal. But court
trials or not, the people will be apt TO
hunt with the rifles the Internal devils
who assault mothers and wifes and
sisters and daughters. and in spite Of
governors and the northern press and
the congress.
At Wetumpka. Ala, a white man was
found guilty of helping to lynch a ne
gro. This may be right under the cir
cumstances. But if this sort OF justice
is going to end lynchings in Alabama it
remains to appear. And then, it must
also stop rapes or il amounts to moth
ing for the public good. a northern
negro sympathizer will go into jdbila-
tiOns over this. but does not care a
ONLNOCS " NHC IOOAs NOOAAAChs as
ed lady. The Evening Post is i'm
menseIy happy over the WetunPka
finding and wants all the other lynch
ers to be jailed. 1t sees great redemp-
tive things in this. but it fails to say
if the rapers will continue their work
or be exterminated. The latter will
probably be the result.
81 49, " II;rI-
bOro, a man of intellectual paris.
writes a communication to the Char
1otte Observer on immediate execution
sof rapists. He writes with his accus-
toned directness. frankness, n
force. He believes the courts are too
slow, and that the people will attend
to the cruel assaulters of h white
women and children. He says many
vigorous. striking things, and what he
saws is really nue. in sympathy with
public sentiment. He writes, for in
stance:
s'Of course. you will now anu then
hear of some fellow bobbing up and
declaring against lynch law, when II
his wife or daughter had been assault
ed like Mrs. Martin, ne would be Xix
l am. 1t depends largely on who is
caught in the trap that causes people
to be against lynch law. 1 favor it
because one mans wife or daughter IS
as much to him as the wife Ga daugh-
ter of another is to him."
He thinks an officer who should
shoot an man 'in order to protect a dir
ty criminal ought TO be blown up
with dynamite. Referring to Gov
ernor Aycock's movement to stop
lynching, he says he is right. but he
tells him to first put a stop to the
crimes that produce lynchings. He
says:
II don't believe him when ne asserts
that he will endeavor to bring all par
Elephants in lynchings to the so-called
bar of justice, the o is. l cannot be
made to; believe that there IS i judge
or sheriff in the state unless he him.
self. is a brute), that would make the
attempt to have his friends shot down
if they were wanting a scound-el that
had committed on a m OF MS
family the same crime that was com
mitted on Mrs. Martin. l am il aVo
of taking the criminals from n sher-
ifs. If it takes force OF arms TO DO II.
let 'er come, but never take tie lie o.
any but the one that is vented. inns
can be done where mobs are we'll or
ganized and headed by the tight man.
and there will be more or less lynch
ing SO long as the nameles crime IS
committed. and it wou.d be better Tor
our officials to announce that hey
would surrender every guilty n Of
them to mobS when they wanted
them. and the brutes would not use the
courts for a cloak of escape, as there
would be no chance for them and less
of the crime would be committed"
If the brutes who roam and ravin
shall know that the state is no longer
hunting them, but is hunting ana
bounding the men who pursue and
punish the rapists. will not this IN
crease rapes, invite the 10
continue their damning. bloody Wcrk'
and offer a chance of escape through
the delays and teehnicalitles Of the
courts?