Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1901-10-02
SUPPRESS LAwLEssNEss.

SUPPRESS LAwLEssNEss
Notwithstanding all that has been
said ln the newspapers of this coun-
try 70 opposition to that form OF law
lessriess commonly called lynehing, IT
appsafs that a mob in Helena. Mn
tango Tuesday, took prisoner from
the iail and and hanged him 10 tee
graph pole. About two hundred men
whowere masked engaged In this un-
lavfnl execution.
rhe account OF the lynchlng states,
thai It was done In the most orderly
manner and that the mob quietly dis
psrsed after the tragedy. The victim
wa permitted to make statement be-
fefe he was choked TO death at the end
Ola rope, and he declared that hey
haa "the wrong man." 1t seems, how
eser that he had been positively iden-
uned by the little five-year-old girl
Nhom he had been accused OF brutslly
assaulting, and by number OF per-
Sons who had seen him In company
with the child.
Il All that does not justify the course
pursued by the people OF Helena, Who
participated In the unlawful act. With
such evidence as there was against the
accused. Il would seem that he could
scarcely escape from the consequences
Of his helnous crime. The law. there
fore. and indeed in any event, should
have been permitted TO take its course
Ii seems difficult to make enraged peo-
pie understand that mobocracy under
every circumstance Is a species OF An
archy. II Is taking life without au-
thority OF law. That Is grade OF VIII
ful murder. There is u certain degree
Of cowaIdlce in the transaction. Two
hundred violent men against single
life. No chance given FOR defense either
by word or act! There is a possibility
OF mistake in this case which, II dis
covered, viii be beyond remedy. his
crrel. unfair and criminal proceeding
throughout. and reflects no credit on
the people who are implicated In The
outrage.
There are defects In our system of
JURISPRUDENCE, no doubt but they ought
20 be corrected In a lawful and judici-
Gus manner. In the first place, the
statutory penalties for grievous Of
lenses like that charged against the
man who was lynched, are almost
everywhere Inadequate. Such crimes
ought 10 be made capital. They are
worse than ordinary murder. yet the
culprit, II convicted. usually escapes
with few years Imprisonment when
he certainly is not ut to live. In the
second place. there are so many loop
holes through which creatures Of that
class can creep, by the aid OF money
and cunning lawyers who take every
possible advantage in favor of the ac-
cused and against his accusers The
reasonable doubt" which the law gives
to a jury as a reason for fayoring q
defendant, is made powerful weapon
In the hands OF a cunning special Plead
err, and many real criminal has es-
capped his just dues because OF an ex-
IRENE Interpretation of that provision.
1t is often that lynchings take place
In consequence of the probability that
the criminal VIII either be turned loose
through some legal technically, or, II
convicted. win not receive anything like
the Just penalty for his atrocities. This
does not Justify the lynchlne by any
means, but II gives what appears TO
the mobbers TO be q reasonable ex-
cuse for their lawlessness. That is,
however, an egregious error.
The American people must be I'M
pressed with the truth, that the only
safety for our republic and the per-
petuatlon of that liberty to maintain
which II was founded. Is submission 10
It's aws, whether they be perfect or
imperfect, adequate or Inadequate.
Laws may he changed or repealed when
found insufficient for the end in view
when enacted. and this must be ac-
compnshed By legal methods. Mob
violence Is wrong under any ana every
condition. It must be frownad down
by public sentiment, or put down by
the strong arm Of the law. Mobocraey
is Anarchy and ought to be suppressed.