Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1901-01-16
THE HORROR IN KANSAS.


The awful tragedy at Leavenworth
Kansas. on Tuesday recalls the similar
horror In Colorado which aroused 50
much indignation throughout the land
tn, brutality OF the mob in Kansas
was no less shocking and deplorable
than that IN Colorado The details of
me lynchlnG display a ferocity and
rage that might De expected In the
widest tribes OF savages. but are start
Ing and shameful in a civilized com
munity claiming 10 be Christian
The guilt or innocence Of the misera-
BE victim 70 Moderate vengeance,
cuts no figure 90 the question OF the
lawlessness Of which his slayers were
rullty. OF course n his protestations
~ innocence were true the crime COM
miued by The mobbers was still more
htnous In the eyes Of justice, But II
he were indeed the bloldstained wretch
the lynchers declared him to be- their
act was atrocious and murderous, and
no real excuse can be offered for It's
commission.
The law IN Kansas may be lame in
reference 70 the offenses charged
against the negro. so horribly thrust
into eternity without the trial guaran.
teed 20 every accused person In this
free land but that does not justify
the defiance OF law in which so many
citizens Of Kansas were engaged Nor
does Il palllate the bestlal conduct Of
the rioters, who scrambled for portions
Of the charred flesh Of the wretch
burned at the stake.
The fury OF mobocracy could not re-
ceiye a stronger illustration than the
tragedy in Kansas. Reason, justice,
humanity had fled when the cowardly
masses thlrstng for blood, battered
down the doors and bars Of the prison.
ana dragged their victim forth to his
awful doom. We say "cowardly' with
full intent. The deed was nothing less.
II was also murder before the law.
The culprlt was not convicted OF any
crime. His assassins would not walt
to find out for certain the proofs OF
his guilt. or give him a chance Ia
prove his innocence. And their savage
conduct after the lynching was done,
will reflect dishonor upon the State to
which they belong. until something is
done by way OF their punishment to
vlndlcate It before the world.
Il seems likely that one result VIII
be the restoration in Kansas OF the
death penalty for murder and It's es'
tablishment for the deeper crime
charged against the negro. We believe
both offenses should be regarded as
capital and that the highest punish
ment known to the law should be IN
flieted in both cases, when OF hagran'
character Nothing less will meet TIL
public demand. nothing less will come
Up to the divine decree.
In thus rejecting upon the enormltA
Of the deed committed by the Kansas
lynchers. we are not unmindful OF th'
crimes charged 10 the prisoner, nor Of
the outraged feelings Of the relatives o
his alleged victims. But one act o
brutality is not made less nor are IL
effects changed, by other acts o
sayagery whether in retaliation o
otherwise. And the doctrine OF the su
premacy Of the law must and ought u
be held up. until It Is respected IN ao
ton as well as in theory. And ran
sas is IN duty bound to hold responsl
BILE such officials as showed In tn'
awful case. criminal dereliction Of duty
and 10 trace out the leaders Of the mur
derous mob and bring them TO the ga
OF offended justice. Let the Ia" y
maintained and indicated.