Evening star., 1902-08-13
Resolute County Officials Needed.

Thls instance likewise proves that it Is
possible, If the county authorities in which
the crimes in question are committed are
resolute and really desirous Of permitting
the law and not mob violence to take its
course, TO regularly and legally try and
convict the culprit within twentyfour
hours after his apprehension: and, If need
be, to satisfy the hot-bloods to fix his SEN
tence ofdeath to be executed within sim
Harry short period. The judge in the West
moreland case, however, very properly and
with becoming regard for public decency
gave the wretch month in which to pre-
pare for death
This case Is complete triumph for law
and order. Having been enacted almost
under the shadow of the dome of the Capt.
tol, 1t ought to serve an object lesson to
those communities where the violent, brrl-
tai passions Of men rather than the regu-
lar but positive arm of the law are per-
mitted ascendency. Captain Rowe and his
little company of men are deserving of
more than passing praise.
'On the same page of The Star that ap-
peared the dispatch announcing the result
In the LomaX case was the result of the
coroners investigation at Leesburg Va
of the lynching of the negro Craven for
the murder of a citizen, and detailing the
circumstances of the arrest of a number of
persons of that and adjacent communities
for participation in the lynching
1T cannot be doubted for a moment that
had the thlrty-tiVe men who responded to
the call of the commanding officer of the
militia at Alexandria within as many min
utes for duty to proceed to Leesburg and
maintain peace and order, and who were
impatient at the delay in getting under
arms, had this handful of uniformed
armed men been hurried by special train in
season to have reached Leesburg before
or even at the time of the taking of Cra-
ven from Jail, the keen regret of the peo-
pie OF that orderly community at the lynch
ing or the negro almost in the streets of
the town would have been turned into graf
iication at the upholding of the public
peace and the maintenance of the su-
premacy of the law.
The Effect Upon Other Communities.
eff the county authorities of Westmore-
land can try and sentence a prisoner in a
few hours there is no reason why the al1-
thorities of other counties in any state
cannot perform the same law-respectinc
action if they have the requisite backbone
to resist mob violence actually and not per-
functorily; and this could have been done
in Loudoun If the county authorities had
been thoughtful enough to have called
upon the state militia for aid in time There
Is small detachment of home guards, the
Loudoun Rifles, believe, at Leesburg, and
though composed of home boys. 1t is safe
to assert that they would have responded
promptly to an order from the adjutant
general to preserve the law in their town
and performed their duty with credit to
themselves and their people
ut is, however, customary to order
troops from distant community to scenes
of violence, as the home troops are sun
posed to be more or less in sympathy with
one side or the other, but In the case of the
regrettable Leesburg incident the call was
made too late.
'"These two instances, opposite in their
termination. happening almost within sight
of Washington, tend to show that the
claims of those who support law and order
against lynching for certain classes of
crime are based upon the solid foundation
OF the rock of right and justice The stat
ute books of all of the southern states have
adequate laws governing these crimes. the
penalty upon conviction of which is death
That the law Is not carried out Is due to
the lack of determination on the part of
local officers, or to dilatoriness in soliciting
the aid of the state troops.
'"rhe excuse or the 'overpowering pres
ence of the n1pb is a poor one 1t is the
law behind the officer that makes the off,
Ger respected.S The Westmoreland incident
ought to be at once followed where lynch
ing obtains for the expation of the crime
of murder and other crimes where IT is felt
that death and death alone is suitable pun
ishment. If negro may be tried and con-
victed In a court house in Westmoreland
county withif9twelve hours after his arrival
in town. person arrested for a like crime
NAV thus, summarily and legally be dealt
with in any state in the Union and the
stain Of moi. violence eradicated from the
map forever. Once twenty-four hour rula
be established in these cases II viii nrove
so popular, III 1t be desired to carry out
such rule. tnat 1t will soon become uni
versal where lynehing formerly obtained"