The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1902-08-19

HOW TO PREVENT LYNCHING
LOMAX CASE CITED.
Leesburg Tragedy Could Have Been
Avoided.

Two recent happenings of serious
nature. springing from substantially like
causes. but terminating diamet ricailvo on
ppsiie. 80 we'll confirm the position Of
l"e star on the qu stiun Of lynchings in
the south and elsewhere that the parallel
viii bc found OF striking importance.
coming at time when the matter has
reached "a stage If animated and diverse
discussion. said Washington man who
makes crime and it's punishment "A study.
ne iirSt Instance il that Of the order
~ aud speedy trial and sentence TO death
oi the negro IOmaN for criminal as.
sault. lie was taken from the Jail at
Alexandria, conveyed by boat down the
Potomac To MontrOss Westmoreland
county. Va. under guard Of "A small de-
tachement of militia regularly indicted
10y the grand jury. arraigucd in court
duly tried, given the benefit OF counsel
iound guilty by the jury Of the crime with
which he stood charged. was sentenced
10 death by the presiding Judge. the sen
tence 20 go into effect within about thirty
days from the day OF the trial: removed
from the court room to the boat. brought
back to jail in Alexandria. and all these
regular and legal proceedings conducted
nn an orderly, decent. law observing
manner within forty eight hours from
the time the steamer first east off her
mnprings from the wharf at Alexandria
with the prisoner aboard.
Ihis II n record which reflects credit
upon all of the peace and judicial Officers
oi Mestmoreland county ana Of Alexan-
drla. who had To do with the case. upon
the people among wh I'm the proceedings
We're mad. and especially upon the militia.
IL II true that these orderly and lawnbid
lng results were mainly brought about
hS reason oi the presence of a guard of
troops. but il is also true that the mill
TIA. being composed OF the sons and
brothers ui the people oi aiiacent com.
munity. were relied upon in this and NAV
re relied upon in similar instances of
probable violence TO uphold the law
" hen the coauty and state officials are
either impotcnt or indOlent. or Indifferent
in SO doing.
REsOLUTE COUNTY OFFICIALS NEEDED.
This instance likewise proves that IL
is possible, ii the county authorities in
hlch the crimes in question are com
mitted are resolute and really desirous
ot permitting the law and not mob vio-
lence TO take it's course. To regularly and
legally try and convict the culprit with
IN twenty-iour hours after his apprehen-
sion, and, II need be, to satisfy the hot
bioods 70 fix his sentence of death to be
executed within similarly short period
The Judge in the Westmorelani case
however. very properly and with becom
ing regard for public decency. gave the
wretch month in which to prepare for
death.
This ease is not complete triumph for
law and order. Having been enacted al
most under the shadow OF the dome of
the Capitol, it ought TO serve as an oh
Ject iessIon TO those communities where
the violent, brutal passions of men rath-
er than the regular but positive arm of
the Jaw are permitted ascendency. Cap
tain Rowe md his lit le companv of men
are deserving Of more than passing praise.
"pn the same page of The Star that
appeared the dispatch announcing the
the result IN the LomaX case was the re-
suit oil the corOner's investigation at
leesburg, Va, of the lynching of the ne
gIO Craven for the murder of a citizen.
and detailing the circumstances of the ar
rest of a number Of persons of that and
adjacent communities for participation
in the lynching
1t cannot be doubted for n moment
that, had the thirty-fiVe aen who re-
sponded to the call of the commanding
oiiicer OF the militia at Alexandria within
as many minutes 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 tram In season to have reached
ieesburg before or even at the time of
taking OF Craven from Jail, the keen re-
gret of the people OF that orderly COM
munity at the lynching of the negro al
most in the streets of the town would
nave been turned into qualification at the
maintenancs ofthe supremacy of the law
THE EFFECT UPON OTHER COMMUNITIES
III the county authorities of West
moreiand can try and sentence prisoner
IN lew hours there is no reason why
the authorities of other counties in any
state cannot perform the same law-res-
Pectlng action if they have the requisite
backbone TO resist mob violence actually
and not perfunctorily; and this could
have been done Ia Loudoun il the county
authorities had been thoughtful enouoh
20 call upon the state militia for aid in
time. There is small detachment nj
home guards, the Loudoun Rifles. |
believe, at ieesburg, and, though com
posed OF home boys, it is safe to assert
that they would have responded prompt
ly to an order from the adiutant general
to preserve the law in their town and
performed their duty with credit TO them
elves and their people.
1t is, however. customary to order
troops from a distant community to