The Brandon news. (Brandon, Miss.) 1892-1961, 1902-10-02
Democratic Nominee for Congress.
HON: JOHN SHARP WILLIAMS.
TO PREVENT LYNCHING.

lyncn law. 1t is, therefore, permits.
sable to make suggestions tending to
its suppression. The best way to pre-
vent lynchings is 30 prevent the crimes
that provoke lynchings. 1t is not per-
fectfully certain that lynchings do not
some times tend to prevent the perpe-
tratlon of such crimes.
A man by the name of Carey Whit
field was working in machine facto-
ry at Corinth, in this state. He lived
mile or two from the town. The
family consisted of himself and his
wife, who lived together contentedly,
devotedly and happily. They were
young and healthy, with the prospect
of long and useful lives which they
were. living in the christian way.
In August last, "a few weeks ago
--one morning, as usual, he kissed
his wife good morning, took his dim
ner and went to his daily labor i'll the
factory. After his days work in the
factory he returned to his little home,
and there he found the dead body of
his wife with her throat cut and his
razor lying ON her arms. Finger
prints were ON her throat and arms.
He Immediately gave the alarm, and
the excited community began a hunt
for the murderer and fend. A com
mittee of twelve was appointed to
manage the investigation. /Pinkerton
detectives were employed and failed,
but the committee continued it's
efforts. Suspects were arrested, their
cases examined, and their guilt not
appearing they were released. About
ten days ago a negro named Gibson
whipped his wife and in fit of re-
sentiment she told another negro that
Gibson murdered Mrs. Whitfield, and
told where he had hidden Mr.. Wilt
fields pistol that he stole at the time.
The other negro told the committee,
who had Gibson arrested, found the
pistol, and Gibson confessed and gave
description of the commission Of the
murder that exactly tailed with the
circumstances found at the scene of
the crime. The negro was lynched.
Now what? If in every nook and
corner Of this state the negroes were
informed of the commission of the
horrible crime and of the swift and
awful retribution visited upon the
Criminal through the natural venge-
ance of an Infatuated populace, and if
they were made to understand that for
whatever violation of the states laws
there was in the action of the mob
the negro, Gibson, was primarily re-
sponsible, it would teach a good les
son and serve a healthy purpose. But
if lot Of maudlin sentimentalists
take it as a text to howl of the hor-
rors of lnych law every vicious and
lawless brute will take it as sympathy
for Gibson and endorsement of his
crime, and believing that he has such
respectable support he will feel en-
couraged to unbridle his lust and give
license to the basest instincts Of his
nature. A healthy sentiment is good !;
but maudlin sentiment, like maud
lin person, is abominable. Do not
teach the negroes that Gibson was
lynched because lie was a negro, but
teach them that he was lynched be-
cause he was fiend, demon. More
than half century ago the awabid-
ing element of Vicksburg lynched the
gamblers because they had become in
tolerable, and they or the civilization
of the community had to go. They
were white men. Now the fiend such
as Gibson. black or white, must go,
or our civilization must go.
Gibson was blot upon the negro
race. All such black demons are blots
upon the negro race. It is to the in
terest of the engro race that all such
blots should be wiped off their race.
When one such is lynched he is wiped
off, and the race can thereby present
that much cleaner sh owing. The ne
groes, of all people, S hould exert them
selves to rid their race of such blots.