The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-06-29
WHY LYNCaINGs CONTINUE.
Loss of Confidence in the Law Making Pow
ers. The Remedy.

To the Editor: / have read all that
the Governor and the press have to say
about lynchng. They say it has got to
stop Have they not been saying this
for the last quarter of a century or more
/ without the least possible effect? 1t
looks big, thirty thousand dollars re-
ward for the Salisbury lynchers.
Tempting to the detective service, but
not one of them will touch it. Why?
Because it is not safe. | know twelve
men that few years ago lynchcd a
villain, and if the Governor were to
offer one hundred thousand dollars for
the names of each one of them and
was without character, | would not in
form against them. Why? Because L
would not care to be lynched myself l
would deserve to be- Lynching parties
are generally composed of the bravest
and best men, men wht egret sorely the
necessity of such action nd do it sole
ly because they know til our present
system of court procedure does not offer
protection to the public against the
criminal classes.
/ don't know much about the Salisbury
people. North Carolinians are very much
alike all over the State. If the Governor
wants to precipitate another lynching,
let him offer a big reward for those who
lynched the fiend that poisoned DR.. Tay
loe and family and induce some one to
go to Washington to ferret it out and
let the lynching party find out his bust
ness. I'll wager a nice plantation
against a nickel that there will be more
hemp used. One might suppose | was
one of the party, but | was not, simply
because l was not invited The boys
thought l was too old, and l approved
of their action.
If we had all endured what those
have that have led the lynching parties,
to-wit., some female member of our
family outraged or murdered we would
feel differently. A good many years ago
one of my best friends was foully muir
dered, and as soon as satisfactory evil
dcnce was obtained, / said, lets
lynch him, but the older heads said no.
we were bound to convict and let the law
take its course. The first court, a juror
was taken sick, a mistrial, the case re-
moved to another county and a packed
jury turned the criminal loose. This
fellow left the State for eight years, but
returned and was Iynched
Every intelligent citizen knows the
cause of all this lynchng. They know it
is the loss of confidence in the courts
and the imperfect jury system. The
protection given to criminals by the law
enabling 80 per cent of them to escape
justice and be a further menace to their
communities. The law making powers
are solely responsible for the bad laws,
and therefore responsible for lynchng.
Now let the Governor, the press and
all good citizens join together to have
our laws changed so that only good ard
intelligent citizens can get on the jury
Let two-t thirds of them convict. AS the
law is now. the criminal has twenty
four premptory challenges and the out
ragged family, friends and community
have four. Change this, giving the State
the same. Give the people some rights
and not the criminal all. and we will
stop nne-tenths of the lynchings. Our
time will be much better employed tt an
in condemnng good citizens for what
each one of us would do were we to find
upon our return home that similar crimes
had been perpetrated upon our own
household.
j, ]. LAUGHINGHOUSE