Middletown transcript., 1903-06-27
THE STATE DIseaAcED

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A mob composed Of a large
majority of boys, with a smaller
number of loafers from around
the barrooms of Wilmington, and
a very small percentage OF men
who would like to be called re-
spectacle has placed an ineffable
. stain on the fair name of our
beloved little Diamond State.
The would be respectable ele-
ment, we have no doubt, were
largely Influenced by the sensa-
tional sermon preached by the
Rev. Mr.. Ellwood, who disgraced
his cloth almost as much as the
mob disgraced the state, and who
will never live down the effect
produced in the minds of the
law and order loving citizens.
The toughs and loafers were only
carrying out the dictates of their
own evil minds and many OF
them would probably hav econ.
mitted crime themselves but
lacked the courage which over
whelming numbers give. The
boys, whose parents are wholly
responsible for their presence,
were animated by that childish
desire to see things in the doing.
Their presence and actions are
probably one of the worst fea-
lures of the whole disgraceful
affair. The sight of a twelve
year-old boy with a bottle of
whiskey in one hand and q revol-
yer in the other ought to have
been sufficient to so thoroughly
shame the leaders, as to cause
them to turn in disgust. These
boys will never be the better but
much worse for last Monday
nights experience.
For the part played by the
officers of the workhouse, we
can see no possible excuse. They
are employed by the county and
furnished with arms, ammunition
and all the power which the law
can bestow-for what? Surely
not to stand supinely by and see
the county's property destroyed,
and one of the prisoners confded
to their custody by the law which
they are sworn to uphold, taken
by force. Had the men, yes, had
the Chief Warden been a man,
the mob would have been re-
pulsed. At the first volley, even
though it was fired above their
heads, caused the crowd TO fall
back. If a second volley had
been fred, not necessarily to kill,
although it is reasonable to sup
pose that the guards were pro-
vided with guns to kill with if
necessary, the probabilities are
that the mob would have dis
persed. These men all sought
their positions and knew, or
ought to have known, what the
duties were, when appointed. If
the Trustees of the Workhouse
do not clean out the whole bunch
at the earliest opportunity they
will be held equally responsible
with their appointees.
An important, almost a solemn,
duty now devolves upon the At
torney-General. He should do
his utmost to apprehend and con-
vict the leaders, at least. And
we have no doubt that Mr.. Ward
will do his full duty in the case.
1t will not do to say that it is i'm.
possible to convict them. The
class of men from which our
juries are drawn was not present
at Prices Corner, nor does it up
hold or condone such crime. We
know that il is easy just now
with the lust for blood and the
joy of killing still in the veins to
say that the public approves the
act. But in the three months
intervening before the Septem-
ber Court convenes, the passions
will have cooled and the per-
verted senses will see things as
they are. Then it will be the
stern reality of an outraged law
that will confront the evil-doers.
And ''the mills of the gods grind
slowly, but they grind exceed
ingly fine"
The one bright feature in all
this horrible affair is the letter
sent out by the Rev. E. A. Bishop
at the time the lynching was first
talked of. While heart broken
by the death of his daughter,
threatened with the loss of his
wife as result of the shock, this