The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-06-30
THE DELAWARE LYNCHING AND
OTHERS.

The recent lynching near Wilmington.
Delaware has caused more discussion and
elected more varied and violent express
sions than any that has ever occurred.
This can hardly be because 1T was excep-
tionalIy brutal and barbarous in It's de-
tails, for many others have been quite as
much so. No doubt 1t is due In part to the
fact that it occurred in a thickly populated
and cultured community where violent
outbreak of the kind might be least ex-
pected. The tragedy has called out great
variety of comment from those of the col
cree preachers who have advised the
negroes to arm themselves and fight for
their lives. to that of a leading Congrega-
tional minister in Chicago, who maintained
that iynching. lawless as it is, has in It
an element of advanced civilization. AS
he PUT it: "The indignant uprising OF
community, and some of the best men In
IL. TO avcnge q wrong Of such awful masni-
tu6e may be technically lawless. but the
spirit which causes the uprising Is the
reflection Of a higher civilization" This
nay be partially true of the Delaware case
majority CT cases. Most lynchings reflect
the wor st passions of the worst elements
OF community, tolerated and encouraged
by the better classes. There is no higher
civilization abou. 1T because higher civil
ization would devise and apply a means
of furnishing crime with so much prompt
ness, certainty and severity that there
would be no occasion for lynching. The
fault is first in the laws and second in
the execution or lack of execution. The
growth of lynching until it has become
national scandal is due partly to criminal
code that leaves many open doors and
loop holes for the escape of criminals, and
partly 20 ignorant or cowardly judges who
do not even enforce the laws We have.
Meanwhile the steady growth of the par
ticular crime that leads to a majority Of
the lynchings, and which, in the minds OF
most persons. Genes nearer justifying re-
sort to lynch law than any other crime,
suggests an irquiry whether some heroic
action should not be taken to put a stop
to 1t. There is nothing to prevent any and
every Sta-e from enacting a law giving
a new definition to the crime of rape.
affixing a much more severe penalty than
is now affixed, even the death penalty il
desired, and providing special machinery
for the prompt indictment and speedy
trial of persons charged with it. At pres
emit our legal processes for the punishment
| of crime are much too slow and the results
too doubtful. There is no reason why a
| wretch whose guilt is known to a whole
| community should be accorded the ordinary
privileges of the law and the chances of
| its delays. There should be special law and
special machinery provided for such cases
which would make it possible to have a
| legal trial, conviction and sentence within
| twenty-four hours after arrest. The death
penalty would be none too severe, and IL
| the people could be assured of it's speedy
application in the case of every guilty per-
son, there would be no excuse for lynchins
| Such a law, enforced with speed and GER
| tainty, would be much more indicative of
higher civilization than .ynching Is. 1t
would meet the natural demand of the
people for the swift and terrible. punish
ment of the perpetrators of this crime
| and would do away with the necessity Of
| Furnishing them in a lawless way.