The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-07-12

swelled by hundreds who gathered solely
for the same reason that the crowd gath
ers around the man standing on the street
and pointing to the top floor of building
insatiate curiosity. 1t is almost needless to
repeat the details of the tragedy. The evo-
luton from recklessness and threats to riot
ing and bloodshed was perfectly logical and
natural There was nothing mysterious
about IL.
WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN DONE.
Now, could the tragedy have been pre-
vented? PROFESSIONALLY it could. The his
tory of mobs shows conclusively that at
the right time they can always be checked,
dispersed and foiled. How could this one
have been checked and the bloodshed of
Monday night averted?
First, had Sheriff Kratz commanded, in
stead of entreated. expostulated and be-
seeched, and backed up his command with
determination ana proper display of force
If need be the mob of Saturday night would
have been repulsed never to return.
Second, had the city authorities made an
earnest effort to arrest and lock up the
leaders of the mobs of Sunday night, or
taken similar measures to prevent the
gathering OF the crowd in the courthouse
square Monday night, or to dispense the
crowd at any time up until within fifteen
minutes of the clash with the troops, the
tragedy would have been averted at no
greater cost than few broken heads.
Third, had the additional six companies
Of infantry and the battery with its Calling
gun arrived in Evansville Monday evening
instead of TUESDAY. and General Mckee
assumed the direction of affairs a day
earlier, no mob would have gathered.
This last suggestion is not offered as in
any sense a criticism of Governors Dur
bins action. He met the emergency
promptly. as it was shown to him. but he
expected that the local authorities would
make an effort to control the situation and
knew beyond peradventure that they had
not exhausted their resources when they
called on him for assistance from the State.
However 1T Is undoubtedly true that the
fatal riot would not have taken place had
there been an overawing display of State
troops. When Battery AS Calling gun
numbered through the streets in the heart OF
the city Tuesday evening the mob and riot
spirit was thoroughly cowed The same re-
suit would have been attained Monday
evening.
In the light of all the developments in the
unfortunate affair it seems that one lesson
is to be drawn from Evansville's expert
ence that may be of value in future emer-
gencies. should any arise. That is, when
the local authorities CT any community call
on the State for assistance to prevent a
lynching or TO quell mob the chief execu-
tive should conclude at once that these au-
thorities are not competent to meet the sit
uation and should send in, not one or two
companies of militia. but five or six. or an
entire regiment. One or two companies
may be able TO handle the mob and dispense
ii in the summary manner Company E, Of
Evansville, dispersed the mob here, but the
larger force would accomplish the same end
without shot being fired merely by the
display of overwhelming numbers.
1t has been suggested that the Evansville
tragedy was the best thing that could have
happened under the circumstances because
of the salutary effect 1T will have as an OBJ
ject lesson, but does not the old adage, "An
ounce of prevention Is worth pound Of
cure" hold good in this case, where the
disease is of the body polite?
C. s. WATTS.