The semi-weekly messenger., 1903-07-24
CAN LYxcHIxG BE ABOLISHED.
1t Can 8y Vigorous sentiment OF
INV Abiding Citizens.

Really. We think il can. That IS 70
saw. We believe it can be abolished so
farms concerns communities where SO
cIsiv - in an organized condition and
where the machinery o. justice needs
Only good viii and determined Durposs
su the part Of those who az charged
with its operation. We fee sure. in Z
word. that lyrching could r made in
possible III thickly settled districts II
only the people were satisfied by Fng
and Unbrokel experience that justice
could be cornted on with perfect c<nfi-
dence.
We haay two cases n point. Last
Sunday night an infuriated mob gath
cred abou; the parish ia-Il in Franklin.
La, benz on lyCching negro VINO had
attackef with BfirninaI intent and bad
ly injured a white woman, the wife OF
Mr. Rene HebeTt, q sugar planter. OF
St, Ma-ys Parish. The would-He lynch-
ers. however. were me- at the gates OF
the prison InclOsure " Unlted states
Senator Foster, Of LOuisia1a, and
Judges Allen and Smith, of the local
courts. who assured zheIn that the or
fendrr would be promptly tried, and,
if fond guilty. as promptly punished
Upor the strength IF that
In cefauIt Of that g7Iarantes-glVen oy
men whom they knew they could truST
IMP icitIy-the negro would ln1aIHp!E
hav- been put to death. We nave ar
WAYS believed thai well-m sanIng CIT
zers would act IL this way every
where under similar conditions we
have believed more. IN fact, for We aIe
corfident that no lynching sentiment
could be aroused III any civilized COM
uunfty convinced On the efficiency OF It's
courts. And this brings US to the other
case in pOint-the case Of 10 DelA-
ware horror. in which mob violence
found it's most fTightful and barbarUus
expression.
1t now appears mat the pOpulace lad
even greater prOv0CatiOn than was ton
tanned in the refusal of judges to act
promptly. They mad the lurther provo
cation of q hideOus memory, revived as
follows by Harper's Weekly IN IT'S IS
sue of July IL
Twenty three years ago an atrocl0us
assault was made by 4 negro named
Neal on the wTts OF white farmer
named LangdUn. who IL ed near Cay
ton. Del. As II the Whine case. the WO-
man was not only outraged but niur-
dered. Neal was arrested soon after the
CRIME. and. after being confined IN jail
for a few months, was tried, and SEN
fenced to be hdrged. His counsel row
over Anthony Higgins at one time
took the case 10 another court. On the
second trial the negro was again con-
deinned tO"be hanged. The convict :
lawyer appealed with the result that
a third trial took blaCr. and u Jnird
sentence TO the death penalty was i'm
pOs,ed. Once more the case was CaT7led
to he supreme court. ana. after an IN
teryal. Neal was acquitted upon J.ch-
niCdIity- He IS still living in freedom.
his crime having gone unpuniShed Of
the law. With SaCf q notorious proof
that in Delaware. so tdT as the courts
Were concerned. Il negro ravIsher and
murderer might go scot free. 1t is not
surprising that many Wilmington peo-
pie regarded with Indignation the re-
fuSs,I of the judges to order speedy
triai for the negro White.
W. adopt the New orleans PIca-
yUue'S condensation of the Harper s
WeskIy narrative together with its
comments and conclusions. As has been
already explained IL these columns
The z'Ost does not coudOTiy- such eXhIDi-
tIOTrS of savage violence as have re-
centfl darkened the history OF Della
ware. Illinois. Kansas. and other
northern states. We content ourselves
with pointing out the facts. The Amer
lean people. no matter in what section
they Tn5.y happen TO DWELL Will not en-
dure these shameful miScdrrlages OF
Justice in connection with certain
crimes uf which We know. And We
solemn, believe that I--nching VIII con-
tluue even increase IN frequency ana
horror wherever the people have rea
son to stpnrehend ~ faIlure Of the law
The pr=Irtice- can be eradiCdtei. but not
by rebuhIng outraged human nature
1t can Dt- eradicated by recognizing the
lust drruei ndS and securing the implicit
confidence OF the "eOpie- And IN no
other Va. MISUNDERSTANDING