Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1903-10-15
LYNCHING is MURDER.

Reports of lynchings continue TO dis
grace the columns OF our press The
latest story of mob outrage comes from
Montana.
The apologsts for lynch law at one
time used to say that there was no ade-
duate punishment for the unspeakable
crime and that mob murder. conse-
quently, was to some extent justiiable.
II was proved by statistics that this
plea had no foundation In fact, 1t was
shown, for instance. that in 1896. out
Of SO lynchlngs the occasions for which
we're definitely reported only 80 were
for assaults upon women. In 1897 out
Of 1923 cases only 81 were for crimes Of
this class; in 1895 the lynchings for this
cause numbered only % out of 1902; in
1899 the number fell TO q total of 10 out
Of 20; and In 1900 there We're Is out of a
total of 90. These figures, however, are
not the totals of lynchlngs for the years
mentioned but only those the provoca-
ton Of which was definitely known, II
the totals are analysed, 1t Is proved
that not more than one-fourth or one
fifth Of the total number of lynchngs,
taking one year with another, belong
IN the category which apologlsts for the
practise represent as II 1t explained
all,
Driven to the wall by the presenta-
ton of such facts the apologlsts plead
ed the laws delays as a proyocation Of
mob murder; but that too. has been
proved to be without solid foundation,
In the Montana case the victim had
been duly convicted and sentenced, and
there was no reason to suppose that the
sentence would not have been carried
out And yet according TO the report,
about seventy-0ye masked men, armed
with Wholesalers and shotguns, forced
their way through the rear of the Jail
and oyerpowered the TALLER. Then they
soon found Jackson, VINO was bringing
In the darkest portion OF his cell. The
wretch pleaded piteously for mercy
but was rushed out into the street. The
mob had already provided themselves
with rope, This was quickly thrown
over an Electric light pole and the re.
Voting deed was done. This mode OF
anticipating the law is but too com.
mon, and It gives the lie to the apollo.
gists Tor lynchers. who plead the law,
delays.
The trouble with this kind OF lawless
ness, us with all such evils, is its con
tagiousncss, It grows and fosters NOR,
crime Chief Justice clark Of Norll
Carolina has recently, from the bencl
spoken wor'e Of wisdom on this sub
jcct lie aad that more men had beer
executed by lyachcrs IN North Carolir,
in the lngt fourteen years than by law
ful nrocaro and como Years twice g,
many II lYarhl7- could o;ay tho prog
recs NJ crlmo uuvi'rs would hoy
been cSecpi3ral 10 ,h9t s.a.c. Tut IN,
is not CO. Th3 CN,cf Jus.le, quote,
| ctet.g,icc 90 how TINT for IT, ,v' go p
1901 and 1902 th ge wcrc On Nor'h c,r
DINA indictments fer ,9l mr.'e-s oo.
Go manslought.yf Tc comrorol .l
record With mat Of T.oul3,, which ,l.'
more than tdrcc times ns greet p.p
ulation as the State Of North C,ro i1a
and with It's cosmopolitan ana het.rn
geneous population, had last year bu
20 murders The 0tttorncy-geue-al'
records, he further said, show that wig
all the lynchIrrs that had lken p!ac
IN North Carolina the crimes for whlcl
murdtrcrs were lyUched In twcly
years had nearly doubled, Tho figure
for 1889 and 1880 as compared VIII thos
for 1901 and 1902 werc as follows In
dIclments for murder had increases