The Brandon news. (Brandon, Miss.) 1892-1961, 1904-08-25
JACKSON is AROUSED AT LAST.

L.
II the tone of the city press can be
relied on as an index to public senti-
ment in the premises, and we rather
think it can, Jackson has at last be-
come aroused to sense of her duty in
the turnpike tiger matter. Heretofore
the newspapers there have laid the
plame for existing conditions at the
door of Rankin county, and claimed
that upon her devolved the task of
suppressing the evil. But the murder
of Jesse Pickett has been to Jackson
an object lesson which will not soon
be forgotten and she is now willing
and anxious we believe to do her part
toward closing forever the dens of in
iquity which have thrived and fatten-
ed right at her door for years. Anent
the matter the Clarion Ledger of
Wednesday says under the caption of
1T is Now Time to Act:'
''It is currently reported that the
blind tigers across the river, where
the terrible tragedy of Saturday night
took place, are again in full blast. In
fact it has been stated that business
was suspended for only a short time
after the killing of Pickett, and
that when the coroner's jury went
there Sunday to investigate the shoot
ing, while there were no liquid re-
freshments about the premises, at the
same time it was evident from numer-
Gus physical signs, that business had
been conducted up to within a few
minutes of the arrival of the officers.
'In view of what has so recently
occurred, the many indignities to
which the people oe Jackson and the
citizens of Rankin, who in coming to
Jackson are forced to pass by these
dens of iniquity, are evidences that
there should be some concert of act
ion between the officials and the
people of the two counties, and If
necessary to break up these hell
holes, the woods ought to be fired,
and every possible habitation of a
blind tiger destroyed.
''Vicksburg once arose in her
wrath and hanged lot of gamblers.
San Francisco on more than one
occasion had recourse to vigilance
committee to rid that city and section
of murderers and thieves, and it was
only few years ago when New Oh
AeaDs, impressed with the Importance
of the step, hanged lot of Italians,
members of the famous Malta gang. in
order to punish where the law had
failed to convict the cowardly muir
derers of Chief of Police Hennessy.
1t is therefore not unreasonable to
suggest that the law abiding people of
this city and Rankin county may yet
be called on to take the matter into
their own hands, even if little hang
ing has to be done, in order to break
up the resorts across the river
Along the same line the Jackson
News of same date closes an article
bearing on the trial of Tardy and
Ol1On as TolloWS.
1T is believed that the murder of
Sunday night will bring before the
officers of both Rankin county and
jackson these joints on the pike, and
that they will be broken up. The
conduct of these places for the past
several years has been disgraceful and
they have gone on practically undis-
surbed from the officers of the law.
The murder committed there Sunday
has brought these places into the
glare of public opinion, which will
result in their being wiped out.
While we believe that the locality
where the unlawful practices under
consideration are carried on is under
the jurisdiction of the city of Jack
son, Rankin county feels 9 moral
responsibility in the matter, and we
are sure we voice the sentiment Of
the law abiding citizenship OF Ran
kin IN. stating that Rankin's citi-
zens and her officers are ready at any
time to join forces with Kinds
county and the city of jackson in q
united movement to stamp ont Of
existence these blind tigers and
gambling places. The citizens Of