Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1904-01-08
SUPPRESS MOBOCRACYI

The death OF Thomas p, Brighton
makes the charge Of double murder
complete, against the robber. assassin
who held up streetcar II on Wednes-
day night II is believed by the police
that In the prisoner, John Shookley,
arrested on Thursday afternoon on In
formation furnished by his companion,
Bert Prothero they have the murderer
IN custody. The evidence against him
is not complete, and 1t may require add
ditlonal efforts and further vigilance to
obtain the necessary confederation to
prove his guilt. The clues furnished
should be followed up without delay
and with determined persistence.
Nothing OF a criminal nature that has
occurred here lately has occasloned so
much sympathy mingled with fierce In
dlgnaton as this double tragedy The
men who fell victims to the assassin's
bullets were honest, Woodworking men
with families dependent upon them
Amasa Gleason and Thomas b,
Brighton were native sons of Utah and
were each highly esteemed and loved
by their associates and acquaintance.
Their cruel death aroused the anger of
their fellow-w orkmen and many other
citizens to a burning intensity. The
sentiment was very widely expressed
that the murderer ought to have his
neck stretched without hesitancy and
without the delay of the law.
When the arrests were made on
Thursday afternoon and the news was
spread, the car employees began
TO confer with each other and
excited, reckless men In saloons and
on street corners, soon worked up a
mob bent on wreakIng vengeance upon
the alleged murderer Particulars Of
the disturbance are given IN another
part OF this paper. II was entirely I'M
worthy Of this community, which is us
ually law-abiding and peaceable. The
crowd that surrounded the city jail
and police offices We're animated by
wrong spirit, and their purpose was un.
lawful and to be thoroughly condemn
ed
Now, let the carmen soberly and
fairly consider the case, A man Is
strongly suspected Of the awful crime
that has so enraged them and many
others. IL It not shameful to condemn
him without a hearing? Is II not mur-
derous to talk Of hanging him. ON mere
suspicion? Is It not cowardly for 2lO
or 300 men to attempt to pounce on a
single individual and choke the life out
OF him, without proof Of his guilt? |
Would they not feel Mortified and self
condemned if after wrcaklng their un-
reasoning vengeance, they should find |
out that he was the wrong man?
But supposng there were definite |
proofs Of his criminal conduct He Is
in the hands Of the officers and under
the protection Of law and Justice, The
authorities are under obligations to Sc.
cure his safety until he can be fairly
tried by competent court and Jury.
They would be justified In resisting
clamorous mob TO the utmost cxtrem.
ity The mObocrats would be- violating
the law, In a conflict 10 the
death This cannot be fairly dis
puted, 1t Is The simple truth, Whether
guilty or not guilty, under condomna-
ton or mere suspicion, civilized society
must protect an accused person from
popular violence, and proceed upon
civilized lines ana methods and that
which Is called lynch law IL not law,
but brutal unlawful criminal violence.
The course taken by the Mayor and
he police Is to be much commended,
The inccnscd crowd was kept back and
he prisoners We're removed with pro-
Der filmness and precautions and wis.
lon was displayed In the permission
Owen to committee, TO satisfy the
mob that the accused was not IN the
all. The officers would have been
justified I'm treating everybody connect
ID with the disturbance as peace
'reaker and instead Of showing the
ourtesy extended might lawfully have
each rlngleador or follower
iho tried to commit the crime IN view.
But prudence suggested what was done
nd 80 further trouble was ayerted.
There were professed "Mormons" IN
hat mob, no doubt We think that on