The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1904-09-09
Friday Sept. 9. 1904.
WILMINGToN's NARROW ESCAPE.

Now that the excitement caused by
the bringing to this city Of the two ne
gro murderers from Clarkton has dieo
GU and our people can view the events
Of Tuesday and Tuesday night coolly
and dispassionately we wish to say a
word or two regarding what occurred
at that time.
1t is a fact which a great many OF our
people do not seem to realize that our
city on Tuesday afternoon went
through a fearful ordeal and narrowly
escaped a most awful tragedy. 1t was
a condition forced upon us by circum-
stances oven which we had no control.
A great mistake was made in sending
to this county the two men charged
with the heinous crime in Clarkton on
last Saturday. Bladen county. by
order of the solicitor of that
district put on the civil au-
thorities of New Hanover county the
performance of an important duty
which her own officials confessed
themselves unable to perform-the
protection from mob violence of theI
two men accused of the murder OF
Mrs. Packer-and most valiantly did
the New Hanover and city OF Will
mington authorities do their duty.
Tuesday afternoon for a while it
looked as if no human power could
prevent the ~lynching Of the two ne
groes. What prevented it was the
display, of nerve, courage and determi-
nation of the men on whom the law of
the land called for prevention of its
violation and vindication of it's males
tv. ~
The sheriff and his posse and the
squad Of Wilmington Light Infantry
men who held that railroad car against
the assaults Of h infuriated mob,
We're no there to a " from swift
punishment the two brutes who were
charged with this fiendish double
crime. but for the purpose of perform
ing their sworn duty-of upholding the
laws of the state and preserving thu
peace. We do not uppose that there
was a single man in all that assembly
which was clamoring for the ives of
the two brutes who would more will
lingly have seen them executed than
would any of the civil or military Of
ficers who were interpreting thei:
lives between the fury of the mob and
the lives of the prisoners. These men
were not there to save the lives of the
two negro fiends who had murdered a
white woman, but to uphold n main
tain the majesty of the law-to show 20
the world that there was such a thing
90 10 " an1 arla, in tho nit- Of Will
mington and that the authorities could
under the most pressing circumstan-
ces maintain their authority.
That there was no ~bloodshed on that
occasion we should all be thankful.
We veritably believe there would ave
been had the mob pushed matters to
an extreme. We honestly believe that
Sheriff Stedman and his deputies and
the members of theWilmington Light
Infantry in charge of the prisoners on
that train YOU have defended them
to the last extreme had necessity re-
Quired such action. They were there to
do their duty and they would have
done it. With our soldiers it was TO
play work or pretense of resistance
as was the Georgia militia at States
boro. Horrible and nerve wrecking
as it would have been to those men to
fire or their friends we feel sure they
would have done so when the critical
time came. They deserve nothing bur
honor for their action in this matter,
though we know there are some who
blame them for the show of deterni-
nation made by them on that occasion.
Everyone of our citizens should be
thankful that on that trying and crit
zeal occasion We had a sheriff and a
military company Of men who knew
their duty and were not afraid to do
it. though that duty brought them SO
near to deadly conflict with members
of u own citizenship.
Sheriff Stedman's position was no
enviable one and we'll did he do his
duty-the sworn duty of his Office.
Those who censure him must recall
that it was no pleasure to him to pro
tect from punishment these fiends. but
that the duty Of the office to which;
they a elected him alone prompted
him to his action and they should nom
or him for his conduct. 1t was the
same as to every member of the Will
mington Light Infantry. Not a man
was there through choice or desire to
Protect these negroes against punish
ment for their hellish deed, but be-
cause the law and their oath required
them to act in defense of the peace
and order, and right We'll did they
perform their duty. Right thinking
men will honor them for their action
The state owes them and Sheriff
Stedman a vote of thanks for duty
well done in the face of that angry
n threatening mob.