The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-07-10
PISTOL TOTER AND LYNCHER.
A Southern Judge on Two Dangerous
Social Pests.
.yvdoe Henri C. Homp,ond to the Aiken County,
6 q Ln,r and Order Leaaue. JLLK Z.

JUDGE Henry C. Hommond to the AIKEN County,
S. c., Ldp and order League. Julv =.
MY fellow countryman. look! Who Is 70
right and to left of you? Your friends, ana
your neighbors, your mother, sister' WHY, WIZ,
sweetheart, tho men old and young WIN
whom, shoulder to shoulder. you must "o,h
out the destiny OF this fair land when tho
Lord your God has given you. Would you
murder them, would you shoot them 10 thelr
death with that six -chambered. hammerless.
four-lnch barrel. self-cocking. ~ calioer
Smith & Wesson pistol that YOU at TINS olesseo
moment have in your right-hand hip pocket!
Then. In Heavens name, why did you bring
1t here?
For protection. did you say7 Protection
against whom3 highwayman! NON
sensel There has not been "hold-up IN
Aiken county in twenty years. The political
and social conditions do not warrant, or sug-
Rest. your turning yourself into walking
arsenal. Be a pistol toter' II you please
but don't be an Ananias. too. Say to your
self what you know to be the truth: I brought
this pistol here to shoot and to kill my 1elloW
human beings when, In my judgment, II De-
comes proper to do so. 1t Is true that wheh
Iuse 1t my Judgment Will not be cool; 1t Will DC
infamed. Though the wrong done mo may be
overlooked entirely without compromising
my honor, though II may be righted by words.
or by a blow with the hand, will not rely
upon or be content with any OF these mild
measures for my pistol will cry TO me from
my irresistibly convenient hip pocket: 1
am here, take me in your right hand. draw
me- aim me, pull the trigger. ! WILL DO the
rest"
l have no word Of comfort for the "pistos
toter" or the pistol shooter; but II we "an1
the truth that the facts afford we must often
look beyond the actual facts themselves. MY
study and observation OF ten years compel
tho belief that in this country nine out OF ten
killings OF men by men are pistol KILN gs,
and that at least nine out of ten pistol klllings
are done in hot blood. and are granddaughter,
and not murder. II not technically so. they
are in the eyes OF the average jury.
Often. very often a mans passion wouio
be appeased by fist battery. but the ever
present hip pocket pistol" makes MIN
nanslayer. But the moment We look De-
yond the actual encounter we shall inquire
vainly for a good reason on the part OF the
man sla yer for taking from the mantelplece
or top bureau drawer the pistol when. IN
violation of law. he slipped, concealed, into
his hip pocket when starting to town or to
church or to social gathering like this Here
was the deliberate unlawful act which leads
to thanksgiving. to social disorder ana TO
national disgrace.
The concealed pistol is strictly an Ameri-
than in South Carolina is this vicious prac-
tise INDUCED, still be it said to her credit
that OF late she has gone further than any
other State in the enactment OF laws to re-
strain It, The constitutional right to bear
arms was right given to carry flint and
steel musket TO resist n despot.o ruler; 1t has
come to signify sanction OF the practise OF
carrying Colts pistol with which to shoot
your neghbor. What does. the situation
warrant2 An amendment Of the Consttu-
ton, the imposition Of prohibitive license
on the manufacture ana sale 81. or pistols ro or
we should cultivate. a healthy public seGti-
tended or adapted for shooting anything but
a man. Who would go bunting for any game
but man with pistol-who wouid choose
or remote, of shooting a man? Can we re-
gard this vile thanksgiving weapon with any
GUST gust. and should not this same feeling be
Visited upon the man who carries one'
:, Lynchng is peculiarly an American America crime.
1t is generally accepted that criminal assault
on the part of negro men constitutes the
fhf sat i %orhy ens Who @
others.
100 egroes lynched the following crimes
are credited with, murder. IS: criminal as
sas f. mnGI Gedpsss d soS
4. IL must be admitted that for every negro
lynohed for criminal assault, two are lynched
Justify H only one-third Of their executions on
the ground that they were done, in punish
ment of criminal assault,
teristc Of the lyncher. So deeply is be moved
by feelings Of passion and reWentg 90, that he
asscs to take asy " no the Night te
armed to the teeth, he and his numerous fel-
lows 60 forth to shoot, hang or burn, The
minute. He is not only intent upon the main
himself wants to lay hands on him, him.the true
scores Of others to do the bloody work, It must
T Re 1 psed Tm and pas h H
His hand must be on the rope when the wretch
is erksSd up oyer the so lmb He must help
ss sof ard sets set. of the pile. lie emptes the
bs og Of the of d III h1 dG sa lie
only S' When he has in his trousers pocket an
ear or finger off the loathsome corpse.
My friend. you will naturally say, MY.
II this man would do so much without the law.
what viii he not ID DO within The iawb h he
and filth of an inhuman execution. it will not
give him an instant's pause. as Juror. to
accused stsle prisoner in the DOCK My friend.
Tho ynehssr, IS iyTeheE, is r0arns lion
PENS that bloody iynchines and unconscion-
able acauittals go hand in hand. If you
want miscarriage of justice, give me a fury
men without substance or standing. men who
have not grit enough to fight ten7year,old
lynchers. 1t is a dead easy thing to be
iynchcr It is often hard to keep. from being
one hut to got an honest CONFLICTING Juror
you must pick man Of nerve and character.
Don't let's turn the administration OF law
over to the lynchcr-,thc more rope we give
him the more he will want to use in his bust
ness. The man who assails the law or those
selected 70 administer II. assails you. Modify
your law, select other ofticerA if You will.
sentatlves to be trampled under foot deiied,
outraged by n'obl
Tunnel and Subway