The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-07-10
PISTOL rorER AND LYNCHER.
A Southern Judge on TWO Dangerous
Social Pests.

,yudoe Henrv C. Hammond 10 the Aiken County,
s. c., Lou and order League. july 4.
My fellow countryman. look! Who 10 TO
right and to left of you? Your friends. and
your neighbors. your mother. sister. vile.
| sweetheart, the men old and young Win
whom, shoulder to shoulder. you must wofk
out the destiny of this fair land which tho
Lord your God has given you. Would you
murder them would you shoot them to their
death with that six -chambered. hammerless.
four-Inch' barrel. self-oocking. 80 CALDER
Smith 4 Wesson pistol that you at this blessed
moment have in your rtght-hand hip pocketY
Then, In Heavens name. why did you bring
1t here2
For protection, did you say? Protection
against whom? A hishwayman? Nom
sense There has not been 1hold-up" IN
Aiken county In twenty years. The political
and social conditions do not warrant, or sug-
sest, your turning yourself into walking
arsenal. Be pistol toter' II you please.
but don't be an Ananias. too. Say to your
self what you know to be the truth i Drought
this pistol here to shoot and to kill my 1elloW
human beings when. In my judgment. " De-
comes proper to do so. 1t Is true that when
Iuse it my Judgment will not be cool: 1t will De
infamed. Though the wrong done ME may be
overlooked entirely without compromising
my honor. though 1t may be righted " WORDS
or by a blow with the hand, l will not rely
upon or be content with any OF these milo
measures: for my pistol will cry to me from
my irresstbly convenient hip pocket: i
am here, take me in your right hand. draw
me. aim me, pull the trigger. will do the
rest"
! have no word Of comfort for the pistol
toter" or the pistol shooter; but II we want
the truth that the facts afford we must often
look beyond the actual facts themselves. My
study and observation Of ten years compel
the be fef that in this country nine out OF ten
killings OF men by men are pistol killings,
and that at least nine out Of ten pistol killings
are done In hot blood. and are granddaughter,
and not murder. II not technically 3d. they
are In the eyes OF the average jury.
Often very often. a mans passion would
be appeased by a fist battery. but the ever
present "hp pocket pistol" makes him
mansayer. But the moment we look De-
You'd the actual encounter We shall inquire
yainly for good reason on the part OF the
man slayer for taking from the mantelpiece
or top bureau drawer the pistol which, IN
violation OF law. he slipped, concealed, into
his hip pocket when starting to town or TO
church or to a social gathering like this. Here
was the deliberate unlawful act which leads
to thanksgiving, to social disorder and to
national disgrace.
The concealed pistol Is strictly an Ameri-
canism. While perhaps In no State more
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 1t. The constitutional right to bear
arms was right given to carry mint and
steel musket to resist . despotio ruler; II has
come to signify a sanction OF the practise OF
carrying Colts pistol with which to shoot
your neighbor. What does the situation
warrant? An amendment Of the, Constitu-
ton, the imposition OF prohibitive license
any other step that can drive them from Of
should euIase AfSathE 1pblG not se11
s' msn. VINO = ss%s
or Of re remote, Of shooting mani Can we re-
gard this vile panslayins weapon with any
gust gust and should not this same feeiln be
visited upon the man who carries one?
1t IS %nTnoyn AMONG other el7ized peoples
SRet the ss Of ynsns them xnd true shs
iynching on this ground condemn it on ali
Let us see what the facts are; Out Of every
100 negroes lynshed the following crimes
s saa f'f 81 minor %'e ar arson
1. It must be. admitted that for every negro
1Hs ashe ens Of
me- Of criminal assault.
teristic, Of the lyncher. SO deeply is he moved
e eS lef Wst dsS nor an hosr for orderIy
justice to take rs course. n the night time.
typical lyneher wants to be in the game every
a the in en c e ths ae
himself wants to lay hands on him-the true
lyncher must be arrestinng ofloeri jailer.
scores scores Of others to do the bloody work it must
be his. Along the ground he drags his ter
Tor Pasaied victim; beating .S and Kicking him
ws s5k tS III hods VI n't to h ne
six chambers OF his hip pocket pistol" into
the body Of the DING Or dead MIeach He
ear or finger OF the II,9athsomes, corpse. .,,
II this man Would do 50 mich without the law.
what VIII he not a. 40 within h the iaw be
and filth Of an inhuman execution. II will not
return verdict Of guilty aseinst, the Justly
accused prisoner in the dock My friend.
The ynehsss s slssS is sn rgGscns lion
want miscarriage of Justice, give me Jury
OF weaklings, men who fail at everything.
men without substance or. standing. men who
boy. but who would still make frst.class
lynchers.. II is dead, easy thing to be a
one: but to get an honest convicting Juror
you must pick man OF nerve and character.
Don't let's turn the administration OF law
him the more he will want to use In his bust
ness. The man who assas the law or those
your law. select. other Officers. II you viii
but do not permit your law and your repre-.
sentatives to be trampled under foot, def1ed,
outra ged by mob