The San Francisco call., 1906-04-18
FOLK SCORES
THE LYNCHERS
MissOuri's Governor Declares
the Springfield Mob Was
Made Up of Cowards
DARE NOT FACE LAW
.Denounces Killing ofNegroes
as Murder, Though They
Were Deserving of Death

ST. LOUIS, April 17-Speaking at the
Commercial Club banquet tonight, Gov
ernor Folk referred to the Springfield
lynchings. saying:
We have recently had an occurrence in our
State that has shocked the civilized world
Strange TO say. there are nen-sood mer. too
who approve what the Springfield mob did
last Saturday night when Lnrce negro prison
ers were lynched by hanging them to the out
stretched arm or the Statue OF Liberty holding
aloft the torch of civilization
Whatever may have been the crime OF the
Wretenes. Irrespective or their saiit or inno-
cence 1t was m1rder for the mob TO Kill them
They may have deserved death, but IL was
deaIh at the hands OF the law and not by a
mob We have Cover nment By law and not
by nlobs. Murder and criminal assault are
punishable by death in this State. ard fail
is unknown.
Ine aclion of the Springfield mob was
dastardiy. cruel, inhuman ana eowardly.
Those who would condone the action OF the
mob speak OF the killing of negro by young
Peters at Springfield last night In this case
Pete.s was attacked>by the negro. and he shot
to rave his life and the honor OF the lady he
was escorting. His act courageous and
was entirely blameless in the eyes Of the law:
Conscious Of the righteousness OF what he mad
done he went to the authorities and gave
himself up He was promptly discharged;
II the members OF the mob think they did a
manly thing. why do they not bravely give
themselves up and have the law take its
nitting this diaboiicai crime against the honor
OF the State, they SUNK cowardly away into
the darkness. Not one will dare admit pub
licly his connection with the Infamous pro-
ceedir-.
But If they thought they were merely put
ting 20 death three negroes they we're mis-
taken. They aimed at the assassination Of the
State of Missouri and insulted the majesty Of
the law. II such conduct is TO be tolerated, II
will lead to anarchy. II takes many years 10
make a civilized law-abiding man out OF the
savage. II only takes few minutes 10 make
a savage out Of a civilized man.
SPRINGFIELD. Mo-. April 15.-The
situation here remains practically un-
changed. There were no disturbances
during the day. and the crowds that
situation diminished in size and num-
bers toward evening.
The soldiers have not appeared on
the streets They have remained quiet
ly in camp ready, however. to march at
moments notice. The street inter-
sections near the Jail are guarded to-
night by the troops. so that the posi-
bility of trouble will be minimized.
Squads of special police will continue
to patrol all parts of the city. and any
effort to cause trouble will be stopped
before it has chance to gain strength.
Leslie Peters, the eighteen-year-o old
boy who last night shot and killed
Ralph Burns. a negro. in defense of his
own life and of his sweetheart's honor.
was acquitted by a Coroner's jury to-
day. The acquittal met with unanimous
approval.
The attempted crime of the negro has
not wrought lp any great feeling
among the whites. Many of the ne
groes here say that they are glad that
Burns was killed. He was regarded by
the colored men here as a bad man and
was accordingly feared by many of his
own race.