Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1906-09-24
THE ATLANTA LyNCHINC.


Mr.. John Temple Graves, one of the
most prominent persons in Georgia, and
editor of the Atlanta News, platform
orator, lyceum lecturer, politician, and
man of affairs for some weeks has been
denouncing negro rapists and calling
npon the authorities and residents Of
Atlanta to adopt drastic methods in
dealing with the men responsible for the
attacks upon the women of Atlanta.
Concerning recent assaults and lynch
iLgs he, among other things, said:
1.-THE Atlanta race riot is due to the
cumulative provocation of series of az
saults by negroes upon white women,
which, in number, in atrocity, and Un-
speakable audscity, are without a par
alel in the history of crime among
southern negroes. There have been
eleven assaults or attempted assaults
within the past seven weeks. OF these
fends only four have been apprehended,
and seven Eave escaped scott free and
are now at large in the community.
Eight of these assaults have been IN
broad daylight, and in most instances in
the open air, within stones throw OF
other residences. One assault was at.
tempted at O'Clock in the evening in
the brilliantly lighted parlors of city
residence. Three have been attempted
almost within twenty feet of the man OF
the house, the criminals escaping before
the household men could reach them.
"In almost every case the woman VIC
tins have been multlsted and disfgured
monstrously, and the entire eleven ef-
forts, five successful and six unsuccess-
ful, have been made right in the city and
suburbs ofAtlants, the capital ofthe New
South; the center of trade, traditions,
and politics; the heart of our civilization
with a white population nearly twice
as large as that of the negro.
at is utterly impossible to reach an
explanation of this tidal wave of crime.
Whether it be due to the lust begotten
by the sultry and torrid weather; whether
it be due to the remarkable increase OF
the cocaine habit among the negroes;
whether it has been stirred by the rev.
olutionary harsngues of local news
paper; whether it has come from the
frequenting of low liquor dives on De-
catur street, in which are exposed the
pictures of nude white women, or, as is
more likely, from all of these causes
combined, it is certain that Atlanta nor
any other southern city has passed
through such horrid carnival OF the
intolorable crime as during the clos
ing weeks of the present summer.
''There are few men who dare to leave
their families after nightfall, either to
attend public meetings, to pay social
call, or to worship in the churches of
their choice. The whole section has
been in state Of siege and apprehen-
sion, which has been growing more and
more intolerable. Every thoughtful
citizen has realized that Atlanta has been
sleeping upon a volcano for weeks.
Under these conditions, Saturday after
noon WAS drawing to a close. There
had been rape for each of the proceed
ing days, right in the heart of the city.
The afternoon editions of the papers
came out On time without an addition to
the grewsome record, and people Breath
ed easier. Half an hour later an after
noon extra appeared, announcing that
there had been four rapes attempted in
swift succession within the hour, two of
which had been successful.
"Anotber paper issued an extra, and in
one short hour the populace of Atlanta
was in a frenzy OF excitement. BY 7
O'Clock the first crude and impromptu
organization was formed, and from 7
O'Clock nntil an hour after midnight,
Atlanta passed through the throes
of a riot which has had no approxi-
nation in southern history. The lid of
the volcano Was of; monstrous things
were done in the name of retaliation.
Old and young negroes, negroes good
and bad, innocent and guilty, were cut
and slashed and killed. To every plea
for mercy was shouted back the fierce re-
spopse: "You had no mercy on our
women and we will have none on you."
Seventeen negroes we're killed and
more than thirty injured.
"The silliest man in the South is the
time-serying statesman who declares that
there is no race problem, and the ques-
ton, if left alone, will settle itself.
The race question is mole lmI ending
aud threatening now than it has been in
twenty years. The tension is sharper,
the sntagonism deeper between the races
The hope OF permanent agreement has
slender foundations.
"The horror Of Saturday has doubtless
left a blot on our civilization, but it will
clear The atmosphere aud keep the negro
in order for five years to come.
"What is the ultimate emo? Separa-
tion of the races, the only possible log
ical, inevitable solution. These two op-
posite antagonistic races can never live
together in the same government under
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