Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1910-01-15
FATHER LUCEY
 C0MMENDS GRAPHIC
Makes An Able Appeal for Laws and Reviews Condition of Former
 Days iii Court.

Days iii Court.
 TO the Editor of the Graphic:
 Your editorial OF the Kansas City outrage and the speedy punishment o1 the perpetrators is admirable Ii newspapers throughout the land would make a special effort in the way you have done t0 commend quick and sure enforcement of law and condemn the unlawful action of mobs in short time strong moral sen- timent would be created in favor of law enforcement, and no other way You say that, On the night of De- cember 23, two vicious negroes made a terrible attack on a young white woman at Brooklyn avenue and 24tll street, Kansas City. and in less than two weeks thereafter the criminals were caught, arraigned, tried, con- victed and condemned to death.' You also state that the arrest was made lby Patrolman J. w. Williams, col ored man, who at the risk of his life arrested those two men and two oth- CT negro pals,
 An officer like Williams brings credit upon his race far more than the pugiist Johnson, and he deserves some public recognition. It happens but too often that eolored people har- bor criminals of their race, through some mistaken notions of race pride. A criminal, white or black, should not receive any race sympathy
 The best thing about the Kansas affair was the speedy justice which was meeted out to the criminals For many years in our state, efforts were made to influence our circuit judges to grant speedy trials in all cases lence. The reply invariably made was that they could not ebligate themselves as they did not feel justified by the law of the land and that to stop procedure in cases whenever some outrage had been committed and mob was forming would dis turb the equilibrium of the courts. II a fire took place, or an overflow or an epidemic they would consider that court might be adjourned but not on account of crime that brought a most terrible disgrace on family of the community and a stigma of dis grace upon law and order.
 Finally a bill was introduced ill the legislature which would relieve cir cult judges of any responsibility ln the matter of interrupting a trial in court or other procedure when citl- Zens of a community or the sheriff would notify the judge of the danger of mob violence on account of some atrocious crime.
 Strange to say the bill was defeat ed on the instance of some circuit judges of the state that it would be unwise and revolutionary. The sher- if of Jefferson county, now in office, signed the petition in favor of the passage of the bill and sheriffs gen orally were in favor of it. The bill was defeated twice in the legislature and was only passed at the last leg islature after considerable difficulty. It provides that it shall be the duty of the sheriff of a county to notify the circuit judge in cases where there is danger of mob violence and that the circuit judge shall within ten days try the case with the proper forms of law and see to the speedy conviction of the criminal, if guilty and his punishment Should sher- if default in his duty citizens of the county may notify the judge.
 Speedy trial and enforcement of the penalties of the law is not the sole thing needed for the reinstalla- .tion of law and order. But it is a first and most necessary step Since the enactment of the above law, there have been fewer lynchings than pre- viously in our state. Arkansas should be proud that she has plac- ed in her statute laws such an en- actment.
 l. M. LUCEY.