The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1911-07-04

THE shooting of two members of
skimmington party in the township of
Livingston, recently. is unfortunate from
more than one point Of view. 1t has
caused feeling Of sadness throughout
the community and It has marred the be-
ginning OF the married life Of worthy
young couple. Both come from old and
leading families of the township, and are
well known.
To any one familiar with q country
skimmington party there is no escaping
the conclusion that strong provocation
existed. The bridegroom and bride, re-
turning from brief wedding trip. are
met by motley crowd with horns, tin
pans, revolvers and anything else that
will make din. To any self-respecting
newly married couple who haye passed
through the experience the situation is
exceedingly embarrassing. and to many
beyond endurance. Through all his life
Walter Force. who Is charged with the
shooting, has been known for his quiet
demeanor and attention to his own affairs.
The particularly aggravating fact about
country skimmington party is the ribald
cries. iests, profane language and worse
things In which usually members Of the
party indulge. for such party Is made up
of considerable pumber of the rough
thug element of community. A skim
mington party Is In no proper sense a
serenade party. If married couple de-
sire to be protected from what they re-
gard as an attack on them, there is In the
country section no police authority to
whom an immediate appeal can be made.
Besides, so widespread is the idea that the
whole affair Is to be regarded as a joke
rather than as an offence, the bridegroom
and his bride are left practically helpless.
There Is nothing left to them but self-de-
fence. For the time being the better ele-
ments of country district unfortunately
are inclined to let rowdyism prevail as the
easier way so far as they are concerned.
How far may man go In defending his
own home after the refusal OF trespassers
to leave when so ordereda High Judicial
authority has decided that It is possible to
do an illegal act in perfectly legal way.
May 1t not be equally possible for BRIDE
grooms to shoot rowdies. under exasper-
ating conditions. without mourning any
criminal responsibility The Livingston
bridegroom st first good-naturedly endured
the bonfire on fine lawn, the offensive
talk and the general bedlam. but when
patience ceased to be virtue he reached
for his shotgun.
The law does not allow such violent
retalIatory measures. 1t will even hold
the bridegroom responsible for the injuries
inflicted on those he wounded. But there
is something to be said in favor of the
man who fired the shots that have been
heard far beyond the limits of Livingston
Walter Force, of Livingston. like John
Brown, OF Osawatomie. may have been
unwise in his choice of methods. but his
aims and purposes were all right. Rowdy-
ism has become too commonly associated
with weddings to be tolerated. 1t Is a sur
YlYaI OF vulgar, ufutai siniCs Al 1omc
of the wilder sections of the state this
species Of rowdyism has developed into a
series Of indignities that are in themselves
criminal. The whole business is vicious,
degrading, intolerable. If the Livings-
ton bridegroom and his shotgun have
brought this custom to the point where
such rowdyism is made serious and
heavily punishable breach of the law, his
powder will not have been burned In vain.
Marriage ia sacred contract and we'd
ding is to many people. asacramental cere-
mony. To degrade 1t to the low level
which is implied by the skimmington or
bv rowdyism of any kind Is an offense
that morality should everywhere condemn
and the law prohibit and punish. Since
both the law and certain grades OF society
fail to interfere. It IL but natural that
should protect themselves
and their brides from this peculiar form
of vulgar annoyance. -Nesodrk Mems