Franklin's paper the statesman., 1911-07-22
Stop the Legal Lynching!


The case of Robert Harris, who is
under arrest for the killing of two
officers in Rocky Ford on the Fourth
of July. has been the principal topic
of discussion in Denver this week. Be-
ginning with the mass meeting Sun
day. held under the call of the Peo-
pies Sunday Alliance, the sympathy
and the rush to assist Harris has
grown until it has evolved practically
the whole community. A most dra-
matte situation arose in the mass
meeting when Lawyer w. B. Town
send recited the facts as he had re-
ceiyed first hand from Rocky Ford. 1t
appears that contrary to the report as
given in the white press, young Harris
together with his father and mother
and his wife were at home. The dis
turbance spoken of in the dispatches
had occurred at home between young
Harris and wife, family quarrel and
nothing more. They happen to have
bought a home in portion of Rocky
Ford where they were not desired and
neighbors summoned the police, who
arrived hours after the occurrence.
This interference and the garbled
press reports are of class. Without
warrant or attempt at explanation the
officers burst in the door and assaulted
Young Harris. They then extended
their violence TO the aged father and
mother Thereupon Robert Harris,
who had kept his hands up, took a
hand and shot them both with one of
the officers weapons.
Since the killing not only the slayer
but the whole family have been kept
in Jail, even relatives from out the
city being arrested when they went to
Rocky Ford Every effort to attend to
their defense has thereby been
blocked Even witnesses who might
have testified for them have been in
timidated. The whole machinery OF
the law in Rocky Ford has been used
to prevent fair and impartial trial
of the case A prominent lawyer of
Pueblo has been retained for the de-
fense. but unless change of venue
is granted Harris will be convicted on
prejudice alone. All the elements OF
self-defense and defense of his mother
and father, the unlawful entry of his
home, the unwarranted use of arms OF
arrest for trivial offense seem like.
ly TO be ignored in an endeavor to
show this Negro up as a criminal.
will rally to his defense under the
conditions. The Alliance meeting
netted over $50; the night service at
Shorter got over SO. Rocky Noun
tain Lodge of Masons donated $40; in
dividual subscriptions are pouring in
and 500 is expected as Denver's do
nation to the defense.
Considerable credit is due to Lawyer
Townsend for his initiative in secur-
ing the facts which were laid before
the meeting So set is the mind of
the general public that Negroes are
one and all criminals that it is refresh
ing to have facts that show that our
acts are sometimes born OF the high
est and best purposes. If Harris must
be convicted and must die, he will at
least be a martyr to the sanctity OF
the home and his death will be more
fruitful of results than could an un-
eventful life.
We cannot close this article wit
out again referring to the editorial
which appeared in this paper immedi-
ately after the killing in which we
said that the Negro has learned that
law is upheld by whites only when il
suits their purpose and that we have
become more and more self-suffi cient
Had the law been strictly followed in
this case there would have been nc
killing and if one Negro must die tc
show to the world that we have the
courage to insist upon our rights by
individual might where other help il
lacking, at least something will have
been gained.
We would not surround Harris will
a halo of glory, but any man who will
submit to seeing his mother assaulted
by a brute of an officer with pisto
as his weapon, is too lacking in re'
blood for this age of iron.