Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1913-12-28
North Dakota and Montana
Are Two States Collflbut-
ing 10 The List

Chicago, H., Dec. 27.-Only forty.
four lynchings, known to be such be-
You'd doubt, have occurred In the
United States during the year 1913.
This is the lowest number on record,
more than 50 being recorded last year
and as many as $50 in some previous
years.
The record for the year shows de-
cided improvement in other respects
than in mere number of victims. So
far as the newspaper accounts show
none Of the victims was burned at
the stake, an atrocity that has been
INDUCED in by Infatuated mObs more
than once in the past. Nor were any
Of the lynching cases this year accom-
panied by the so-called ace riots,
which always added to the number of
victims and served to intensity the an
tagonismsOf the white and black races.
The town Of Harriston, Miss, fur
nished the nearest approach to a
reign Of murder" when two drug
crazed mulatto boys, on September
2S, ran amuck and started a riot in
the course of which three white men,
four negro men and one negro woman
met death. The two boys were kill
ed by the citizens, but as they met
death while resisting \captu(e the
case cannot strictly be classed rs one
of lynching.
In the %forty-fonr %lynchings the vic
tins Of all but n we're negroes, and
all but two OF the eases occurred In
southern states No woman was in
cluded among the years victim.
North Dakota and Montana weretlle
two northern states in which lynch
ings occurred. At Williston, N. d.,
Cleve Culberts0n, a white man, ac-
cused Of the murder of three persons,
vas taken from Jail by a mob and
hanged. The only other case in a
northern state occurred at Mondak,
Mont, in April, when J.. C.. Collins, a
negro, who shot and killed the sheriff
and deputy sheriff Of the county, was
hanged by a mob.
The states in which the %lynchings
occurred during the year and the mum
Der in each were as follows: Ala.
bama, 2; Arkansas, I; Florida, d;
Georgia, 8; Kentucky, 1; Louisiana, q;
Mississippi, s; Montana, /; North
Carolina, l.; North Dakota, /; South
Carolina. /; Tennessee, 2; Texas, g..
Double lynchings occurred at Blan.
chard, La, Cornelia, Ca, and Pauls
Valley, Okla. At Houston, Miss, two
negroes were lynched a day apart,
both being accused Of completely in
the same crime. At Drew, Miss, a
negro was .lynched by members OF
his own race after he had shot and
killed two negro women and to ne.
gro men.
As in previous years, murders of
white persons and crimes or alleged
crimes against white women caused
most of the summary executions. The
murders We're in the big majority,
however, and the number of cases in
which attacks on women were charg.
ed showed a gratifying decrease over
the figures of previous years.
7 Nineteen Of the victims of the forty!
four lynchings ere accused Of the mur-
der of white men,. Four were charg.
ed with numbering whit Ia girls or
women. Attempted criminal assault
is on record as responsible for nine
Of the %lynchings. Two negroes We're
lynched for frightening white WON.
en-, m for insulting a white woman,
and another for being found conceal.
ed under the bed in a woman's
Two negroes were lynched for shoot,
ing or %assaulting white men, one for
robbery and shooting, n for assist.
ing a negro murderer to escape and
another for horse stealing. In me
case the crime charged against the
victim was not stated.
The gratifying decrease in lvnchink
in southern states is attributed large
II, to the efforts that have been made
by governors, county sheriffs and
prominent citizens in the last few
years to prevent mob violence. Many
of, those in authority have acted
promptly and energctically to prevent
lynchings, with the declared policy Of
giving the law free opportunity fer
the punishment Of all alleged Offend
.ers;s white Or black.
"A notable example was set on Aug.
is, BY the sheriff Of Spartanburg, s.
C. In spite of the fact that dynamite
was used, he prevented a mob from
.lyncling d negro who was accused
of assaulting a white woman. Later
the negro was tried before a white
jury and found not guilty.
.4s ~