The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1913-01-13
LAW COMPLIED WITH AND JUS.
TICE DONE-WHAT'S WRONG ?

The trial ana tOnVlctlon OF ne
gro for criminal assault on white
Woman in Marion county within
three days after his arrest last week
and his sentence To be hanged
Wednesday of this week has precipi-
tated newspaper discussion, il be-
o. the proceedings was inconsistent
with legal decorum in case OF such
gravity. That an issue of this kind
should be made is surprising, for to
us it seems that the prompt dlspO-
sitOn of the Marion county case
should be matter for general re-
jOicing. because II saved that county
from the disgrace OF IA lynching and
brought the swift vengeance of the
law upon a wretch in whose behalf
not one word OF defense or excuse
could be uttered.
The right disposition of cases Of
this character. to the end that such
crimes may be made as infrequent
as possible and the fullest protec-
ton of the law be thrown around
our women is a matter of superlative
Importance, and the speediest posi-
BILE trial consistent with law and
the early inflictiOn of the death pen.
atty is certainly one means to that
end.
The Tampa Tribune in replying to
the Times of that city on this Ques-
ton handles ii SO clearly and con-
clusively as to leave no doubt that
IL has the right side of the issue and
expresses the best thought of the
State on the subject. After noting
that the negro had been duly indict-
ed by the grand jury and that the
mob was hungry for the criminal,
the Tribune says:
1.-The trial followed Immediately,
the prisoner being represented by
counsel, appointed by the court. We
have the word of the Ocala papers
for II that every opportunity was
given the prisoner to secure wit
nesses and compel their attendance.
He had no defense The evidence
was conclusive, including positive
Identification by TIE victim. What
was the occasion for delay What
could have hecn gained for the cause
Of justice or humanity by postponing
the trial Il elk or a month. or
awaiting the regular sitting of the
grand jury?
1.-THE Tribune believes tina, the
only method of preventing lynrhinps
in this State is the method a,lon,eJ
by HillsborOuph county. in tho ease
of Anderson, and by Marion county
in the case of the negro Johnson.
Delaying such plain and conclusive,
cases merely fans public discomfort
with the procedure of the courts. II
opens numerous possibilities for tn !.
miscarriage of justice through the
escape of the prisoner or other means
OF thwarting the law. II is the his
tory OF serious crimes i'm Florida
that, when the trial is DELAYED and
the court procedure interrunted nv
frequent technicalitics. the criminal,
nearly always escapes proper MN.
ishment. One instance of the rrompt
and direct action of the courts tho
speedy imposition of the law is
worth much to the State in the pre-
..ention of mob outbreaks and sim
liar outrages.
I'VE do not agree with tn, Timo..
when it says that it would have pro.
ferrcd lynching at the hands of tho
mob rather than the trial and con
viction i'm Circuit Court We do no,
think any good citizen of Florida
will agree with the afternoon paper
en- that proposition. Florida was
spared a lynching in this case, onlv
through the confidence of the people
in the promise of the officials that
there would be a speedy trial. That
promise was carried out and the no.
gro has been duly convicted and SEN
fenced and will be executed nex,
Wednesday. That. to the mind Of
the Tribune, is infinitely better for
the good name of the State than
would have been the spectacle of an
angry mob, defying all forms of law
Wrestling the criminal from the chs.
toby of the officers supposed to pro-
tect him and taking his life in the
usual barbarous fashion. This may