The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1914-12-08
LEGAL MOCKERIEs
AND LYNCHING

VI last week at COcOanuC Grove ana
the general attitude of The Herald
on the subject, the Ocala Star says:
I'VE hope The Herald is correct If
1t isn't, and the guilty parties are
found, we hope they will be lynched
at once, and the east coast spared
another disgrace like the Packwood
case"
That is about the worst thing that
could be wished on any community,
especially so law abiding community
as Cocoanut Grove, and is hardly
worthy of the Star, which usually
entertains high regard for the reg
ularity of the law There is no dis
position in this section of the state
10 carry out the suggestion of the
Star, if guilty parties are arrested.
We much prefer the reputation of be-
ing cool headed and as having a due
regard for the good standing of our
communities. Nothing relating to any
crime is worse for community, pub
licly and privately, on the public rep
utation and the private character,
than for the members of that commu-
nifty to take the law in their own
hands and execute summary justice.
Nothing of the kind is contemplated
here, and if suspected persons are
arrested, they will receive fair trial,
and Cocoanut Grove and Miami will
be the better and safer for the or
derby carrying out of the law.-Mi-
ami Herald.
We don't suppose the Herald re-
members the Packwood case, which
occurred near Oak Hill on the east
coast of Volusia county twenty three
years ago.
The Pacl1wood home was invaded
by three brutes one night when the
natural defender of the family was
absent. The remaining inmates of
the home, two women and child,
were murdered, and the women were
also outraged.
The evidence against the criminals,
tho circumstantial was direct. Not
only did many things link them with
the crime, but they were the only
three men in that thinly settled re-
gion who could not account for their
presence on the night of the crime.
They were captured, and would have
beer lynched if cooler heads had not
prevailed" They had two trials, but
clever lawyers and bum de lally jur-
les prevented their receiving any
punishment except few months i'm
prIsonment. A few years later, one
of theTn died and confessed on his
deathbed
at would be difficult for the Her
aid to show how respect for the law
has been increased or maintained by
the Packwood case.
This was the most fragrant, but
there have been since then many other
crimes committed by white men in
Florida for which the criminals de-
served hanging--and will the Herald
tell aow many have been hung? Will
1T claim that the murder of a little
girl IN it's own city few years ago
and the resulting trial, increased the
respect of the people of Miami fo1
legal procedure in that part of the
state?
The standing of the judicial off
GERS of Florida is high, but between
the flood of legal technicalities, ant
the reluctance of the better class o
the citizens to serve >on juries, muir
der cases In this state are not mucl
better than farces. Any white MAJ
who has money, or who has relative
who have money, is reasonably SAT
IN committing murder or rape, if h
can only keep out of the hands of hi
neighbors until the officers catch hin
II he is not acquitted at his trial,
never receives any worse sentenc
than Imprisonment for life, with tn
almost absolute certainty of bein
pardoned out as soon as few year
of the Christening and moral effect {
che Florida penitentiary has made
better man out of him. A man stanc
a much better chance of being pur
7shed for forgery or stealing than
does for a capital crime.
1t is not lynching, but farcial tria
that causes the citizens of Florida |
regard the courts of the state wit
G1istrust. The Star does not as a gel
era1 thing favor lynching, but if Il
people of community, maddened
a crime, take the law into their ov
hands, the Star will not blame ther
for it knows they have very little re
son to hope that the courts viii pu