The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson, S.C.) 1914-1917, 1914-12-01

The lynching Of Dillcrd Wilson by
q mob composed Of citizens Of Shiloh
township, Sumter county. and ad-
1acent sections of Florence and Clar-
endon counties was the exercise of
lawless Justice by an excited and out
ragged community that will be approx
ed and justified by majority of the
people of Sumter county and the state
at large. This being fact that we
must admit. regardless Of our firm
ly rooted conviction that lynch law is
never Justified In country that has
courts, an honest judiciary and q
predominant sentiment In favor Of the
suppression OF crime and the punish-
ment OF criminals. II fs almost waste
OF time to discuss the billiard Wilson
case. save in general terms for the
purpose of making clear reasons for
declining to approve lynch law In any
circumstances. no matter how helm
GUS the crime or how positive the
proof OF the guilt OF the victim of the
mob. There was no question of the
guilt OF billiard Wilson. His crime
was brought home to him and fasten-
ed upon him by chain Of circumBtan-
tlal evidence stronger, more positive
and more convincing than that usual
ly adduced from the testimony of eye
witnesses of crime. He was posi-
lively identified by the little son Of
the woman whom he murdered. He
finally confessed his guilt, removing
the last shred OF doubt Il doubt ex-
listed In the minds OF anyone. The
case against him was clear, positive,
irrefutable. His life was forfeited for
his ghastly crimo. All that remained
was the time and manner Of his exc
cution. Had he been left to be dealt
with by law through the orderly pro-
cedure OF the courts q speedy trial
was guaranteed and his punishment
certain. All that civilized society asks.
or should ask, iB the enforcement of
law and the punishment Of GRIMM.
als. This was assured in the case of
billiard Wilson. but the men who put
him to death. yielding to the heat and
passion OF the moment lost sight or
the duty that each and every law
abiding citizen owes to himself and
hi8 State TO uphold the courts and aid
In all ways possible and in all cir
cumBtances the orderly enforcement
OF law. They took the law into their
own hands and enforced swift Jus
tice In a lawiess manner. They did
no injustice to billiard Wilson. They
killed him, but his life was already
forfeited, and in killing him they did
him no wrong. The wrong was to the
community in particular and to soci-
ETY. In general in the open and fiag-
rant disregard OF law The effect OF
the lynching OF billiard Wilson did
not end when the mob had satisfied
It's vengence by riddling his body with
bullets. The killing OF Dillard Wilson
was q reversion to lawlessness in
mass. and g breaking OF the laws that
divide law and order from lawleaa-
ness ana violence. Therein lies the
danger In lynch law; therein lies
tho wrongfu1ness OF resorting to
rough and ready Justice when there
are courts established for the trial
and punishment Of criminals. The kill
ling OF a. self-confessed murderer.
whose clothing reeked with the blood
OF his victim, fs small thing In COM
garrison with the wrong done the pub
lie conscience. The men who partici-
pated In the lynching OF billiard VIII.
son will find It easy to Justify the
killing OF q murderer. but how can
they Justify the violation OF law that
their act entailed when they assumed
the function Of public ezscutioners9
The SuMters DAILY IteEi.