The Nashville globe. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1906-193?, 1918-04-26

ran the Negro down, and that when
he was finally captured he was
unconscious" or nearly dead, having
been wounded by certain former
sheriff." and having turned his own
gun on himself rather than be taken
and suffer such torture as he knew
awaited him at the hands of the
average posse"
Not satisfied to allow the wretch
to die, as he was doubtless breathing
his last, the posse" deliberately
turned their victim over into the
hands of an orderly" Infatuated
crowd of respectable citizens" who
proceeded to hang him, then drag
his dead body round the place, fill it
full of bullets-150 or 200-and
them burn it like any other inhabi-
tants of the Fiji Islands would do
Governor, it is said by the re-
porters that the first intention of the
mob, was to hang the man on the
United States flag pole-that flag
which is the emblem of freedom and
equality before the law. That it was
not done, is no fault of the mob The
irony of the situation in our beloved
state, that there should reside within
our bounds, even one white man,
Who is so far lost to respect for the
| flag, that he would haul it down and
hang on the flag pole in its stead, an
! American citizen who had been slain
by a band Of outlaws.
1 Governor, you informed a large
] Il Il Of nj
weeks ago, that you were pOwerless
to act, in a case where a mob of
white citizens had formed to lynch
/ Negro Probably that accounts for
this second lynching, following so
soon after that declaration.
1t is a great pity that the laws and
constitution of the great state of
4 Tennessee should create the office of
Governor and then make him only a
, figure head
1t is a greater pity that the record
shows that the population of the state
/ of Tennessee seems to be made up of
. the worst element of society in this
country. Tennessee is reCOrd-break-
er for savagery among its dominant
citizens.
There was a time when | took de-
light in saying to my friends as |
met them throughout the country,
/ that was a Tennessean. God knows
| | am now ashamed to say it. | am
thoroughly ashamed of the criminal
record of my native state, the state
| have grown to love so we'll
Governor, we have boys at the
front, and others still preparing to go
going to fight, that this country may
. be made safe for democracy. We,
the leaders, are expected to urge
them to go, and lay down their lives
and help put the Huns out of bust
ness, because of his savage instinct;
that men, women and children shall
be henceforth free, having the right
to life, liberty and the pursuit Of hap
piness. That men have square deal
before the law. That is the story we
Governor, in the face of such hap
penings as the Estill Springs mob
are trying to tell our boys. But
and the Lexington burning, our task
is a difficult one.
We want to give a reasonable an
swer to our boys when they ask,
will the flag that cannot protect us
at home, give us protection abroad?'
We want to look them squarely in
the face and give them satisfactory
reply, when they ask, will the flag
that does not seem able to give us
a mans chance now, be competent
to do it when we have fought, and
finally helped to make the world safe
for democracy"
Governor, you as governor and tn }
I few law-abiding people of Lexington
may not have been able to prevent
the work of that mob, but it is said
that no masks were used by any one.
+ Certainly then, some members of the
mob could easily be identified, We,
the Negro people of the state, will
watch with much interest, the action
of the governor of that state in this
matter, and God grant that you may
be guided by the council of Him who
said in His inspired words, Right
eousness exalteth Nation, but sin
is a reproach to any people"
Respectfully,
j. A. JONES, Presiding Elder
n. Nashville Dist, A. M. e. Church