Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1919-10-17
MOB VIOLENCE IS
WARMLY SCORED
BY JUDGE COBB

ATHENS, Ga, Oct. 1.-THE deat tn
of a human being by a mob is muir
der, nothing else, and every person
connected Herewith, whether they
should be melted out the punishment
which the outraged law would i'm
pose upon them or whether they es-
cape on account of a false public
sentiment, will bear throughout their
lives the mark Of Cain upon their
brows," declared Judge Andrew j.
Cobb, in the course Of his charge to
the grand jury for the October term
of Clarke county superior court
which was convened by him Monday.
The noted jurist made one of the
most forceful and able addresses of
his career.
The law requires me at each term
of court to call the attention of the
grand jury to the laws relating to
obstruction to the course or admins
tration of public justice. I would do
this even if the law did not special
ly require me to do so. 1t is impor-
tant that the public attention should
be directed to this matter at regular
periods in any time, and especially
during the days through which we
are now passing, where there are
such serious attacks being made up
on the very foundation of govern
ment itself.
"One Of the greatest, if not the
greatest, evils Of the present day is
disrespect for authority in every
phase of life where authority is to be
exercised, and especially disrespect
for the law and the authorities con-
stituted to enforce the law. The
preservation of our institutions abso-
lutely depends upon the law being
enforced through the constituted au-
thorities of the land.
Enemy to Civilization
HE who arrogates to himself the
authority to enforce the law without
the sanction of the law is an enemy
to the law and to civilization. Any
set of men who take upon them
selves to punish human being and
infict upon that being the death
penalty where they have no author
lIy 11OA1 SI1S law VI I1lO 4oIA0 " q u
thorze their conduct are in the
sight of heaven and Of earth muir
derers, and should be dealt with by
the law of the land and by the pub.
lie sentiment Of the country as such.
ANY man or set of men, who
condones, approves or apologies for
the death of a human being by
lawless mob is morally guilty of the
murder which the mob has commit
ted. Any man or set Of men who
fail on all appropriate occasions and
times to speak out boldly in con-
domination of mob violence do not
measure UP to the full duties of trua
citizenship.
"What I have said has it's appli-
cation in every case of mob violence
it makes no difference whether the
victim of the mob violence is guilty
or innocent, or what crime he is
charged with or may be guilty Of
or what race he belongs to. The
death of a human being by mob is
murder, nothing less, and all per-
sons connected herewith, whether
they should be melted out the pun
ishment which the outraged law
would impose upon them or whether
they escape on account of a false
public sentiment, will bear through
out their lives the mark of Cain
upon their broWs.
fortunes in This Life
"They will be conscious that they
are despised by the true law-abiding
people of the community in which
they live and in every community in
which a healthy public sentiment
prevails. They will be condemned By
themselves in their own reflections
and there is no hope to be held out
for them for peace and rest of mind
until their own miserable lives may
come to an end, and thereafter their
fortunes may be greater than thy
are in this life where they live con
scious of the fact that they have sac
rificed their own self-respect nd los+
the confidence and esteem of all those
whose thought for them is worth
having.
1.-THE laws are adequate for any
crime that lynchers have ever taken
jurisdiction of. The courts have en-
forced, are enforcing and will en-
force all of these laws. Adequate
punishments have been inflicted, are
being inflicted and will be inflicted
in all such cases. There is no rea-
son why the courts of the land
should be robbed of jurisdiction by
tho 1auy1aSS o1apoept