Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1947-06-08

it must be followed with prompt gu
unlikely.
Although lynching has dimini'
business Of, faggot and rope and
trial by fury has persisted in the
South. Perpetrators have had SO
per cent chance OF going free.
Even where determined prosecu-
ton is Forthcoming, as in the un-
precedented mass trial at Green
vile, it is difficult to obtain con-
victions. Southern juries-neigh-
bors and fellow townspeople Of the
accused-are reluctant to return a
guilty" verdict for crime tolerated
by Southern tradition"
Tuskegee Keeps Record
Tuskegee Institute, which keeps
the nearest to official statistics, re-
ports 1878 persons lynched in the
United States since 1900. Against
that total only 80 convictions have
been obtained by State or Federal
law enforcement officers, A major
ity of the lynchings were in the
South, and Ct of the convictions
were in Southern States.
James Harmon Chadbourn, for
merly OF the University of North
Carolina law department, estimates
that less than per cent of lynch
ings in the United States have been
followed by convictions.
The reasons, he says, are not OBJ
scure. First, there is he refusal
of persons with frst-hand knowl-
edge to testify. Second. trial juries
frequently act upon local prejudice,
Instead of considered evidence.
Third. grand juries frequently re-
fuse to indict. Fourth, prosecuting
officers usually are disinclined to
Investigate, and police officers are
unable" to identify mob members.
Last, higher courts often reverse
convictions on nonprejudicial error,
The State Of Alabama probably
has the South's best record of con-
victions. In 1919 and 1920, quick
and determined action by Gov.
Thomas E. Kilby resulted in con-
viction of 81 lynchers. Twenty
eight were given sentences ranging
from 500 fine to Is years in prison,
and three others were given fines of
500 and up to three years in Jail.
Georgia Gave Life Terms
Previously, Alabama had convicted
three lynchers in 1900, sentencing
them to 10 years to life. In 1924, a
national guardsman was convicted
on a lynching charge and sentenced
to 10 years, but the trial courts
Judgment was reversed. In 1928
three other convictions were re-
versed after five appeals.
Thus, Alabama returned convic-
tons in the ratio of one for every 10
persons lynched since 1900 high
percentage for the South.
No convicted lyncher, however,
ever has been sentenced to death.
In records of the Southern Re-
gional Council, Georgia stands as
the only Southern State to have
meted out straight life sentences
for lynching. These we're assessed
in 1880, when Thomas County resi-
dents became incensed over two
lynchings in three days.
The border State of Oklahoma
convicted seven lynchers in 1922.
and sentenced all seven to life i'm
prisonment.
The Georgia case had a multiplying
sequel. Although two men were
sentenced to life for lynching a
Negro who testified against white
men charged with raping young
Negro mother, both were paroled
after only seven years.
One dropped out of sight. The
parole Df the other was twice re-
voked and twice reinstated. Finally
In 1916, a warrant was issued for q
third revocation after Florida con-
victed him of receiving stolen prop
erty. The warrant still stands, I'M
served. with notation Cannot be
| found"
Meaningless Verdicts
Georgia convicted three Other
lynchers in 1922, sentencing them tt
from one to four years, and in 1926
two lynchers were sentenced to foul
years each. In 1943, a Georgia
sheriff was prosecuted in United
States District Court and sentenced
to three years imprisonment ane
81 600 fine. His conviction, however
was set aside by the United States
| Supreme Court and prosecution was