JUDGE LYNCH IN AMERICA

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3056, 18 April 1917, Page 5

JUDGE LYNCH IN AMERICA

HIS RECORD' FOR 1916. "It is gratifying to note in the records of lynching for 1916 (says the "Outlook")'a considerable decrease in the total number. The lynchings for the year were fifty-four, as compared with, sixty-seven in the previous year. Of the fifty-four persons lynched fifty were negroes and four were whites; three were women. As in the previous year, the largest number of lynchings in any one State was in Georgia—fourteen— a ; little i over a quarter of the total number. There is no evidence in any of the facts put forth to indicate that the crimes alleged against the victims of these lynchings might not have been punished (wherever, the person accused -was guilty) properly and fairly By /-the. orderly action of the Courts. There is no evidence either that in any of these cases i the perpetrators oF the crime of lynching were brought to justice. As "one comment on. the record truly says, 'Every lynching is followed by a promise to bring the perpetrators to justice, but the promises are never made good.' As the public mind apparently still continues to assume that a majority of the cases in which lynching takes place are for rape, it is right to point out that less than _ a quarter of these cases had. this origin. The largest number of 'cases of negroes lynched was for killing or.- resisting officers of the law. Included in the list are. such curiosities as flapping boy,' 'speaking against mob in act of putting a man to death,' and 'defending her son who in defence of <his. mother killed a man.' "