"A Most Orderly Affair"

Horowhenua Chronicle, 27 August 1910, Page 4

"A Most Orderly Affair"

A LYNCHING PARTY'S APOLOGIST.

"I wish you would please state that the lynching of Elmo Curl, at Mastodon, Mississippi, was a most orderly affair, conducted by the banker-;, lawyers, farmers and merchants of that country. The best people of the country—as good as the best anywhere—simply met and hanged Curl without a sign of rowdyism. There was no drinking, shooting or yelling, not even loud talking." This request appears in various South American newspapers without comments, writes the New York correspondent of the Standard. It is made by Mr John Miller, tax assessor, brother of W. Miller, who was shot by Curl at Mastodon several weeks ago, when Mr Miller went at the he.id of a posse to arrest him foi writing an insulting note to a white woman. John Miller, in the course of an interview said: "Many friends and neighbours, after capturing the negro, kindly asked me to express my wishes. Their courtesy to me could not have been surpassed. I told them I did not believe in brutality, nor did I approve of the mutilation of bodies by torture or slow burning, and I'd like to have the privilege accorded me of having the first pull of the rope after the negro was ready for hanging to a tree. All acceded to my wishes, but I believe the negro was dead from fright Ion" before he was hauled from the ground. Tho knot was tied at the back of Ihs neck and the negro was slowly hauled up. There was no jerk or fall; yet he never kicked, and, si far as we could see, no muscle ever moved after he was hoisted uiio the air. Tn fact, we had to lil-t him to his feet, as he seemed unable to stand. All the best people in that section took part, and 1 have never seen a more orderly assembly anywhere."