roes Mob Murder In America The Challenge Which Lynching Brings to the Churches ¥ OB violence is becoming a crowd habit. 1 ' 1 When life and property are ruthlessly taken, when men and women are lynched with no protection from officers or courts, law and order are trampled under foot. We call upon the pulpit, the press and all good people to create a public sentiment that will support necessary legislation for the enforcement of existing laws, that life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness may be equally assured to all classes.” — Statement of Federal Council of Churches, September 4, 1919. ¥ Federal Council of the Churches of Christ in America March, 1923 “We unhesitatingly declare lynching to be a crime against the honor of our nation. . . . We, therefore, recommend that in the pulpit, in the religious press and denominational lit- erature, and in every other possible way, the Christian forces of the South unhesitatingly and uncompromisingly condemn and oppose all mob violence, and that the voice of our united Christian effort be steadfastly raised in the defense of the sacredness of life and of law and order .” — Southern Church Leaders’ Con- ference, Blue Ridge, N. C., August, 1920. “We especially urge that everything possible be done to prevent lynchings. . . . This crime of crimes, which is not only a complete sub- version of law, but a stroke at the very life of law itself, has discredited our nation in the eyes of other civilized nations and brought un- dying obloquy upon many of the states of the Union .” — Quadrennial Address, Bishops of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, Hot Springs, Ark., May, 1922. “We are convinced that if there is any one crime more dangerous than another, it is ‘that crime which strikes at the root of and under- mines constituted authority, breaks all laws and restraints of civilization, substitutes mob violence and masked irresponsibility for estab- lished justice,’ and deprives society of a sense of protection against barbarism. “Therefore, we believe that ‘no falser ap- peal can be made to southern manhood than that mob violence is necessary for the protec- tion of womanhood,’ or that the brutal practice of lynching and burning of human beings is an expression of chivalry. We believe that these methods are ‘no protection to anything or any- body, but that they jeopardize every right and every security that we possess .’” — Action of Women Members, Georgia State Committee on Race Cooperation. The Atrocious Character of the Evil I T hardly seems credible that America, with its great Christian churches and its missionary enter- prises, its homes, schools and courts, permitted between 1885 and 1922, 4,154 persons to be lynched by mobs. Of the total number lynched during this period, 1,034 were white and 3,120 — i.e., 3 out of 4 — were Negro victims. Doubtless many more of whom no record was made were similarly murdered. In 1919 there were 8 3 persons lynched; in 1920 there were 61; in 1921, 64, and in 1922 there were at least 57 lynched. Some of those lynched by mobs were charged with crime; many of them were charged with misdemean- ors only; some only with words or acts which are nowhere at any time punishable by law. All were slain without trial where they might have faced their accusers, had witnesses and had the evidence con- sidered by a lawful judge or jury. The frenzied mob was judge, jury, and executioner. In many cases persons not sought by the mobs have been lynched by mistake, so wild and savage has been the procedure. Some of the victims suffered inde- scribable torture, such as saturation of parts of the body with kerosene or gasoline so that they could be burned piecemeal, branding with hot irons, or the gouging out of eyes and ears with red-hot rods. In some cases these atrocities have been perpetrated within sight of the churches of the community. Here is an extract from two newspaper descriptions of a Sunday morning incident near the public square of a * * * town not far from two churches: “While bound to an iron post with logging chains, the Negro looked on in dumb wonder at the stern- visaged men who heated pokers and smoothing irons until they were as fiery as the flames that licked them hot . . . Children on the outskirts romped and played, their merry voices rising above the hushed hubbub of the mob. At last the irons were hot . . “It was estimated that fully 7000 persons saw Scott burned to death. It was fully half an hour after the Negro had been chained to the post before he was burned with hot pokers. His eyes, face and body were burned with irons before the fire was lighted . . . .” Then rubbish was piled high about the agonized body, squirming beneath its load. More and more wood and rubbish were fed the fire, but at three o’clock Lation Scott was not dead . . . Life finally fled at four o’clock.” A newspaper description of another burning is as follows: “The captors proceeded to a spot about a quarter of a mile from the railroad station and prepared the death fire. The crowd followed and remained through- out the horrible proceedings. The Negro was led to a hickory tree, to which they chained him. “After securing him to the tree a fire was laid. A short distance away another fire was kindled, and into it was put an iron bar to heat. When the bar became red hot a member of the mob jabbed it to- [ 3 ] ward the Negro’s body. Crazed with frirht, the black grabbed hold of it, and as it was pulled through his hands the atmosphere was filled with the odor of burn- ing flesh. This was the first time the murderer gave evidence of his will being broken. Scream after scream rent the air. As the hot iron was applied to various parts of his body his yelling and cries for mercy could be heard in the town.” Here is a newspaper description of still another scene: “Burn Negro to Death by Inches.” (headline) . . . “With the Negro chained to a log, members of the mob placed a small pile of leaves around his feet. Gasoline was then poured on the leaves, and the carry- ing out of the death sentence was under way. Inch by inch the Negro was fairly cooked to death. Every few minutes fresh leaves were tossed on the funeral pyre until the blaze had passed the Negro’s waist. As the flames were eating away his abdomen, a mem- ber of the mob stepped forward and saturated the body with gasoline. It was then only a few minutes until the Negro had been reduced to ashes.” Lynchings are often definitely planned and carried out. Here are a few illustrations chosen from ac- counts in leading city newspapers following lynchings: 1. “Late last night the jailer was enticed away from the prison on the pretense of a call to make an arrest. As soon as he was out of hearing a mob of 200 maskerf^jiSr went to the jail and took the keys from his wife; and, securing the three prisoners, took them to the Tennessee River bridge and placed a strong rope around the neck of each, tied the other end of the rope to the timbers of the bridge and com- pelled their victims to jump.” 2. (Summarized.) “Masked mob entered the jail at two a. m. and took out nine prisoners — one white man and eight Negroes. Eight were shot to death, and one, a Negro, escaped death after being wounded. The mob overpowered the town marshal and the jailer, carried the men out and tied them to fence posts by their necks and then fired five volleys into their bodies. Only one of the prisoners had been convicted — a Negro, under sentence of death for the murder of another Negro.” 3. “8,000 Will Burn Negro.” (headline) . . . “The lynching has now been fixed at five p. m. A Committee of Ellisville citizens has been appointed to make necessary arrangements for the event and the mob is pledged to act in conformity with these ar- rangements. . . . Three thousand strangers are in Ellisville today to witness the disposition of John Hartfield. . . . Officers are unable to control the crowds.” 4. “Avengers Set Six o’clock as Lynching Hour.” (headline). “A party of seven in two automobiles with Henry Lowry, Negro murderer, . . . stopped here at 12:20 o'clock Wednesday afternoon, . . . to Richardson’s landing where they will cross and be joined by a party waiting on the Arkansas side, prepared to lynch Lowry promptly at six o’clock.” (Later Associated Press dispatches gave full account of the burning as planned). [4] Bn f“ b “ Ur ^ ere ] rs } ' ave had regard for womanhood and motherhood. During the years 188 9-1921 eightv- T° m o n ’ seventeen of them white women, were lynched. Several of these women were about to be- come mothers or had nursing infants. Some of them ?• Wlth 8avage tortures - »»«* as bur “ ing and disemboweling. Such brutality might be expected in pagan times or heathen countries, but by no means in a civilized land today. This is not all of the story. Mob law vi= 5i ' ILS terror not onlv unon wnen a mob starts, (and that may be at any time in many com- munities) the life and person of any individual Negro or member of other hated groups may be sacrificed. Thus paralyzing fear for life and safety haunts the minds of millions of our neighbors and fellow citizens. They grow prematurely old under suffering from such fear. The Extent of the Lynching Evil The States free from this blot are few in number. There are only four — Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont — where such an atrocity has not been recorded for any community in the Com- monwealth. In four others — Connecticut, Maine, New Jersey, and Utah — there has been no recorded lynch- ing since 188 9. During the past ten years, so far as records show, the territory of ten addition al states — Delaware, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, UtG&f Maryland, Michigan, Nevada, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, and Wisconsin — has been free from the evil. It is true that much of the territory in the states where lynch- ings have occurred is free from this blot and that probably the majority of citizens in those states are opposed to the evil. The responsibility, however, rests primarily upon the states to protect the lives of all Persons anywhere within their boundaries. The record by years gives a startling picture of law- lessness. According to the figures in the Negro Year there was a slow decrease in the number of rncaugs from the climax of 255 in 1892 and 200 in 1 8 9 6 ii tv o *j in 1 d o ▼ . tx — i— c i — - - there was a-a increase; then a slow decrease until 1918, when an alarming tendency to increase again was manifested. Of the 4,154 mob victims from 1885 to 1922 in- clusive, the number of white victims has rapidly de- creased, particularly smce 1901, having been less than ten each year, except in Vwo years, since 1903. Among the white victims were a German (during the War), Italians, Mexicans, and Jews, indicating that race prejudice was a prime factor. The number of Negro victims di’ ring the same period has fluctuated slowly downward but ranged between 50 and 100, except in 1902 when the number reported was 104, and in 1917 when the number reported was 38. There is evidence to indicate that during later years lynchings of Negroes have been concealed from the newspapers. Therefore no records of them were secured. The fol- lowing diagram, based upon figures given in the Negro Year-book, 1921-22, shows graphically the trend of lynching each year from 1885 to 1922: [ 5 ] [ 6 ] Diagram Showing White, Ntqro, Total Number of Victims Lynched by Years, 1885 to 1922 . u/tonfiyurtr^ i.'n Ne