PREVENTION OF LYNCHING

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 52, 29 August 1925, Page 17

PREVENTION OF LYNCHING

STRENUOUS MOMENTS IN THE

UNITED STAES.

Forty-five communities prevented lynching in 1924, according to a report just prepared by the commission on race relations of the Federal Council of Churches, says the New York "Oatlook." Prevention, says the report, played a big part in the reduction of the number of lynchings in the United States to sixteen last year, the lowest figure since records have been kept. ■ In 1914, it appears there were 52 perBons reported lynched and 17 reported preventions of lynchings. That is, there were more than ' three- times as many lynchings as there were instances of lynching being prevented. But in 1924,' ten years later, the opposite is true. There were reported 45 instances of the prevention of lynching and 16 reported cases of lynching.- This means that in 19H there were 68 attempts at lynching, 52 of which were successful, and that in 1924 there were 61 attempts at lynching, 45 of which were prevented by the foresight, energy, and courage of public officials

'• In the prevention of lynching the re- •' poTt points out that sometimes the sheriffs or other officials risked their lives to protect their prisoners, so that they might be given a legal trial. In other cases, requiring more moral courage, sheriffs and other, officials opened fire on friends and neighbours when it became necessary to save their charges. In some other cases lynchings were prei vented by public officials, who promptI ly removed prisoners committed to their ' care from communities in which the crime was committed, and so prevented i lynchings.