AMERICA STIRRED

Evening Star, Issue 21582, 30 November 1933, Page 9

AMERICA STIRRED

THE CALIFORNIAN LYNCHING DIVIDED OPINIONS PreM Anodation—By Telegraph-Copyright NEW YORK, November 28. The Press is divided over Governor Rolph’s statement. Some of the more sensational journals approve it by implication, while the more conservative and representative ones denounce it heartily.. The ‘ Evening Post,’ in a leader, praises the decisive action of Governor Ritchie as “in sharp contrast with Governor Rolph’s blatant alignment of himself with men who have brought disgrace on their State.” The ' Herald-Tribune ’ terms Governor Rolph’s statement as “ the foolish remark of a cheap politician.” It contends that the example set by the fine police work of the Californian authorities in solving the Hart crime has been completely nullified. Clerical bodies throughout the nation are making strong representations against Governor Rolph with few exceptions, notably Dr Henry Darlington, rector of the Protestant Episcopal Church of Heavenly Rest, New York, who telegraphed to Governor Rolph congratulations. He explained that h« meant to commend the change from public indifference to visible expression. Kidnapping must be stopped.

Mr Clarence Darrow. whose brilliant legal defence of Lo?b and Leopold a decade ago for similar offence to the Hart murder saved them from the death penalty, commented: “I do not approve of capital punishment, which is merely legal lynching, so I can only condemn illegal lynching.” The editors of the Harvard University newspaper ‘ Crimson ’ praised Governor Rolph in a leader to-day. They declared: ‘‘Thurmond and Holmes were too guilty to be accorded the delightful interlude called American criminal justice. The mob is sick of a system that convicts 299 out of 300 law-abid-ing citizens for violating the automobile traffic regulations and then refuses to convict 79 out of 80 persons accused of murders.” HYSTERIA IN MARYLAND A GHOULISH INCIDENT. NEW YORK, November 28. As an aftermath of the disturbances in Maryland, a mob invaded a cemetery, disinterred the body of a negro lynching victim and hacked off the head. Some members of the mob said they would ship the head to Governor Ritchie as a “ souvenir.” During the riots the mob continually shouted that they would never vote for Ritchie again, but would vote for Governor Rolph if he contested the Presidency. LYNCHING IN MISSRURI A YOUNG NEGRO. ST. JOSEPH (Missouri), Nov. 29. (Received November 30, at 1 a.m.) Apparently taking to heart Governor Rolph’s comment on lynching, a mob to-night stormed the local gaol and took Lloyd Warner, a negro youth, who was charged with attacking a white woman, and hanged him to a nearby tree early in the evening. Governor Parks called out the militia, but they were slow in mobilizing. A Government tank they were using was attacked by a mob and put out of commission by stones. Finally the sheriff gave the prisoner to the mob, who promptly hanged him and then poured petrol on the body and burned it.