The Duluth Tragedy.
Type of event: Lynchings
Location: Duluth; St. Louis County; Minnesota; United States
Citation:
Mankato Daily Free Press, June 17, 1920, page 6.
“The Duluth Tragedy”
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The Duluth Tragedy
The people of Duluth appear to express a greater amount of indignation
over the lynching of three negroes in that city than they do over the terrible
outrage that caused the stringing up of the black fiends, The city of Duluth is
not disgraced. There have been lynchings in other cities and the towns survived
the shock. Lynch law is to be deplored, but the crime which led up to the rule
of the mob is more deplorable.
The city of Duluth can recover from any stigma
that may be attached to the quick hanging of the negroes. A few years hence
people will have forgotten the incident–but the unfortunate
girl–what of her? She is the one to be considered. Her fate is far worse
than that which has befallen the city.
And it must be understood that white
men–men of blood–will not sit idly by when black rascals pounce like
fiends on white woman. Those of the pulpits may deplore and preach against the
acts of the mob but in such instances the anger of the mob knows no restraint.
They are out to avenge foul deeds.
Mad dogs are shot dead without ceremony.
Beasts in human shape are entitled to but scant consideration. The law gives
them by far too much of an advantage. Their victims are humiliated in the
courts and their names dragged through the mire by conscienceless lawyers who
have no hearts and know no pity.
Referring to this phase of situation, The
St. Paul Pioneer Press said: “The unfortunate victim of such an assault,
if she survives, must undergo intolerably humiliating examinations before court
and jury, and must endure legal bickering among attorneys over the most
abhorrent details. In many previous instances of lynch law it has been made
perfectly clear that a desire to shield the victim from a legal inquisition
little worse than the crime itself, has been partly responsible for mob
vengeance.” That explains lynch law in a nutshell.