The Lynch Law

The term "lynch law" refers to a southern brand of do-it-yourself justice or vigilantism. During the American Revolution, a colonel named Charles Lynch organizes a posse to catch, try, and punish criminal suspects, most of whom are Tories (Americans who support British rule in the colonies). Lynch's group acts wholly outside the law. He runs his own­profoundly illegal­trials and then administers punishment. Whipping is most common and is usually inflicted under a tree in Lynch's yard in Bedford County, Virginia. This tree, a walnut, becomes widely known throughout the area. By the end of the 19th century, "lynching" will come to be associated with even greater horrors.

Tampoco Francisco Goya, 1810