I knew that this story is one of those stories that does not have a happy ending. However, it is an important book to read and think about what the author is asking you to consider. Reading this in Feb 2026 is even more poignant because I can see again lynch mobs in parts of our society. Of course, they don’t call themselves lynch mob. They call themselves protesters. But they have decided they don’t like something so are out vandalizing, harming others, chasing people, yelling, screaming, fighting, and many other things in the name of justice. They have decided to take the law into their own hands.
In this story, a man is said to be killed and cattle were stolen. The cattle had been disappearing before, and the cow hands and ranchers were upset about it. But when a friend is killed, action needs to be taken. Or so the characters in this book thought. They gathered a group to go hunting for the rustlers of cattle and a murderer of a hired hand. They did not want to wait or include the sheriff and the judge. Justice was needed!
“We shall observe order and true justice, Judge”, he told him.
Tetley looked at him. “In time,” he said.
“Mapes,” he said, turning to Butch.
“Yes, sir?”
“You said Risley had made you deputy?”
“Yes, sir,” said Butch.
“Then suppose you deputize the rest of us.”
“It’s not legal,” [Judge] Tyler told him. He appeared infuriated by Tetley’s smiling, elusive talk. “No deputy has the right to deputize.”
“It’ll do for me, Butch; go head and pray,” Smith yelled.
Butch looked at Tetley. Tetley didn’t say anything or even nod. He just smiled, that thin little smile that barely moved the corners of his mouth.
“How about it, boys?” Butch asked us.
“Mapes,” Tyler bellowed at him, “It’s ineffective. Your violating the law yourself, in such an act.”
Men called out to Mapes: “Go ahead, Butch”; “I guess it will take as well with you as any, Butch”; “fire away, sheriff.”
“Raise your right hands,”….(p. 93)
This group of men were determined to catch the rustlers and murderer regardless of the situation. They were not going to wait for the sheriff or a new day or better weather. Off they went with their determination to lynch, not catch the guilty parties. Several men had encouraged them to follow the law, but emotions were high and they felt that their way was the right way. I knew before I got to page 100 that things are not going to turn out well or the right way. Sure enough, they find 3 men that they believe are guilty. There is not enough evidence to clear them, but they think there is enough evidence to hang them, so they do. It was pointed out to them before they hung the men that it would be really easy to verify these men’s story if they just waited until morning and checked out their story. But these men came for a lynching and were not interested in anything else. Several of the men in the party were convinced that hanging was deserved. Shortly after they find out that they hung the wrong men.
The opening chapters of the book talk about justice and what justice means. There are many pages of trying to reason with the mob. But the men are never fully convinced that they need to slow down and do things the right way.
One answers that justices is…”seein’ that everybody gets what’s comin’ to him…” (p. 46)
And
“True law, the code of justice, the essence of our sensations of right and wrong, is the conscience of society. It has taken thousands of years to develop, and it is the greatest, the most distinguishing quality when has evolved with mankind.” (p. 49)
Another feels that they have seen enough injustice in the land by men that they need to make sure justice is served this time.
Why did these men not want to wait for a trial? “Law, as the books have it, is slow and full of holes.” (p 156) They decided that they would not get justice the way they wanted it so lynched the men.
Shortly after they found they had accused and hung the wrong men one of the character’s says:
“My God,” Gil said, “I knew it didn’t feel right. I knew we should wait.” (p. 189)
What is the author asking me and you to do with this story?
Does he want us to understand that in the heat of emotion people in a crowd will act in ways they would not if they were alone? Does he want to show us that it is hard to stand up against others because we fear what they will say about us or treat us? Does he ask us to consider what we would do if we were one of the men called to join the mob?
Is the author trying to warn us that when we see an injustice we should not let our emotions rule over our decisions? That our first reaction might not be the best reaction?
“We desire justice, and justice has never been obtained in haste and strong feeling” (p.33)
Is that true?
What happens if the law decides differently than what we want it to decide?
In this case there was no murder and the cows they recovered were not stolen but bought. The men in this mob left and acted without collecting all the information that they needed to have to make the decision to hang rustlers. Now they each have to either find someone to blame or live with guilt that they didn’t deliver justice that day but injustice. These men decided that they would not get justice from the society and laws that were established. Yet how did they do?
Reflecting back on my own life, I can see where I have made decisions in the heat of the moment, some of them were wrong. Some of them needed to be done but with a different approach. Overall, taking the time to sit back, collect more information, and wrestle with the ideas would have been a better choice.
In this story, a man is said to be killed and cattle were stolen. The cattle had been disappearing before, and the cow hands and ranchers were upset about it. But when a friend is killed, action needs to be taken. Or so the characters in this book thought. They gathered a group to go hunting for the rustlers of cattle and a murderer of a hired hand. They did not want to wait or include the sheriff and the judge. Justice was needed!
“We shall observe order and true justice, Judge”, he told him.
Tetley looked at him. “In time,” he said.
“Mapes,” he said, turning to Butch.
“Yes, sir?”
“You said Risley had made you deputy?”
“Yes, sir,” said Butch.
“Then suppose you deputize the rest of us.”
“It’s not legal,” [Judge] Tyler told him. He appeared infuriated by Tetley’s smiling, elusive talk. “No deputy has the right to deputize.”
“It’ll do for me, Butch; go head and pray,” Smith yelled.
Butch looked at Tetley. Tetley didn’t say anything or even nod. He just smiled, that thin little smile that barely moved the corners of his mouth.
“How about it, boys?” Butch asked us.
“Mapes,” Tyler bellowed at him, “It’s ineffective. Your violating the law yourself, in such an act.”
Men called out to Mapes: “Go ahead, Butch”; “I guess it will take as well with you as any, Butch”; “fire away, sheriff.”
“Raise your right hands,”….(p. 93)
This group of men were determined to catch the rustlers and murderer regardless of the situation. They were not going to wait for the sheriff or a new day or better weather. Off they went with their determination to lynch, not catch the guilty parties. Several men had encouraged them to follow the law, but emotions were high and they felt that their way was the right way. I knew before I got to page 100 that things are not going to turn out well or the right way. Sure enough, they find 3 men that they believe are guilty. There is not enough evidence to clear them, but they think there is enough evidence to hang them, so they do. It was pointed out to them before they hung the men that it would be really easy to verify these men’s story if they just waited until morning and checked out their story. But these men came for a lynching and were not interested in anything else. Several of the men in the party were convinced that hanging was deserved. Shortly after they find out that they hung the wrong men.
The opening chapters of the book talk about justice and what justice means. There are many pages of trying to reason with the mob. But the men are never fully convinced that they need to slow down and do things the right way.
One answers that justices is…”seein’ that everybody gets what’s comin’ to him…” (p. 46)
And
“True law, the code of justice, the essence of our sensations of right and wrong, is the conscience of society. It has taken thousands of years to develop, and it is the greatest, the most distinguishing quality when has evolved with mankind.” (p. 49)
Another feels that they have seen enough injustice in the land by men that they need to make sure justice is served this time.
Why did these men not want to wait for a trial? “Law, as the books have it, is slow and full of holes.” (p 156) They decided that they would not get justice the way they wanted it so lynched the men.
Shortly after they found they had accused and hung the wrong men one of the character’s says:
“My God,” Gil said, “I knew it didn’t feel right. I knew we should wait.” (p. 189)
What is the author asking me and you to do with this story?
Does he want us to understand that in the heat of emotion people in a crowd will act in ways they would not if they were alone? Does he want to show us that it is hard to stand up against others because we fear what they will say about us or treat us? Does he ask us to consider what we would do if we were one of the men called to join the mob?
Is the author trying to warn us that when we see an injustice we should not let our emotions rule over our decisions? That our first reaction might not be the best reaction?
“We desire justice, and justice has never been obtained in haste and strong feeling” (p.33)
Is that true?
What happens if the law decides differently than what we want it to decide?
In this case there was no murder and the cows they recovered were not stolen but bought. The men in this mob left and acted without collecting all the information that they needed to have to make the decision to hang rustlers. Now they each have to either find someone to blame or live with guilt that they didn’t deliver justice that day but injustice. These men decided that they would not get justice from the society and laws that were established. Yet how did they do?
Reflecting back on my own life, I can see where I have made decisions in the heat of the moment, some of them were wrong. Some of them needed to be done but with a different approach. Overall, taking the time to sit back, collect more information, and wrestle with the ideas would have been a better choice.
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