House File No. 785.
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CHAPTER 401—H. F. No. 785.
An act to prevent lynching; to fix indemnity for the dependents of any
person lynched, and to provide for the removal from office of the Sheriff and
Deputy Sheriffs having charge of any person lynched.
Be it enacted
by the Legislature of the State of Minnesota:
Section 1. Lynching
defined.—Lynching is the killing of a human being, by the act or
procurement of a mob.
Sec. 2. Damages may be
recovered.—Whenever any person shall be lynched, the county in
which said lynching occurred shall be liable in damages to the dependents of the
person lynched in a sum not exceeding seven thousand five hundred dollars to be
recovered in a civil action.
Sec. 3. Officers guilty of malfeasance
in certain cases.—Any Sheriff, Deputy Sheriff or other officer
having the custody of any person whom it is sought by a mob to take from his
custody who shall fail or neglect to use all lawful means to resist such taking,
shall be deemed guilty of malfeasance and shall be removed from office by the
Governor in the manner and upon the same procedure as is provided by law for the
removal from office of County Officers guilty of malfeasance or nonfeasance in
the performance of their official duties.
Sec. 4. This act shall take
effect and be in force from and after its passage.
Approved April 20,
1921.