Milford chronicle. [volume] (Milford, Del.) 1878-1974, 1891-05-15
Lynched at Centreville.


Centreville, Nd, is in great excitement
caused by the lynching Of AsbuTy Green at
O'Clock Tuesday morning. His case had
been tried at this present tern of court, where
he was charged with having committed rape
upon Mrs. Tolston of Kent Island. His law
yer, Mr. Harley, made an earnest plea for
his client and used TO the utmost the irdit-
ferent evidence to establish an alibi, but the
evidence was all against the prisoner. Mrs
Tolstonis intimate acquaintance with him,
because of his having been employed for
months by her husband and her direct state
meut as 10 the time, place and person, left no
room for any doubt in the matter. The pros
ecutor closed his speech at $40 p. m. Mon
day last, the Jury retired. and returning at
O'Clock, reported they found the prisoner
guilty.
By the law Of Maryland this meant hang
ing OF Imprisonment from rs months to Fl
years, at the discretion ofthe court The
Judge sentenced him to 81 years imprison-
ment in the penitentiary and remanded him
to prison.
Ever since the trial began there have been
rumors that if it was proved Green commit
ted the crime he should die the Death no
matter what penalty the court placed upon
him; but the more sober minded deemed the
rumors as the rash utterances Of the Tasber
element.
Monday night, however, it was evident
early in the evening that something was in
the air. Men were whispering together in
groups, and it was evident they were under
strong excitement. The sheriff had put six
extra guards on duty TO prevent any attempt
upon the Jail; but at ! O'Clock an organized
mob of about 200 men, armed with rifles and
shot guns, bore down upon the Jail, over.
powered and disarmed the guards, forced
their way into the jail, and then into the cell,
where the frightened prisoner stood pleading
for mercy.
Without giving him time to dress, stout
rope was quickly fastened around his neck
and he was snatched down and dragged out
into the street. The poor wTetch's piteous
appeals were answered by pistol shots, var
led by an occasional shotgun. Out Broad
way they dragged him, while part of the COM
pany went on before to select tree.
They did not go far, only to the peach or
chard of Mrs. +. B. Nunau, about 600 yards
from the Jail and court house, and there the
almost lifeless body was strung up to little
limb of a peach tree about two inches in di-
ameter, with his feet not over foot from the
ground. While still dangling in the air few
more shots were fired into the body, and the
crowd dispersed.
The writer was early at the place of execu-
ton Tuesday morning. The tree selected
stands about thirty feet from Steamboat
avenue, in full view of the street.
His only clothing was torn shirt, and a
very much worn pair of drawers which were
forced down into a taugle about the feet,
leaving the body bare from the waist to the
ankles His right shoulder was badly bruised,
and bleeding from contact with the groHnd
while being dragged His head had several
wounds from pistols and guns, from which
the blood was ooziug His right hand was
drawn up to the left side Of the throat in the
vain endeavor to free himself from the fatal
Moose. While his half opened eyes and
slightly prOtruding tongue went to make up
the most horrible picture.
NEGROES THREATENING.
While the rumored threats of lynching,
in case of failure of the court to hang Green
were still in the air, the negroes were threat
ening vene eance in case any lynching was
attempted Now, as the whites have carried
out their threats, it remains to be seen
whether the negroes will attempt to carry
out any such foolish scheme as retaliation.
Tuesday morning negro men aud women
were muttering very loud, and they threaten
to burn the town.
THE JAIL AT cENTREvILLE.
The Jail from which Green was taken is sit
uated almost in the centre of the town di-
rectly 10 the rear of the court house, the two
really forming one building. 1t is brick
structure plastered on the outside so that it
resembles stone. The entrances are all
reached by easy fights of steps. The build
ing is of old style architecture and rather
low.
The most important buildings about the
town are directly about the square in which
the court house and Jail are situated. To
the southwest of the square is the large brick
hotel, known as the Arlington. Just below
the Arlington IS the Office of the Centreville
Record, of which w. Scott Roberts IS editor
To the southeast Of the square is the Office
of the CeuueVille Observer, Of which Rob-
erts, Price & Roberts are proprietors. Just
below the Observer office is the Office of the
Centreyille Ad0Ooate.
Directly in the rear of the Jail is the City
Hall, and Just few steps from the rear of the
Jail is the Methodist Episcopal church, of
which the Rev Vaughan S. Collins, formerly
pastor of Scott NJ. L. Church of Wilmington,
IS pastor, and in which the Wilmington NJ.
E. Conference met in March last Mr.. Col
Inns was absent from the town and IL Will
mingtou when the lyuching occurred.
The road down which Green was dragged
is an oyster shell road and is very smooth,
drag along this road by rope attached to
the neck was enough to kill Green, however.
While everyone is able to give all partic-
ulars of the lyHching, no one can be found
who saw the jail breaking, the hanging or
the shooting.
THE TOWN EXCITED.
The negroes to the number of 200 of this
town Of I, 400 people are excited and are talk
ing of vengeance They have no leaders,
but are ready for mischief At 10 O'Clock
this Tuesday night they are collected in
crowds on the corners and there will be little
sleep in Centreville tonight. One hundred
white citizens are patrolling the town to pre-
vent an outbreak.
A TYPICAL SOUTHERN TOWN.
Centreville is a typical Southern town, as
much so perhaps as any in the South. The
people are hospitable and generous in the
extreme, but are, or many of them at least
are, hot headed, the same as they are fur
Their South They would not tolerate the
least uprising of the colored portion of the
town and trouble will be sure to result if it
is attempted