Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1891-08-14
Atiemnled LYnching

TIE c;t'z ,us Of the old town Of
p 'rt Tobscso on TUESDAY morning about
o'cloc ,ware awakene from their sluu-
hers by tic rapid discharge Of guns and
pi tolls and those who hurried o the
scene when the firing eessd learned
that an attempt had been made t. get
Rye, the murderer Of young Wheeler,
from the Jail for the purpose Of lyuching
him The Sneriff was awakened by
some one rapping on his door and when
he went TO window he was informed
that prisoner was down in the ysrd.
Asking who it was who brought him. he
was told that it was Ned Harmon,
pnd that the prisoner was Virgiuian
committed by Justice johnson Of Po-
monkey. Not suspecting a trick the
Sheriff got a light aud went down to ,he
door He found four men, one 10 the
yIrd near the door, and the others out
side the gate On being asked where
the prisoner was the spokesman, point
ing to his companions, said ''there he is. \"
Mr.. Adams sad "brng him iu," The
man in the yard told him to come gu,
and get him. The Sheriff said he would
not do it and immediately the man who
acted as spokesman, and was evidently
the leader. pointed a pistol in the Sher
ifs face aud demanded the jai. keys.
Mr.. Adams stepped back and showed too
the door and locked it. The men then
left and vent in the direction Of the Jail
and few moments thereafter the at
tempt to break in the front door Of that
building was made This attempt was
fortunately frustrated by the prompt and
determined action of the guards, who
CONNIE ced firing at the crowd below
from the windows above. Shortly after
being fred upon aud after fruitlcss at
tempt on the part Of the leader to rally
his men, the crowd Withdrew and in halt
hour from their coming they we're gone.
1t is estimated that about twenty five or
thirty men were in the party None of
the guards were injured, although one
or two shots passed through the windows
from which they were firing. 1t is not
known positively that any Of the attack
ing party was hurt, but it was rumored
in the village on Tuesday last that one
or two were struck and that physician
had been called to attend them 1t is
10 be hoped that the rumor will prove
unfounded. The only damage done the
Jail was to the front door which bad a
portion of the lower panel broken and
the facing muilated BY some blri in
strument used in the attempt to prize it
open, The guards in the Jail were Jail
or G. f. Albums, sor Of the Sherlff,
Wesley Bowie, Washington Burch, and
Ch1rles Gray, the last two being colored
men. II was evident from the way tile
woulI-be lyuchcrs proceeded that they
did not expect opposition from guard
On the Inside, but expected to get the
jan! keys from the Sheriff aud then the
llnchiug If Rye would he au easy job.
All law-abidiug titlzeus are much graf
flied that the attempted lyuchlug failed 4,
md from the bet cr class o; our citizens
much praise is given to orr Sheriff and his
p1sse for theelrn st aud succe-sful effort
made to treyeut the lynching which
would have been, had it been consuma-
ted, the Or. il It's history.
The Baltimore Hccaiot says; "rhe ef-
fort ot Il a,ob to break opIr the jail al
Port Tobacco ana lynch a prisoner wa.
happily fcilcd ~ the Sberlti If CHARLES
county IL ought to be too late in the
ceutuiy for ae"d like that in the Ell
lighteGeI State ot n Rs laud.'