The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1891-05-16

Sheriff T. Frank S,ward was also on
duty.
WELL ORGANIZED LYNCHERS.
The lynchers seemed to have been
we'll organized, and we'll directed on
systematic plan mapped out III advance.
They apparently approached the Jail from
the direction of the wharf, marching in
orderly fashion to the prison, the outer
door of which opening into the hall was
open, AMI a light bnrnIng in the office,
where the deputies were talking. Moth
ing was sIii, bat ths sxcl.ma iol "The
keys, the keys" The deputies resisted
to the best of their ability. Deputy
Sheriff I. Frank Seward made a strong
effort to keep the mob back, but several
of them just caught him bodily and pin
ned him to the floor and took the keys
from his pocket. He was then forced
back to the end of the hall with guns
pointed in his face.
THE PRISON INTERIOR.
ouellH IuTueT CotuluS uo"n Stairs,
was confronted by rifle and shot gun.
He was told to come no further on pain
of death, and he had to go back. The
mob then opened the doors leading to
the cell where the prisoner Asbury Green
was confined
The prison cells are on the right on
thA
The first room is the sheriff's office, and
to the right of this, in the north end of
the building, are four cells two on each
side of narrow p assage. Green was in
the first cell, an Iron bound one on the
east side. A large door had to be un.
locked in order to get into the passage
where the cells were situated 1t was a
difficult lock to open. A number of the
Iynchers crowded into the passage
When Green's door was reached, it was
but moments work to open it with the
keys.
DRAGGED TO DEATH.
The prisoner was dragged from his
cell by rope around his neck-literally
dragged though Office and hall, porch
and gate, out to the street corner, where
| some of the lynchers mounted horses,
| which seemed to be in readiness. The
crowd then hurried down in the direc
ton of the wharf. Green seemed to
| know his fate at once, and during the
temporary halt begged piteousy, but it
availed nothing. When he was first
| taken from his cell he had also begged
for mercy, but no attention was paid to
| the appeal. Outside the Jail he was
hurried down the street known as Broad
way in the direction of the wharf Several
| pistols or guns we're fired as the crow |
passed down. There was but little talk
ing or swearing but some yelling on the
way. The prisoner was dragged by the
rope around his neck about 62S yards
bdown Broadway. Then turn was
\ made into the peach orehar of ex Sheriff
| r. Hooper Smith. About twenty-four
lstrides from the turning in point the rope
was thrown over the limb OF peach
tree and the body was drawn up, leaving
the victims feet about eight inches from
the ground. The corpse was seen at day
light. The trail of the body dragged
along the route was plainly shown on the
ground all the way from the jail. Tht
body had been evidently rushed in F.;
hurry, as it had slowed from one sid,
to another, leaving the trail well defined
The night was dark and cloudy, with {
little rain and some lighting These
conditions were extremely favorabls for
accomplishing the work.
AWAKENED FROM SLEEP.
The prison officers were overpowereC
SO quickly and the masks and disguise
were so complete that no recognition
were made. When Green was reached
in his cell he was asleep. He had NJ
clothing on but under shirt and drawers
These were pretty well dragged from
him by the time he got to the peach tre'
perhaps, indeed, life was extinct befor
he reached that destination. The rop
used was an ordinary hemp rope OF tire
strands and about eight feet long. Th
| cord was thrown over a limb and carried
down and tied to the body of the tree. Ii
few minutes the crowd had dispersed
and no one was to be heard about. Th
deputy sheriff, in company with tn
Suns correspondent, were the first t
reach the body after daylight.
PAINFUL EXCITEMENT.
J A deep and painful feeling Of excite
ment pervaded the entire communit
: Monday, after the sentence of imprison
ment had been passed. Knots of mel
, were to be seen standing about tn
, corners and on the courthouse green dis
, cussing the outlook, but SO sure were til
officers that the law would be allowed t
take its course that Sheriff Turner ha
let his family remain at home and wer
occupying the residence part of the ia
building. The family were of cOurs
very much alarmed by the invasion {
the premises, but no one was hurt {
seriously interfered with except I'll
3 officers, and they were not more roughl
y handled than necessary to secure tt
keys aud to keep them blck while til
mob secured the prisoner. The lynchin
\ was evidently the work of men who:
D.. minds had been made up to do the dee
PREVIOUS LYNCHINGs.
i There have been two other lynchi II.
in Queen Anue's county in it's histor
John Fields was hung by mob he
\. Queenstown in the early sixties f
d criminal intimacy with white gi
Y; The man was simply taken by infuriat
ID people and hanged on hickory tree,
l. the farm of Robert J. Wilson, ne
1T Queenstown. The second case was th
la of James Pippin, a white man, who W
Ii the leader Of gang of robbers infesti
~ the neighborhood of Church Hill duri
and after the war. PiPpin was arrest
al for killing Mr.. Roberts, merchant
Church Hill, who was foully murder