Waterbury evening Democrat., 1892-11-14
THREATS OF LYNCHING
I.ingo's Acquittal Excites Mer-
 chantvi.le Residents.
Ex-JUDGe WESCOTT CENSUREO

An Indignation Meeting Held at Which |
 Prominent People of the Place Speak
 Their Minds-Negroes of Matchtown
 Also ArOused-LIngot to Enter Museum
 PHILADELPHIA, Nov. 14-The people ot Merchantville, N. J., are in arms because of the acquittal in Camden of Franc1s Lingo, colored, the alleged murderer of Mrs. Annie Miller. Their anger knows no bounds, and is intermingled with fear that some one else may be murdered in that vicinity and the perpetrator go un- punished.
 The wives and daughters of the we'll to do residents, and they are numerous, actually dread to leave their homes alone for fear that something might happen to them.
 As soon as it was learned on Saturday afternoon that Lingo was a free man, threats of lynching him, should he return to the community, were freely made, and yesterday the expression grew in earnest ness and volume.
 As the outcome of this state of affairs, an indignation meeting was held at 4 o'clock in the afternoon in the Merchant vile town hall, which was attended by two hundred of the most prominent citi- zens of the locality.
 It was presided over by Thomas c. Knight, President of the Philadelphia Brokers Exchange, and a committee of three consisting of John Morton, Edward Nash and Frederick Kleintz, was ap- pointed to confer with Camden County Prosecutor Jenkins, who conducted the case against Lingo, and see what could be done to keep the acquitted negro from returning to the neighborhood.
 Resolutions were presented, and, al though referred to committee of five, they were practically adopted, censuring ex-Judge Wescott, senior counsel for Lingo. expressing sympathy with John Miller, husband of the murdered woman, and disappearing of the abrupt ending of the trial.
 The committee, composed of John All len, Charles Hollingshead, Edward w. Morris, William Longstrath, and Morris Redderow, all of whom are wealthy and influential, and to whom the resolutions were referred, will probably augment them.
 The meeting adjourned to meet at the | same place tonight at o'clock, when a definite line of action will be decided upon. The citizens argue that, as the murders of Mrs. Leconey and Mrs. Miller, both of which occurred in their town, are un- avenged, there is no safety for them; that 
 are in constant peril, and that preoau | tions be taken.
 They fear that the acquittal of Chalkley | Leconey and Francis Lingo of the re- | spective murders, the latter also being | al rested for the first crime, will set a law less precedent to many of the 800 ne- groes of Matchtown, a suburb of Mer- l chantville, which might result in an | other mysterious killing. | They also feel that some one should be | hanged for each murder, but as there is no | probability of either mystery ever being cleared, the best they can do is to take, in a l measure, the law into their own hands l and protect their homes by aggressive ] methods The Matchtown negroes are | aroused and threaten vengeance upon any one who shall maltreat Lingo i Lingo says he never will return to | Merchantville and as his life would be in | danger were he to do so, it is belle we'd | he will be an unknown quantity in those parts. He will exhibit himself in dime
 museum here during the coming week.
 Lngo's acquittal was brought about by | the action of Judge Garrison, who, when
 the evidence was all in, declared to the
 jury that the case made out by the prose-
 cution was not sufficient to convict the | prisoner of the murder of Mrs. Annie
 Miller, and he thereupon discharged
 Lingo.
 Judge Garrison held that by the States
 own witnesses an alibi had been proved
 for Lingo, and that he was not the negro
 that Insurance Agent Wilder and the
 Du Hallway children met in the bush lot.
 Under his instructions the jury rendered
 a verdict of acquittal and Lingo was dis
 charged.
 The first thing Lingo did after his re-
 lease was to send this dispatch to his
 wife: %Through God, and Judge Garri-
 son, am a free man."
 I He then visited the office of ex-Judge
 Westcott and was soon surrounded by
 friends. He declared he was innocent ol
 the crime.
 "Why," he exclaimed, "Mrs. Miller
 was the best friend had on earth" "Will you work for mel" asked ex
 Judge Westcott.
 "Yes, a whole year for nothing," Lin- go replied. "Bnt will not go to Mer chantville again."
 Ex-Judge Wescott said that although Lingois acquitted he is not yet through with the case. Several of the States witnesses, he declared, will be arrested
 for perjury.