Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1895-05-30
EARLY HANGING BIZ LFNcHERs.
Murderer Henson Shrleked for Mercy a,
the Masked Men Entered Ills Cell in til,
EIliGott, Nd, Jail. ..o.

EIlicott, Md, Jail.
ELLICoTT Cry, Mn, May 25-Jacob
Henson, under sentence of death for the
murder of Daniel II. Shea, was hanged by
lynchers about | o clock this morning.
Ellicott City was wrapped in slumber when
the desperate men began to assemble
There were 20 or 80 OF them and all were
masked. They came by twos and threes.
and assmDled near the jail. No alarm was
given and the first Information Chief of
Police Van Iant had Of their presence was
when the leaders of the throng demanded
admittlnGe to the jail. He attempted to
pHrley with them, but il was OF no use.
I'VE have come for Henson, and we
mean to have him," was the only answer
given to him.
Van Zai.t refused to open the Jail doors,
but heavy stick of timber proved as
efficient as q key and the mob was soon
inside the little prison. Henson covered
in his cell and when he caught sight OF the
blACkveiled figures MS they were revealed
BY the dim light Of single lantern he
shr!ekei for mercy, swearing that he had
never killed Shea.
Ii was useless. Half dozen determined
meu broke open the cell door and placed a
rope around the negroes neck. lie was
more dead than alive when dragged from
the cell. He fell upon his knees and al
turnately prayed and cursed, But deter.
mined hands were ut the other end of the
rope ana he was dragged face dOwnwards
down the Jail steps.
Once in the open air lie seemed to revive
| aud struggled To his feet determined to
fight for life. For a moment or two there
was a desperate struggle but Henson was
| quickly overcome and was half dragged
| halt Carried from the centre of the town,
On past tho place where the murder was
| committed the mob hurried him to his
fate. Merrick's lane seemed to offer d
convenient place for the last act Of the
| tragedy and Henson was hustled along
| until PatupsCO institute and its sleeping
| inmates were left behind. Then the end
| of tue rope was thrown over the branch OF
| Il tree, there was a final shrek, ending III
| CHASTITY rattle rs the murderer was pulled
| clear oil the ground the tragedy was over.
| No shots were fired and the mob dis
! perscd ms quietly as it had assembled. 4
| plaCard was left pinned to his breast oG
| which was written I'VE respect our cour
and judges. Coy. Brown forced the Law
abiding citizens to carry out the verdict Of
| the jury. White Caps
| Inc lynchers feared that the Governo
| of Maryland might be induced TO interfer
| and commute The dead mans sentence /,
| life Imprisonment. The grounds for tn
! apprehension came from the recent re
pealed visits to the Jail of one or two spec
| ialists in mental diseases to inquire int
| Henson's insanity and the reported inten
ton of Gov. Brown himself to come GU
here Tor the same purpose one day thi
| week.
The murder OF Daniel II. Shea was com
mitte1 about three months ago. With II,
other incentive than robbery the negr
beat his employers head with an iron ba
and left him dead in a room over tn
latter's store, where he bad lived alone
| IIunEnfls IPill and PAnNinti,p f,.I
lowed An application for anew trial wa
refused by Judge Thomas Jones on Apri
LIST, On which day Henson was sentence,
to be hanged.