The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1897-06-12
KILLED BY A MOB.
The Negro Andrews Lynched at
Princess Anne, Nd.
HE ASSAULTED A WHITE WON
AN MAY 5.
Had Been Tried, Found Guilty and
Sentenced to Hang.

PRINCESS ANNE. MD., June 9.-William
Andrews, the negro who assaulted Mrs Ben
iamin T. Kelley Of Marion on May 5, was
killed by mob here this morning, just after
he had been tried and convicted and senten-
eed to be hanged for the crime.
Andrews trial began at 10 O'Clock. He
pleaded guilty.
KILLED BY THE MOB.
In three-quarters of an hour the Sheriff
started to take him to the jail. but he was met
by crowd of over thousand men and the
prisoner was taken from the officers before he
had gone 10 feet from the Courthouse door.
He was beaten with bludgeons, clubs and al
most everything else that could be gotten hold
of, cut to pieces with knives and stamped on
by ever one who could get at him, and then
hung to tree on Church street, not over %
yards from the Courthouse. He was uncon-
scious, but breathing, when strung up and
died in a few seconds.
JUDGE PAGES APPEAL.
Judge Page went out upon the courthouse
steps after the trial and argued with the crowd,
who were demanding that the negro be deliv-
cred up to them. The Judge pleaded for the
law to take its course, but the crowd refused
to listen to him, and made rush for the Gull
prit when he emerged from re door in charge
of the Sheriff.
The scene was the ~, terrible one ever
witnessed in Somerset, YEA the unavailing
effort of Judge Page. the foremost man in in
6uence as well as official position in the coun-
ty, to restrain the infuriated mob was pathetic.
THE CROWD GATHERS.
All day yesterday curious crowd hung
around the town and discussed the approach
ing trial of Andrews. 1t was intended to re-
turn him to the Baltimore Jail today after the
trial 10 await the date of execution, and in
order to give as little chance as possible for
mob demonstration, the authorities so timed
their arrival with Andrews that he did not
get to Princess Anne until the early hours
this morning.
They left the Baltimore Jail with the
prisoner at o'clock last evening" and came
down the Peninsula on the Pennsylvania
Railroad Company's lines.
The town was filled with strangers a good
part of the night, but they did not expect the
negro to reach here until after daylight
From that time until court was convened
hundreds of men from all parts of Somerset
and from adjoining counties poured into
Princess Anne.
COULD NOT HAVE ESCAPED.
In view of the circumstances, Andrews
could not have escaped the gallows, and the
only explanation offered in excuse for the ac-
ton of the mob is that the people became
frenzied and WROUGHT up TO the point of MAX
ing terrible example for the future Of the
weight of public vengeance in such crimes.
Immediately after the assault, the sentiment
in the county against the negro became so
strong that, by Governor IowndcS' direction,
he was secretly conveyed from the Princess
Anne Jail to d train aud taken Ia Baltimore
for safekeeplng.
SPECIAL COURT SESSION.
In order to appease the community, Chief
Judge Page called "a special session Of the
court for today to try the accused. Judge
Page sat on the bench this morning with As
sociate Judges Holland, of Wicomico. and
Lloyd, of Dorchester. The evidence against
Andrews was conclusive and a verdict of
guilty was rendered within ,wo hours after the
trial began. An immense crowd had congre
gated around the Courthouse and a lynching
was feared.
THE KILLING OF KEMP.
Somerset mobs do not usually take time to
hang the objects of their wrath. On June s,
1894, almost three years ago to the day.
Isaac Kemp, co!ored, the leader Of the gang
Of II negroes who murdered Constable Ed
ward Carver was shot down in Jail here by a
party of lynchers, who broke into the prison.
| The rest of the negroes were taken to Balti-
more Jail, and tried in the Criminal Court of
that city, some of them being freed and others
| sent TO The Henltentary.
The people here have been feeling keenly
ever since what tley thought miscarriage of
| Justice and the heavy expenses brought upon
the county by the Baltimore trial. Kemp was
the acknowledged leader of the Carve muir
derers, however, and his accomplices claimed
that he committed the actual crime, which
fact had great bearing upon the issue OF the
| Baltimore trial.
As in the case of Andrews, these negroes
were foreign-born and 10 crime of any mag
nitude has been committed in Somerset for a
quarter of Il century, despite its enormous
negro population, by native colored man.
ANDREWS CRIME.
Mrs. Kelley Is the wife of prominent
farmer, and is highly connected She had
been to a store in Marion on the day she was
assaulted and was walking along a wooded
/ road on her return homeward, when she was
met by Andrews, whom she knew by sight.
| The negro asked her for her pocketbook.
She gave it to him in her fright He found
only dollar in it, and this appeared to anger
! him. He knocked Mrs. Kelley down, beat
her brutaly and then feloniously assaulted
! her.
THE COUNTY AROUSED.
She dragged herself to her home, and in
formed her husband. Hundreds of men gath
cred at the alarm and secured the country for
the negro, who was caught by a constable a
day afterward and secreted in the woods until
he could be safely taken to Jail.
He spent one night there, and the next day
Sheriff Nelson wired Governor Lowndes fol
instructions, and received word to take him to
Baltimore 1t was feared that it would be
impossible TO get the negro out of the county,
but the Sheriff did so. Since then the feeling
seemed to die down, particularly when it be
came known that speedy trial would be had