The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1897-06-17
LYNCHING IN MARYLANDS
William |. Andrews Beat Into lnsensi-
biIity and Hanged at Princess Anne.
THE JUDGE PLEADS IN VAIN.

/ The Victim of the Mob Had Confessed
He Was Guilty-Avengers Waited I'm
til the Death Sentence Had Been
Formally Pronounced on the Pris-
oner Clubbed and Shot to Death.
PRINCESS ANNE, Md. (speciaD.-On the
very steps Of the Court House in which he
had but moment before been sentenced to
death William Lewis Andrews, young col
ored man, who on May assaulted Mrs.
Benjamin T. Kelly, was taken from his
guards by an infuriated mob, and, after be-
ing almost torn limbfrom limb, was riddled
with,pistol bullets. ~
Andrews was arrested Immediately after
the assault on Mrs. Kelly, and in order to
save him from the fury Of the people OF
Princess Anne and Marion, neac which lat
ter town the crime was committed, 1t was
necessary to remove him secretly to Balti-
more, where he was kept in safety until
he was brought back to this place for trial.
During the night a number Of fmen assem-
bled and agreed upon plan Of action. 10
was fully determined that no matter what
the result Of the trial might be swift VEN
geance should be meted out to the prisoner.
Shortly before noon Andrews was taken
from the Jail, where he had spent the night,
and hurried through the street to the :
Court House. Howls and execrations fol-
lowed his passage to the Court House;
still, no attempt was made to interfere
with the officers in the execution Of their
duty. The people waited until the legal
machinery OF the State had run its course.
That the miscreant should die all agreed.
no matter what the verdict. They waited
until the red tape had been rolled on.
They said II he were sentenced promptly
and promptly executed they would be
satisfied.
The little court room was packed with de-
termined-looking men, many of whom car
ried shotguns and rifles, as the trembling
prisoner, heavily manacled, was dragged
to the bar. He was already half dead from
terror, and his teeth chartered as in reply
to the summons to plead he admitted his
guilt. Without moments delay Judge
Page sentenced him to be hanged, and then
Sheriff Nelson and Deputy Sheriff Dryden
seized him and attempted to take him back
to the Jail. s1,5
The throng made way, but just as they
reached the outer door the mob closed on
them. In an instant the Sheriff and his
deputy were brushed aside and the prisoner,
SuEItkluH plltOuSiN, Was LII buC udAao Va VIZ
mob. His cries and yells for mercy were
scoffed at and stifled. Seized by a hundred
hands, he was torn and thrust, first this
way and then that, hardly a shred Of cloth
ing being left upon his bleeding and bruised
body half minute after the mob had laid
bands upon him. There was no precon-
serted programme for this punishment.
There was not hand in the vast throng
Ihat did not fight for chance to batter his
luivering body.
Judge Page ran out Of the court room and
mplored the frenzied crowd to wait and let
Justice take its course, but he might as well
have appealed to the winds. Blind with
Jury, the mob continued to rain kicks and y
blows on the prisoner until he fell insenst-
ole. By this time life was probably extinct, (.
out while some Of the crowd began to seat
:er il search of a rope others drew their re-s
volvers and emptied them into the pros,
!rate body. When the mob had fully glut-
led it's vengeance it dispersed, leaving the
mangled corpse lying on the Court House
steps.
After it had lain there some time boys E
tied rope round the neck and the body 4
was hoisted to limb OF the nearest tree,
where it again became the target for q :
score OF pistol bullets. While this was go
ing on women stood by e1ecrating the
Sictim and applauding the swiftness with
which vengeance had been wreaxed ON
aim. The body remained dangling Tor
hours before it was cut down and removed
oy the orders Of the Coroner.
No attempt at disguise was made by any.
Of those who participated in the lynching, ~,
among whom were many OF the most re-
spected citizens Of the town and vicinity,
The act OF the mob is almost universally
applauded in the community, and 1t u
openly boasted that no man will ever be
'udicially executed in Princess Anne County
sor the crime for which Andrews suffered.
The general opinion is that 1t Is well that
troops were not sent to the scene, as this
would. as in the recent case at Urbana, a
Ohio, only have resulted in a conflict, and
consequent deplorable loss of life. No yto.;
lence was offered to the Sheriff or his
deputies, but in the temper in which the mob
was there is no doubt that 1t would have
Jared badly with them had they offered any
serious resistance to the capture OF their
prisoner. ls&f