Evening star., 1898-10-05
Wright Smith Taken From Annapolis
Jail and Shot.
@ WAS ACCUSED OF ASSAULT
The Victim, Mrs. Morrison, Had
Positively Identified Him.
LYNCHERS FROM BALTIMORE

ANNAPOLIS, Md, October 5.-Wright
Smith, colored, who attempted an assault
on Mrs. Morrison, the wife of Capt. James
Morrison of the third district residing near
Jones station, was taken from Jail shortly
after o'clock this morning and shot.
The lynching party went to the jail point
ed guns at Night Watchman Duvafl and took
the prisoner to Sanders lot, near the city
cemetery and riddled the body with bullets
Smith begged for mercy, and cried Murder
as he was being removed from jail
At o'clock this morning the bell rang
at the front Jail door. This is the night
signal to bring in a prisoner, Watchman
Thomas ]. Duvall went to the door. He took
down the inside iron bar. and as soon as he
did the door was burst open and a half
dozen revolvers were pointed at his head
Behind them were masked men, and to
the rear Of them more armed men. Without
a word they forced the watchman to the
second floor, and then they demanded the
keys to the corridor and cells. He gave
them up.
Went Straight to Smiths Cell.
The door of the corridor swung open. and
straight to the cell of Smith went the men,
The cell door was thrown wide open and
the prisoner ordered to come out. Neither
the assaiiantS nor the doomed man had d
word to say. By this time the lynchers,
thirty in number, crowded the Jail corri-
dors. some in light white clothes and masks
and some without masks. Watchman Du-
vail says he could not make out any per-
son individually, nor could he tell whether
they were young or middle-aged men. The
prisoner was compelled to go before the
mob. He walked down the stairs to the
front door and out He neither offered re-
sistance nor uttered a word until he reach
ed the front steps on Calvert street.
Then he gave a cry of "Murder!' No
time was lost, and he was showed on be
fore the lyncherS, now numbering between
forty and fifty. He was taken to the cor
ner of Northwest street and Calvert, dis
tance Of fifty yards AS Smith turned up
Northwest street to the city cemetery one
of the crowd struck him with a cobblestone
and he fell. Then he cried Murder again
and when ten yards in advance of the
crowd the lynchers began to fire on the
ravisher. He fed to the open lot on North
west street, to the rear of Sanders row of
buildings. The moon gave sufficient light
to let the 1ynchers see what they were do
ing. The reports of the revolyers aroused
the people in the vicinity. and on looking
out of their windows they saw and heard
the fusillade of fifty shots or more. Smith
fell dead on the grass. Then the lynchers
went off As quietly as they came.
LHnchers From MorrfsOn's Home.
The lynchers were evidently from the
section of the assault. They came in bug
gies. which were tied up on College creek
bridge. at the northern boundary of An
napolis. When they left their buggies they
walked through the rear of the campus of
st. Johns College and then to the Jail
The crime for which Smith was iynched
occurred on the night of September ., while
Captain Morrison was absent from home
The house was entered by a negro who
broke into the room occupied by Mrs Nor
rison and her sister, and attempted to as
ly and finally drove off their assailant
Last Monday Smith. who had disappeared
from the neighborhood, was arrested in
Baltimore and taken to Annapolis Mrs
Morrison unhesitatingly identified him as
her aSSailant. He trembled violently but
denied his guilt. There was much feeling
against the prisoner from the time of his
Identification