Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1901-07-27
NEGRO HANGED TO TREE
His Crime the Shooting of Elkins'
Police Chief.
FOUR HUNDRED MEN IN MOB
They Wore NO MASKS and OverpoSered
oaieers without Difficulty Victim
ofthe Lynchers Had shot Gown
oaieer who Attempt TO Ar
rest Him-Other Negroes
Are Overawed.
Are Overawed.

rest Him-Other Negroes
Are Overawed.
Elkins, w. Va. July 23.-William
Brooks. negro last evening just at
nightall. was lynched by an angry
mob of 400 citizens of Elkins for hav
inc two hours previous, probably
fatally shot Robert Lilly chief of
police.
Brooks was employed on the build
ing of the coal and iron extension OF
the West Virginia Central, and had
quarreled with oolored woman at a
negro picnic in the City Park.
The fight between Brooks and Chief
Lilly was desperate one. When word
was brought of the trouble between
Brooks and the woman. Lilly said he
would go himself and bring the man
in. When Brooks saw the officer COM
ing he started to run for the house.
and by the time Lilly came up TO the
house and which had a good sized
crowd surrounding it. and ordered
the man to come out, Brooks came to
the window of a front room armed
with gun.
Officer Lilly ordered him TO surren-
der and come peacefully to the lock-
up. Brooks said he would not 90
peaceably or any other way. Lilly
ran into the house for the black man.
The crowd outside made nu offer to
help, and the officer faced the des-
perate negro alone.
SOUNDS OF FIERCE STRUGGLE.
Sounds of a fierce struggle could
be heard that had gathered ran to the
house to help. When the room was
gained both men were found on the
floor in mortal combat. The negro
was shouting that he would
never be taken alive, and the officer,
silent and grim, held him with a
death grip. Suddenly the negro
worked his right arm free from the
grasp of the officer, and catching up a
revolver that had fallen to the floor
in the struggle. fred point blank
shooting Lilly twice through the
stomach and once in the shoulder.
When the wounded officer released
the nergo he broke from the room and
ran, followed by a big crowd. For
several squares he kept ahead of the
crowd Finally afer chase of halt
sts,ly n nd
captured He fought desperately but
could not get away. Officers came to
the negro's rescue, and Brooks was
handed over to the sheriff to be taken
to the lookup.
An angry mob surrounded the lock
up, but blded its time, knowing it
would be easier to take the negro as
he would be escorted from the lookup
to the train.
DRAGGED TO SCENE OF SHOOT
ING.
The citizens were not masked and
they overpowered the officers without
trouble The negro was dragged by a
rope fastened about his neck quite
a distance over the rough road to
the city park, the scene OF the shoot
ing and there stl ung to q tall tree,
He begged piteously but was soon
unconscious from the rough handling,
his clothes being nearly torn from
his body, and he was quite dead
when the park was reached.
His body was still hanging late last
night, and it is said no attempt to cut
it down will bs made before this
evening. No bullets have been fired
into il.
Very little is known about Brooks.
The nergoes, several hundred OF
whom live about Elkins, are over
awed and the town is qniet, as the
whites have made threats to sum-
marily deal with all who should at
tempt trouble.
HOPE TO SAVE LILLY'S LIFE.
The several murders in and about
Elkins the past few months, the muir.
derers all escaping had caused the
citizens to vow that the next murder
err would be lynched if caught.
Lilly is being hurried down the
mountain by special train to the Yves
tern Maryland Hospital, Cumberland,
to be operh ted ON, with the hope OF
saving his life, but he will probably
be dead before the train reaches there.
To las grown family.