The Savannah morning news., 1901-07-23
BAD NEGRO LYNCHED
AFTER FATALLY woUNDING CHIEF
OF POLICE.
ELKINS, w. VA, WORKED UP.
CHIEF LILLY NOW DYING IN A HOS
PITAL.

Entered House singIe-Handed to Ar
rest n Trouble Breeder-In a Hand
to Hand Struggle which Followed
He Was shot by the Negro-The
Latter Captured and Turned over
TO the sherin, hut Taken From the
Latter at the Door of the JnfI and
Marched to His Death.
Elkins, w. Va, July 22-To-n night
the dead body of William Brooks, a
negro, swings FROM the limb of a tree
in the city park here. and Chief of
Police Robert Lilly lies dying in
Cumberland, Md, hospital, from the
effects of bullet wound inflicted by
the negro.
This afternoon word was brought to
the police station that William
Brooks. a wellknown negro. was Gre
ating trouble in the lower end of
town, and asking for the aid of an Of
ficer to subdue him. Chief of Police
Robert Lilly said he would go himself
and bring the man in. When Brooks
saw the officer coming he started to
run for the house, and by the time
Lilly came up to the house, which had
good sized crowd surrounding ii, and
ordered the man to come out. Brooks
came to the window of a front room
armed with gun. Lilly ordered him
to surrender and come peacefully to
the lock-up. Brooks said he would not
go peaceably or any other way. Lilly
ran into the house for the black man.
The Crowd Hung Back
The crowd outside made no offer to
ha
ate negro alone. Sounds of a fierce
struggle could be heard and the crowd
that had gathered ran to the house to
help. When the room was gained both
men were found on the floor i'm mortal
combat. The negro was shouting that
he would never be taken alive, and the
officer, silent and grim. held him with
death grip. Suddenly the negro work.
| ed his right arm free from the grasp
| of the officer and. catching up a re-
volver that had fallen TO the floor in
| the struggle, fired point blank at the
officer Lilly fell to the floor, shot
through the bowels. When the officer
! released the negro he broke from the
room and ran, followed by a big
crowd. For several blocks he kept
| ahead of the crowd. Finally, after a
chase of a mile, Brooks was overtaken
and captured He fought desperately,
but could not get away. other off,
| GERS came to the rescue and with small
| ceremony Brooks was handed over to
the sheriff to be taken to the county
| jail.
Mob Demanded the Prisoner.
Just as the sheriff reached the prison
doors and ordered the prisoner to walk
! into the jail a mob of men, at least 400
| strong, surrounded the officer and de-
manded the prisonerN The sheriff and
guards refused and made desperate re-
sistance, but to no avail Brooks was
seized, rushed through the streets, half
walking and half falling along, towards
! the city park When the park was
| reached the men who were leading
| Brooks told him TO walk up under a
big shade tree in the center of the park
and prepare to die. The negro could
not speak and seemed almost insensi-
BILE to what was going on. The rope
was drawn up, and i'm a few minutes
the body Of William Brooks swung
from the tree, lifeless. Then the mob
| dispersed.
Officer Lilly's wounds are fatal He
is unable to talk and can give but
| small explanation of the trouble that
led to the shooting. The body of
Brooks. up to a late hour this evening,
still hung in the park.