The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1903-06-26
NEGRO ASsAILANT
BURNED AT STAKE
infuriated Delaware Mob Made
Short Work of George
White.
JUSTICE WAS TOO SLOW

Negro Assaulted and Stabbed to Death
a Young Girl and the Court Put OF
the Rrute's Trial Until Sep
tmber Term ofsCourt.
Wilmington. Del. June 2A-a
northern mob. led by a virginian,
within a few miles Of Mason and DIX
on.s Inns. The victim was George r.
White, a taken from the work
house. who was Of having fe-
loniously assaulted and stabbed todeath
Miss Helen S. Bishop, the 1f-eyar-oh
daughter OF the Rev. E a Bishop.
The crime was committed last Monday
afternoon, and ever since then there
has been talk o. 1ynching.
An effort was made Tuesday night
to get White, u it failed Tonight a
mo that was estimated at 5000 men
and Boys gathered In the neighborhood
OF Prices Corners. four miles from
here. They came from everywhere, in
Guiding Wilmington and the small
towns to the south of Prices Corner.
The police of Wilmington and h
constables tried to disperse the grow
ing crowd. but without avail. It was
ay1dent that hundreds came from mere
curiosity, but nee in the mob they be-
came with the spirit thai per-
yaded the throng and then actively
Joined it The real leaders were few In
numbers. brt they did their work well.
II was after 10 O'Clock when the
march to b workhouse, q mile away,
was taken up. The chief warden OF
the workhotise and his guards. who
have been on almost constant duty
since the negro was landed in the
prison, had been warned of the COM
ing OF b mob. and prepared to defend
the man at all costs.
Battered Down jail Doors.
Armed with pistols, ahotguns and
other weapons b mob soon reached
the jail battery OF railroad ties
soon carried away the great outer
door of the workshop. What was go
Ing on inside lookup was not known
to the mob. nor did 1t seem to care.
The second. third and fourth doors
were battered down by the forward
leaders In attacking party amid the
yeus and cheers of those who were
pressing forward from the rear. Then
the would-be lynchers were moment
ar1ly checked by a hail of bullets from
the inside A great howl went up
from the leaders, but they were
pressed forward by those in the rear.
More shooting was heard, and there
was q scramble to get out, but the
brave ones in the attacking party
stood their ground. In the fusillade
G&ioN = SoA ooAs AZ dll
members Of the mob. They were
quickly carried to the rear and at
tended by those who were not brave
enough to be at the front. Three Of
the wounded We're men. and the other
was a boy. None Of them in the con-
fusion could be identified except the
boy, who is said to be Peter Smith,
aged II years.
1t was evident that the warden did
o wish to slaughter the mob in the
a.
fire hose be turned on the crowd
This held the mob for a time, but
o for long. Ageneral rus was made,
the guards were brushed aside, and q
hunt was made for b negro.
There were many fsgroes confined
In the prison. but wit.l the aid of a.
man who knew White "A was quickly
found His cell door MS battered open
and the covering and accused man,
begging for mercy, was dragged from
the cell and the prison
Nothing but Burning.
When the crowd outside heard that
success had crowned the efforts OF the
lynchers a great cheer was set up. At
te-npts were made t o shoot White on
the spot, but the leaders OF the crowd
would have nothing but his life at the
stake. Resistance OF the part OF the
negro was useless, but his hands were
tied behind him. Then the movement
~ Sl1@ az JeSN SS
though it We're g. march to the gallows
in a prison, WAS taken up
1t then became evident that a plan
OF execution had been previously ar
ranged. With orche to lead the way
and with 1000 persons following b
negro he was led to the road and to
almost the very spot where the as
sault took place.
White was given q lest chance to
speak. and he confessed to the murder
of the girl A stake had been arranged
by an advance guard. White was
quickly chained to the post and the dry
underbrush. soaked with oil, was ig-
nited, and the horrible execution was
on.
White. suffering intense agony. faint
ed, and his body hung limp. Shots
were fired into his body. and the victim
OF the mob was soon dead.
Satisfied with its nights work. the
greater number of the lynchers imme-
diately LEFT the neighborhood, many of
large number Of persons loitered at the
scene. awaiting developments.
The failure OF the county court to
give White a speedy trial is in a great
responsible for the tragedy.
The citizens OF Wilmington and those
in the vicinity OF the scene OF the crime
wanted an immediate trial, and At
torney General H H Ward laid the
matter before the court on Thursday
with that end in view. The court, how
ever, lie not consider haste expedient,
and the trial was set for the September
term of court
WOMAN FOR a SHIELD.