The Savannah morning news., 1903-06-23
BURNED AT STAKE.
Continued from First Page.

Continued from First Page.
greater number of the lynchers imme-
diately left the place, many of them
fearing arrest. However, a large num-
Der of persons loitered at the scene
awaiting developments
Court Was Responsible.
The failure of the County Court to
give White a speedy trial is in great
measure responsible for to-nights
tragedy. The citizens of Wilmington
and those in the vicinity of the scene
of the crime wanted an immediate
trial, and Attorney General H. H.
Ward laid the matter before the court
on Thursday with that end in view.
The court, however. did not consider
haste expedient. and the trial was set
for the September term of court. With
this direction of the court, the muir
murings of mob violence became louder
and the indignation of the people grew
hourly. Sunday night two small crowds
gathered in the vicinity of the Jail. but
they were soon dispersed.
The coroner's inquest was held to-
day, but the authorities, fearing that
harm would befall the negro. he was
not taken from the work house, and
the inquest was proceeded with with
out his presence. The verdict of the
jury was that Miss Bishop came. to
her death from the effects of an as
sault committed upon her by one
George White, a negro"
story of the Crime.
The crime for which White was
lynched was one of the most revolving
in the criminal annals of Delaware.
The victim, Miss Helen S. Bishop,
daughter of the Rev. E. A. Bishop, D.
D., superintendent of the Ferris Indus
trial School, would have been is years
old next October.
She was a student of the Wilmington
High School and was on her way home
from the school last Monday afternoon
when she was attacked. The indus
trial school, which is four miles from
here, where her parents made their
home, is about three-quarters of a mile
from Prices Corner, where the girl
usually left the trolley ear when she
came from school.
Late Monday afternoon a farmer
working in the field saw a young wom-
an stagger and fall in the road.
She got up and fell again, and then
she tried to crawl. The farmer and
his sons went to her assistance, but
when they reached the girl, she was
lying unconscious in the road. They
found her to be Miss Bishop. She had
three ugly gashes in her throat, her
body was badly scratched and her
clothing was torn in many places. In
one hand she clutched a small pen
knife, which she used at school in
sharpening pencils.
Fought for Her Honor.
There was every evidence that Miss
Bishop had made a desperate resis-
lance in defense of her honor and her
life. The wounded girl was taken
home and died the next afternoon with
out regaining consciousness.
The entire neighborhood was almost
instantly aroused, and a man hunt was
Immediately instituted. Suspicion was
soon fastened on George F. White, a
negro, just out of the work house, and
who was engaged as a laborer on the
farm of Edward Woodward. near the
scene of the assault. White was found
in bed that same night, and when
taken into custody denied all knowl-
edge of the crime. He was identified
by several persons, who said they saw
him in the vicinity of the scene of the
crime. A knife, which Mrs. Wood
ward said belonged to him. was found
where the girl was assaulted.
White was brought to Wilmington,
but later was transferred to the coun-
ty work house, where the police Off
Gals thought he would be safe from
mob violence.