Catoctin clarion., 1903-06-25
WHITE BURNED AT STAKE
A Mighty Delaware Mob Storms the
WOrkh0use.
WENT THROUGH A HAIL OF BULLETS.
Four Thousand Desperate Men Led by a
Vlrginian Avcnge The Murder Of Miss
Bishop AT | o Clock In III, Morning They
Take the Negro From the Workhouse, and
After lie Confesses Burn Him.

Wilmington, Del. (SpeciaD A Della
ware mob, led by Virginian, burned a
negro at the stake within few miles OF
Mason and Dxon's line.
The victim was George White. negro,
who fcloniously assaulted and then stab
bed to death Miss Helen s. Bishop, the
I7-vcar-old daughter of Rev. DR.. T., A.
Bichop. The crime was committed Mon
day afternoon, June IS, and ever since
that time there had been threats OF
lyncking,
An effort was made to take White
from the New Castle county work-housc,
where he was held prisoner, but 1t
failed.
Monday night, as result of the law I:
elowncss and of agitation on the part OF
those who cried for vengeance, mon
that was estimated at 1900 men and boys
gathered in the neighborhood Of Price $
Corner, four miles from Wilmington
They came from everywhere, including
Wilmington and the small towns south
of Prices Corner The previous lack OF
a leader was supplied by Nlrginlan,
whose identity i'll the confusion and cN-
ctemcnt could not be learned
The police of Wilmington and the
county conslahcS tried to d,Spcrsc the
growing mob. but without avail. 1t was
evident that hundreds came from mere
curiosity. but once in the mob they pc
came inf1amcd with the spirit pcrvvadlng
the throng and then actively joined 1t,
The active spirits were few IN number
but thcv did their work well,
/, was after 10 o'clock when the march
TO the wCrkhouSc. a mile away, was taken
up The chief warden of the workhouSc
and his guards. who had been on almost
constant du'y since the negro was 'andcd
in tho IRIS n. had been warned ol the
coming ci nc mob and prepared to de
lend White at all costs.
Armed with pistols, shotguns and other
weapons. the mob soon reached the. prs
op. \ battcrng ram oi railroad tics
soon carried away the great outer door
OF II" Workhou.".
N,,t was gong ou inside the prison
va, t known to the mon. nor T'o !,
seem to care. The second third and
fourth doors wc'c battered down by tnc
forward leaders III the attacking party
amid the wells and cheers OF those VINO
were pressing forward from tho rear.
Then the ynchcrs were momcntariIy
ha,cd by a hail of bullets from the m
side. A shout went up from the lenders
and they we're pressed forward by those
in the rear. More shooting was heard.
and there was a scramble by sCnc to get
ont. but the bravcr ones in the attacking
party stood their ground.
In the fusiIladc that followed four per
sons fell. all members cf Tic mOh.
Those who were shot were quickly car
ricd to the rear and attended by others
Three of the wounded were men and the
other was a boy None OF them. in the
confusion, could be identified except the
boy, who is said to be Peter Smith, II
years old.
1t is evident that the Warden did not
wish to slaughter the mob in the PRISON
corridor. so he directed that the fire
hose be turned ON the crowd, lhli
held the mob Tor time, but not long,
A general rush was made: the guard;
were brushed aside aud man hunt OF
the iail wa, made ior the negro.
There arc many negroes COnnnen III
the prison, but "ith the aid OF a man
who knew White he was quickly found
His cell door was battered open, Cow
,ring and begging for mercy he vas
dragged from the cell ard the prison.
When the crowd outside heard that
success had crowned tho efforts OF the
lvnchcrs A great cheer was set up'. At
tennis were made TO shoot White on
the spot but the leaders OF the crowd
would have no.hing but his Itlc at the
stake.