The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-06-23
LYNCHER SHOT.


AEELlGn were sent 10 the WOl kAQDFE
This was at o'clock last nieht. There
were several thousand persons at the
prison at the time and the officers were
pOWerless against such large numbers
g. they entered the building to assist
the guards in an effort to protect the
prisoner During one of the rushes,
made by the crowd several shots were
exchanged and Peter Smith, boy of u
years, of Wilmington. was shot in the
back and so seriously injured that he
viii die. He is now in a hospital in
this city.
The shooting did not have any effect
on the crowd other than to brighten
few off of the lawns surrounding the
work house. but they returned with re-
Inducements and aided those who were
Striving to get to the negroes cell.
Upon arriving at the work house the
mob lost no time in preliminary prepa-
ration The crowd advanced into the
'front.' vestibule and demanded admit
lance. Their demand was refused hJ
the guards and they were deluged by
stream OF water from the fire .-ghting
equipment Of the institution This dis
not lessen the eagerness cf Jhc besieg
ers, who Immediately began N assault
upon the iron doors. Chief Of Police
Black shouted to the crowd. The first
man that comes into the corridor win
be killed"
A man. said to be from the south
Grasped one of the heavy sledge hams
mers and as he attacked the steel graf
ing cried. Then you had better take
noe for the srst one"
another man. said to be from the
west. shot out the cluster of ineau.
descent lights In the Vestibule The
mob and guards exchanged shots
Tn addition TO Peter Smith. 8 youth
whose name is not known was slightly
wounded during this fusillade.
The mob after forcing an entrance no.
uhed Chief Black and Warden AIeserve
that they intended to get the negro if
they had to s~eak every steel door in
the place and an gued that it was a use
less expense to the county to have ua-
necessary damage done to the property.
The officials saw the strength of this
argument and informed the leaders that
White was i'm cell No 10 on the front
row. third story. This was enough and
the door to this row of cells was at
once attacked.
Warden N1eserve then rushed into the
cell corridor to prevent the mob taking
the man. He saw that the men with
hammers were about to demolish the
cell door and told them how to discOn-
meet the door so that It could be oper-
atel AS soon as the door to Whites
cell slid open there was a deafening
cheer AND cries of don't hurt him.
hang him. don't hit him. burn him at
the stake
Take him to the place where he
murdered Miss Bishop, for we have
driven stake there and will burn
him"
White fought desperately for his life
and knocked the first man down who
approached him. one Of the leaders of
the mob threw his arms around the
frightened wretch thus protecting him
AT this time the corridor was SO tightly
packed h.- the mob that it was impos-
sible to get the prisoner out After
much difficulty the crowd was per
fuaded to retreat from the building
White. i'm the custody of two men
brought UP the rear. Whites custOdi-
ans became convinced that unless
strategy was used there would be little
hope of getting their man to the spot
where it was planned he should be
burned to death. This cOntin-
gency was overcome by an order to
eXtnguish lanterns or keep them con-
cealed In the darkness there was a
confused rush and after this no one
seemed TO know where the prisoner was
When White found that his case was
hopeless the negro confessed to having
committed the deed and prayed fer
vently to God to forgive his sins.
While White was praying and con-
Tossing the crowd was struggling TO
form a circle Three o. four men began
splitting rails with which to bran him
The mob numbered from 5000 to 5000
persons who surged back and forth,
crowding and pushing to gain a goo
position from which to see the burning.
When everything seemed about ready.
man on horseback. who said his home
was i'm Kentucky. rode to a nearby farm
house for more straw. The straw was
piled around the stage and White was
brought into the circle. His nerve seem
ed good and he held his head up while
he addressed the crowd. He made am
other confession and appealed to God
for mercy. The negro was then fasten-
ed 70 the stlke and the torch was APP
piled to the straw.
The flames leaped up and licked the
mans bare hands He was held erect
by one OF tire lynchers until his clothing
was burning fairly when he was pushed
into the bed of fire. He rolled about
and his cOutOrtiOns were terrible but
he made no sound. Suddenly the ropes
ON his legs ucrted and he sprang from
the fire and started to run A man
struck him in the head with q piece of
fence rail and Knocked him down Will
ing sh8nds threw him again into the
fanes- He rolled out several times,
but was promptly returned. While this
was going on shouts, cheers and jibes
went up from the crowd.
When the negro had ceased to show
signs of life the body was placed on its
back and fuel was piled upon it and q
roaring fire was soon consuming it. lit
was about . o'clock when the crowd be-
gan to dispense. AT noon today Deputy
Coroner Kilmer went to the scene of the
lynching for the purpose of securing the
remains of the negro in order to go
through the legal form of holding an
irqu ST. but according to the story of
those who left the place an hour prev
i0us there was little possibility of find
ing auvtEing substantial as the relic
hunters had made Off with the pieces of
bones that We're left
STORY OF THE LYNCHING.
Wilmington. Del. June ga north
ern mob led by "a Nirginian burned a
negro at the stake last night within "A
few miles of Mason & Dixon's line. Tho
victim was George f. White. negro
just out OF the work house. who was
accused of having feloniously assaulted
and stabbed to death Miss Helen g.
Bishop. the 17-year-old daughter Of
Rev. dr. r. A. Bishop. The crime OF
the negro was committed last Monday
afternoon and ever since there have
been mutferings of iynching the man.
AS "a result of the laws slOWness and
much agitation on the part of those who
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