The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1903-06-23
After No Confessed the Crime
White Was Burned at Stake
A SCHOOL GIRL HIS VICTIM
Delay Of Court to Try The Men enraged the
People and Thsy Broke Into a jail.
-Four Men Shot.


was George r. White. negro, just out
Of the workhouse. who was accused OF
having feloniously assaulted and stabbed
70 death Miss Helen s. Bishop. the IL
year-old daughter OF the Rev. f. A,
bishop.
afternoon, and ever since then there have
An effort was made Sunday night 10
get White. but IL failed. Last night a
mob that was estimated at 1000 men and
boys gathered In the neighoorhood @ OF
Prices Corner four miles from here. The
police Of Wilmington and the constables
tried to disperse the growing crowd. but
without avail.
II was after 10 o'clock when the march
to the workhouse. a mile away, was
taken up. The chief warden OF the
workhouse and his guards, . who have hay rro been
was landed In the prison. had been warn
Cd of the coming of the mob and pre-
pared to defend the man at all costs:
Armed with pistols, shotguns and other
Weapons. the mob soon reached the jail
A battery OF railroad ties soon carried
away the great outer door OF the work. work.
doors were battered down by the attack.
Ing party. amid the yeils and cheers "
Then the would-be lynchers were mo.
the inside.
FOUR OF MOB SHOT.
A great howl went up from the lead
those In the rear. More shooting was
heard. and there was a scramble to get
out. but the braver ones in the attack
s Ds.y that sioGS nsa persons m fs
eli members of the mob.
They were quickly, carried to the rear
tnd by those ,,. who were nrss not
Of the wounded were 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 IL
years.
II was evident that the warden did not
wish to slaughter the mob In the prison
be turned on the crowd This also held
the mob for a time. but not for long.
A general rush was made. the guards
,. wsre brushed shed ;ua aside and hunt OF the
many negroes confined In the prison, but
with the aid OF a man who knew White
the latter was found His cell door was
mercy; was dragged from the cell and
the prison.
When the crowd outside heard that
lynchers great cheer was set up. At
tempts were made TO shoot White on
the spot, but the leaders OF the crowd
would have nothing but his life at the
stake.
Resistance on the part of the negro
was useless, but his hands were tied be-
hind him: Then the march to the place
to lead the way and with 1000 persons
following the negro. he was led TO the
road. and to almost the very spot where
= last chance to speak. He confessed to
the murder of the girl.
FIRE AND BULLETS.
A stake had been arranged by an ad-
vance guard. White was quickly chained
90 the post, and the dry underbrush
soaked with oil, was ignited and the hor-
rible execution was begun. White. suffer
Ing intense agony. tainted 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
them fearing arrest However. a largo
number Of persons loitered at the scene
Awaiting developments.
The failure OF the county court 10 give
White a speedy trial is In great measure
responsible for Sunday nights tragedy.
The citizens OF Wilmington and those In
the vicinity OF the scene OF the crime
wanted an immediate trial and Attorney
General Ward laid the matter before the
court on Thursday with that end in view.
haste expedient and the trial was set
for the September term OF court
With this decision 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, bus
they were soon dispersed
The coroner's inquest was held yester-
day, but the authorities, fearing that
q - ha l.
taken from the workhouse. and the in
quest was proceeded without his presence
The verdict Of the jury was that Miss
Btshop came TO her death from the ef.
fscts OF an assault committed upon her
by one George White, a negro"
HIS VICTIM.
Miss Bishop was a student Of tn. VII
mington high school and was on her was
home from the school VIII IN she was at
tackled
The Ferris Industrial school, Of which
her father Is superintendent. and where
her parents made their home. is about
three-Qdsrtcrs OF a mile from Prices
Corners, where the girl usually loft the
trolley car when she came from school
Late Monday afternoon a farmer work
ing in the field saw n young woman
stagger and fall In the road. She got no
and fell again and then she triad ~
crawl The farmer and his .onz went L,
her assistance. but when they reached the
girl she was lying uncon1rious IN the
road They found her 20 he Miss islshop
She had three ugly gashes In her throat
her body was badly scratches and her
clothing was torn I'm many places
In one hand she clutched a small pen-
knife. which she used II schg1i, IN sharp
ening pencils. The wounded girl was
taken home and died the next afternoon
without reRalning consciousness.
The entire nelghborhood was almost in
ptantly aroused and n man hunt was Inn
medlately instituted. susp'clon was soon
on George r. wh'te. negro
just out Of the workhouse. and who was
engaged as a laSorer IN the farm ~
EdN ,rd Woodward near tli, scene of
The assault. White was found I'm tel
that soue night.
what YOU gwine 20 do wen you gifts
YER Glory7"
"Nuthin' tail Nut des crawl in en- resff' j