The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1903-06-26

lcr,.nes require stern and speedy pun
Iishment. and when the machinery of
the law is not SET in motion, the people,
impatient of the delay. move them
selves"
THE GOVERNOR DISTRESSED.
Dover, Del, June Ex-Governor HUM
appeared greatly distressed today over
the lynching Of the negro White. When
lpressed for a statement he said:
There is nothing to say now. Let
1.-THE people become calm one more and
reflect upon what has beer lone in a
Igreat frenzy Of excitement. l shall
fer with the attorney general to see
what course We can take"
1t was learned today that the gov
Iernor received a telegram at 11:3U
O'Clock last night from J.. NeWiin Cav
IthrOp. president of the trustees of the
New Castle county, work house and
David j. Reinhardt, solicitor OF the city
lOf Wilmington. = read as follows:
Call militia out at once I protect
work house property. Already entered
by mob of 1900"
1t vas then TOO late for the governor
TO take action as the troops could not
have reached the scene in time to pre-
vent the l~ynching.
Wilmington, Del, June 23.-All is
quiet in this community today follow
ing the horrible l%ynchIng Of George
White, Helen Bishops confessed slayer
lat an early hour this morning. Of a
mob of nearly five thousand that over
powered the authorities, stormed the
New Castle county work hou and
dragged from a cell the trembling
wretch and burned him at the stake,
the identity of only one is publicly
known. That person is little Veter
u years Did, who fell when the
work house guards fired a volley into
the ranks of the attacking mob. The
lad was struck by a bullet which en-
tered his back and is thought to have
penetrated his kidneys. At the home-
hospital, where the injured boy
Immediately taken. the physicians
stated hat he is in a serious condition.
THE BRUTE'S CONFESSION.
Whites confession, made just before
the torch was applied to the pile of oil
bushes around him. was an ad-
mission Of everything and more thar
had been charged against him. He is
stated to have said:
L was sent by Mr.. Woodward to the
to try some corn. l saw Mr..
Woodward's daughter and intended to
assault her, but a couple of men came
along in a wagon and l did not disturb
her. Then / saw the Bishop girl and I
followed her. l seized her and asked
her if she had any money she would
give me to let her go. She gave me
" IelIIS. 1tltll i dSdIl SelZcu mel
and she cried:
please don't hurt me-
4 choked her n accomplished my
purpose. Then I asked her if she was
going to tell on me. She said she was.
[ gave her a hack in the throat with
my knife and asked again if she was
going to inform on me. She said she
was n then l cut her throat twice
again and left her. After that I went
70 NJ IT10lurn-J ~ +@Jl l:-
there was no good water to drink down
there and he sent me some where else.
I went back once but soon left. Then
l went back to the house and put on a
hat instead of the cap that 1
You would not do this if l was
a white man did that"
The leader said his name was Baker,
and that he was from Virginia. His
face was familiar to most of the peo-
pie n it is believed he IS a resident
of Wilmington. although some say he
had been imported for the purpose of
leading the mob.
The Iynchlng is believed to have been
the result of a plot which was o n
cocted several days 8 and was to
been put into execution Saturday
but on hat occasion there vas
misunderstanding and the attempt fail
ed
The police department was advised
during the day of the contemplated at
tack and thirty policemen in charge of
Chief Black and Captains Evans and
Kane went to the work house. There
We're several thousand persons at the
prison at that time and the officers
We're powerleSS against such large num-
berS so they entered h building to as
sist the guards in an effort to protect
the prisoner.
The leaders OF the mob were cool and
determined. Warden Meserve told them
White was in cell Is IN the third story
in order TO prevent unnecessary de-
struction Of property. He told the
Headers nov to diSconneCt the cell
door.
NEGRO FOUGHT FOR LIFE.
White fought desperately for his life
in the little iron cage cell and knocked
down the first man who approached
him. The leaders again showed their
clear headedness and one of them. a
powerful man stepped forward before
could strike the prisoner and
threw his arms around the frightened
wretch. thus protecting him from vio-
.lence. The lawn in front of the pris-
on was a sea Of faces When viewed
the porch. Whites custodian be-
.came convinced hat unless strategy
was used there would be little chance
|of getting their man to the spot on
prices Oad where it was planned that
the negro should be burned to death.
danger was overcome by a quiet
Iorder to e~XtinguISh lanterns or keep
them concealed. In the darkness there
was a confused rush and after this no
lone seemed TO know where the prisoner
was.
At the stake Whites nerve seemed to
be good and he held his head up while
Inc addressed the crowd. He made an
Iother confession and appealed to God
for mercy. A strong rop was then
brought and the negro was wrapped
in its coils from shoulders to feet. His
was working while this was go
ling on and he seemed to be trying to
finish his statement. The crowd was in
Ia hurry to get through with its grue-
ISOme task M called out for the eXecu-
ItiOnerS to hasten. When the rope had
been adjusted the negro was fastened
to the stake and the torch was applied
TO the straw.
The flames ieaped up and licked the
bare hands. He was held erect
by one of the l~ynchers until his cloth