Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1903-06-23
Lynchng Of
Geo1ge White.
Fbic Sentiment in Wilmington ApproueS Of His Burning al
The Stake DoubBIH c4ny c4rrestS VW be 5Nade-
c1lore Doubtful if Convictions Gould be Had-Whole
affair Was CasetuAy Planned

mediately began an assault upon the
iron doors chief OF Police Black
shouted to the crowd: "rhe first man
that comes into the corridor will be
killed
A man grasped one Of the heavy
slodgc hammers, and as he attacked
the steel grating, cried Then you had
better take me for the first one"
Another man shot out the cluster Of
lncandescent lights in the vestibule
The mob and guard exchanged shots.
In addition to Peter Smith, a youth
whose name is not known, was slight
ly wounded
OFFICERS NOTIFIED,
The mob, after forcing an entrance,
notified chief Black and Warden Me
serve that they Intended to get the
negro II they had to break every steel
door In the place and argued that it
was useless expense to have unneces-
sary damage done to property The
officials saw the strength Of this argu-
ment and Informed the leaders that
White was in cell No. 10 on the front
row, third story, The door TO this row
Warden Meserve rushed into the cell
corridor to prevent the mob taking the
wrong man He saw that the men
with hammers were about to demolish
the cell door and told them how to
disconnect the door 80 that II would be
opened, As soon as the door to Whites
cell slid open, there was a deafening
cheer and some cried
Take him TO the place where he
murdered Miss Bishop, for We have
driven a stake there and will burn
him"
WHITE FOUGHT DESPERATELY.
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
40 this time the narrow corridor was
so Tightly packed that II was impos-
sible 10 get the prisoner out After
much difficulty the crowd was persuad-
cd to retreat from the building White,
IN the custody Of two men brought up
the rear Whites custodians became
convinced that unless strategy was
used there would he little chance Of
getting their man 10 the spot on Prices
road. where II WIS planned that he
should be burned TO death. This con-
tingency was overcome by an order to
eNtiHgulsh lanterns or keep them con-
cealod 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 he confessed TO having COM
mitted the deed and prayed ferVently
TO God to forgive his sins,
While White was praying and con-
Tossing, the crowd was struggling 10
form n circle and some men began
splitting rails with which TO burn the
wretch Five thousand to six thous-
and persons surged back and
forth, crowding and pushing to gain a
good position from which to see the
burning
WHITES NERVE GOOD.
When everything seemed about ready
q man on horseback who said his home
was in Kentucky, rode TO a nearby
farmhouse for more straw. The straw
was piled around the stake and White
was brought into the circle. HIS nerve
seemed good and he held his head up
while he addrersed the crowd he
made another confession and appealed
TO God for mercy. The negro was
then fastened to the stake ana the
torch was applied to the straw.
The flames leaped up and llcked up
the mans bare hands lie was
held erect by one Of the lynchers until
his clothing was burning iairly Wheh
he syas pushed into the bed Of the fire
"A
were terrible but he made no sound.
suddenly the ropes on his legs parted
and he sprand from the fire and started
In run. a man struck him In the head
with a piece Of fence rail and Knocked
him down willing hands threw him
again into the flames, He rolled out
several times but was promptly re-
turned. While this was going on
shouts. cheers and jlbes went up from
the crowd.
when the negro had ceased to show
sngns OF life the body was placed on
its back and fuel was piled upon It
and a roaring fire was soon consuming
II. Ii was about o'clock when the
crowd began 10 dispense,
Al noon today Deputy Coroner Kill
more went 10 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 inquest, but
according 10 the story Of those who left
the place an hour previous there was
little possibility Of his finding anything
substantial. az the relic hunters had
made OF with the pieces Of bones that
were left
PREACHER ADVOCATED THE
LYNCHlNG.
Wilmington. Del. June 22.-Rev. Rob
ert 4. f. Elwood, pastor OF the Olivet
Presbyterian church. preached a sem
sational sermon on the probable lynch
ing OF white last evening He took
his text from Corinthians V, l3;"There-
fore, put away from among ourselves
that wicked person.
In referring to a speedy trial for the
negro, Rev Elwood says:
- call your especial attention to that
part OF the text found In the Consti-
tuition In which II says In all criminal
prosecutions the accused shall enjoy
the right TO a speedy and public trial.
"On the day OF this terrible crime the
officers arrested a man supposed TO be
guilty. he was taken before q magis-
trate and held without bail Tonight
lt u III jail WIN NlAlNh hhAihN IoANh~
ing about for his protection, waiting
until the middle Of September. Is that
speedy; is Il even constitutional?
oh honorable judges, cali the court
establish a precedent and the girls OF
this state. the wives OF the homes and
the mothers Of our hresides and our
beloved sisters will not be sorry and
Mother will YOU
And honorable judges he contln-
ued. ~ you do not htag ana heed these
appeals and that prisoner should be
taken out and lynched. then let me
say to you with a full realization Of
the responsibility OF my words, even as
Nathan said TO King David of old, az
ter his soldiers had killed Uriah. Thou
art the man. so | would say 60 You.
The responsibility for lynchlng would
be yours for delaying the execution OF
the law,
should the murderer OF Miss Bishop