The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1903-07-01
BURNED ALIVE.
The Awful Fate That 5efsll
a NEGRO Fiend

vengence for Brutal CrII1le-.Four
Thousand Took Part.
Wilmington, DEL, June pa
Northern mob, led by a Virg nian,
burned a negro at a stake tonight
within few miles of Mason and
Dixon's line. The victim was George
F. White, negro just out of the
work house, who was accused of hay
ing feloniously assaulted and stabbed
to death Miss Helen S. Bishop, the
17-year-old daughter of Rev. DR.. E.
A. Bishop. The crime was committed
last Monday and ever since then there
have been mutterings of lynching the
man.
An effort was made last night to
get White, but it failed. Tonight,
however, as q result of the laws
slowness and much agitation on the
part of those who cried for vengence,
q mob that was estimated at 1000
men and boys gathered in the neigh
borhood of Prices Corner, four miles
from here. They came from every
where, including Wilmington and the
small towns to the south of Prices
Corner. Last nights lack of leader
was supplied by Virginian, whose
identity in the confusion and excite
ment could not be learned. The po-
lice of Wilmington and the constables
tried to disperse the growing crowd,
but without avail. It was evident
that hundreds came from mere curl
osity, but once in the mob they be-
came infamed with the spirit pervad-
ing the throng and then actively
Joined it. The real leaders were few
in number, but they did their work
we'll. It was after 10 o'clock when
the march to the work house, a mile
away was taken up. The chief war
den of the work house and his guards,
who have been on almost constant
duty since the negro was landed in
the prison, had been warned of the
coming of the mob and prepared to
defend the man at all costs.
Armed with pistols, shot guns and
other Weapons the mob soon reached
the jail. a battery of railroad ties
soon carried away the outer door Of
the work house. What was going
inside the lock up was not known to
the mob, nor did it seem to care. The
second, third and fourth doors were
battered down by the forward lead
.ers in the attaching party amid the
yells and cheers of those who were
pressing forward from the rear.
Then the wouldbe lynchers were mo-
mentariiy halted by hail of bullets
from the inside. A great howl went
up from the leaders but they were
pressed forward by those in the rear.
More shots were fired and there was
q scramble to get out, but the brave
ones in the attaching party stood
their ground. 10 the fusillade that
followed four persons fell, all, men,
bers Of the mob. They were quickly
carried to the rear and attended by
those who were not brave enough to
be at the front. Three of the wound
ed were men and the other was a boy.
None of them in the confusion could
be identified except the boy, who was
said to be Peter Smith, aged II
years.
It was evident chat the warden did
not wish to slaughter the men in the
prison corridor, so that he directed
that the fire hose be turned on the
crowd. This also held the mob for
@ time, but not long. A general
rush was made, the guards were
brushed aside and man hunt in the
jail was made for the negro. There are
many negroes confined in the prison,
but with the aid of man who knew
White was quickly found. The cell
doors quickly battered open and the
covering accused man begging for