The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-06-27
RACE RIOTS FOLLOW THE
LYNCHIEG IN DELAWARE
Over Hundred shots Exchanged Police
Charge and Put an End to the
Fighting.
(By the Associated Press)

/ ~A7NSSAS~bNN
Wilmington, Del, June PA riot
broke out on the streets here late to-
night between whites and negroes which
for a time assumed serious proportions.
The arrival OF squad of police, however,
quickly dispersed the participants. Two
arrests We're made. A large gang of ne
groes, numbering probably two hundred,
who had been marching up and down
Ninth street, were challenged by about
| twenty-five white men and in the battle
that followed over a hundred shots were
exchanged.
A squad of policemen under Captain
Evans and Sergeant McDermott rushed to
the scene and charged upon the mob. The
negroes and whites scattered and fed in
all directions but the police succeeded in
capturing two negroes, Leander Moore
and Joseph Shockley The policemen
used their clubs freely and in the melee
McDermott and Patrolman Green receiy-
ed slight wound. One negro, Jas. Mercer
was shot in the head during the riot but
his wound is not believed to be serious.
In a brawl in another part of the city
William Cramer, a negro, was shot in
the stomach by a white man. He was
taken to a hospital in a serious condi-
ton.
The leaders of the party of negroes
were marching on Ninth street tonight
declared that they intended to resent the
attacks made upon their race last night
They say they have been badly used and
that they do not intend to quietly sub
NIT to such abuse.
They say they have no sympathy for
White, the negro who was lynehed, but
that on the contrary most of their race
in and about Wilmington approve of his
lynching.
In an interview today Governor HUM
said:
What has been done so far by mobs | do
not think could have been prevented by
the authorities, but halt must be called
instantly. The fair name of Delaware
has been dragged in the mire. 1t was no
ordinary mob that released the man who
murdered Miss Bishop. The crowd seems
to have been composed of good citizens
The effect of their work has been disas-
trous The law must now be sustained
at any cost. l have not yet decided
whether or not the troops will be called
out. but the whole power of the State
will be used to protect its officers in the
| discharge of their uuties.'
Referring to the fact that George White
previously had a criminal record of over
four years in a Pennsylvania State peni-
tertiary for a criminal assault, Rev. DR..
A. e. Bishop, father of the murdered girl
tonight authorized the following state
ment:
Il notice that Philadelphia newspaper
holds up its hands in horror and says such
deed as this (the lynching) would not
have happened in Pennsylvania. They
should remember that If White had re-
ceiyed the same treatment in Pennsyl-
vania for his first offense of this kind
as he would have received under Della
ware law (hanging), he would never have
lived to commit the second offense.
Five of DR.. Bishops COWS were poisoned
last night by some one unknown at pres
ent. 1t is believed that negroes living in
the neighborhood, in a spirit of revenge
for Whites death, may have ventured
to commit the deed.