The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-06-24
Burst Into Workhouse and
Drag Him Forth.
A SHORT, SHARP BATTLE
The Crime for Which The Negro Dies at the
Stake Was the Assauliing and
Numbering Of Miss
Helen Bishop.
cay the Associated Press.)

a: the stake tonight within few miles
of Mason and Dixon line. The victim was
George f. White, a negro just out OF the
work house VINO was accused OF having
feloniously assaulted and stabbed TO death
Miss Helen S. Bishop, the 17-year-old
daughter of the Rev. DR.. e. A. Bishop.
The crime was committed last Monday
afternoon and ever since then there. have
Icen mutterings of lynching the man.
An effort was made last night to get
White but it failed. Tonight, however,
as a result of the laws slowness and much
agitation on the part of those who cried
for vengeance mob that was estimated
al four thousand men and boys gathered
IN the neighborhood of Prices corner four
miles from here They came from every
where including Wilmington and the
small towns to the south of Prices cor
ner. Last nights lack of a leader was
supplied by a Virginian, whose identify In
the confusion and excitement could not
be learned The police of Wilmington
and the constables tried to disperse the
growing crowd but without avail. 1t was
evident that hundreds came from mere
curiosity. but once in the mob they were
inflamed with the spirit pervadlng the
thrOng. and then actively Joined it. The
real leaders were few IN numbers, but
they did their work we'll 1t was after
ten O'Clock when the march to the work
house, mile away, was taken up. The
chief warden of the work-house and has
guards, who have been on almost con-
slant duty since the negro was landed
in the prison had been warned OF the
coming of the mob and prepared to de-
fend the man at all costs.
Armed with pistols, shotguns, and other
wagons the mob soon reached the jail.
A battery of railroad ties soon carried
away the great outer door of the work
house What was going on inside the
lookup was not known to the mob, nor did
it seem to care. The second, third and
fourth doors were battered down by the
forward leaders in the attacking party
amid the yells and eheef of those who
we're pressing forward from the rear. Then
the would-be lynchers were momentarily
halted bv a hand 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 fred and
there was a scramble to get out but the
drawer ones In the attacking party stood
their ground. In tn fusilade that fol-
lowed four persons fell, all members 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 wounded men were men and
the other was a boy. None of them ID
the confusion could be identified except
the boy who is said TO be Peter Smith.
aged IL years.
1t was evident that the warden did not
wish to slaughter the mob in the prison
corridor, so he directed that the fire hose
L.. turned on the crowd. This also held
the mob for time but not for long. A
gneral rush was made, the guards were
brushed aside and a 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 he
was quickly found. ne cell doors were
quickly battered open and the covering
accused man begging for mercy was
dragged from the cell and prison. When
the crowd outside heard that success had
crowded their efforts of the lynchers a
great cheer was set up. Attempts were
made TO shoot White Re spot but ..-e
leaders of the crowd would have nothing
but his life at the stake. Resistance on the
part OF the negro was useless. His hands
were tied behind him hen the march to
the Dlaee oil execution was taken up.
IT then became evident that a plan of
execution had been previously arrange.
with torches to lead the way and with
four thousand persons following the negro
ne was led to the read and to almost the
very same spot where the assault took
place White was given q last chance to
speak and he confessed to the murder OF
the girl A stake had been arranged by
advance guard. White was quickly chained
TO the spot and the dry underbrusd
soaked with oil was ignited. and the hor-
rible execution was on. White, suffering
intense agony, fainted 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, man,
of them fearing arrest. However
large number of persons lott
cred at the scene awaiting develop
ments. The failure of the county cour
To give White speedy trial is in grea
measure responsible for tonight's tragedy
The citizens of Wilmington and those II
the vicinity of the scene OF the crime want
ed an Immediate trial and Attorney Gen
eral II. H. Ward laid the matter befor
the court on Thursday with that end II
view. The court, however did not con
slider haste expedient and the trial was sc
for the September term of court Wit
this decision of the court the numbering
OF mob violence became louder, and tn
indignation of the people grew hourly
Sunday night two small crowds gathere
in the vicinity of the Jail, but they wer
soon dispersed.
The coroner's inquest was held today blu
The authorities fearing that harm woul
befali the negro he was not taken froT
the workhouse. and the inquest was pro
ceeded without his presence The verdic
of the jury was that Miss Bishop came t
her death from the effects of an assaul
committed upon her by one George Whit'
a negro
THE NEGRo'S CRIME.
The crime for which White was lynch
n a.