The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-06-23

jured that he will die. He is now in q
hospital in this city.
The shooting did not have any effect on
the crowd other than to frfghten few of
the lawn surrounding the workhouse, but
they returned with reinforcements and
aided those who were striving to get to
the negroes cell.
Upon arriving at the workho,1se the
mob lost no time in preliminary prepare
lions. The crowd advanced into the front
Vest1bule, or reception hall and demanded
admittance to the Jail. Their demand was
refused by the guards and they Were del
uged by stream Of water from the fire.
fighting equipment of the institution. This
did not lessen the eagerness Of the be-
siegers, who Immediately began an as
sault upon the iron doors. Chief OF Police
Black shouted to the crowd: "The first
man that comes into this corridor will
be killed A man, said to be from the
south, grasped one Of the heavy stedge
hammers and as he attacked the steel
grating, cried:
Then you had better kill me for the
first one"
Another Boy Hurt.
In addition to Peter Smith, youth,
| name not known, was slightly wounded
during a fusiade.
While about 800 men and boys were
storming the front Of the Jail, several
| thousand sympathizers were lined up out
side. They took no active part in the
attack, but were plainly in favor of lynch
| ing White. The leaders told Chief Black
and Warden Mesever that they intended
| to get the negro if they had to break
every steel door in the place and argued
! that it was a useless expense to the
county to have unnecessary damage done
! to property. The officials saw the
strength Of this argument and informed
| the leaders that White was in cell No.
| 1 on the front row, third story. This was
! enough and the door to this row of cells
was at once attacked. While this door
was being cut, another party with sledges
and chisels attacked the large steel box
4 containing the levers that opened and
i closed the cell doors.
It was 1922 o'clock when the yelling
and cursing mob rushed into the corri-
dor past the cell doors of the frightened
i prisoners to the cell occupied by White
I Here more trouble was encountered for
1 in some way the lever mechanism was
damaged and the door to the cell Of White
could not be opened.
I Warden Mcserve then rushed into the
: coll corridor to prevent the mob from tax
4 ing the wrong man. He saw that men
with hammers were about to demolish the
cell door and told them how to disconnect
the door so that it could be operated.
1 Get Thelr'vlctlm.
i AS soon as the door to Whites cell slid
q open there was a deafening cheer and
cries of Don't hurt him, hang him; don't
hit him, burn him at the stake. Take him
4 to the place where he murdered Miss
Bishop, for we have driven stake there
land will burn him.
Z: White fought desperately for his life
and knocked down the first man who ap-
preached him. One Of the leaders of the
mob protected the frightened wretch The
narrow corridor was SO tightly packed by
the mob that 1t was, impossible to get
the prisoner out. After much difficulty
the crowd was persuaded to retreat from
; the building. White, in the custody OF
two men, brought up the rear. The lawn
in front Of the prison was q sea Of faces.
Whites custodians became convinced that
, unless strategy was used, there would be
little chance Of getting their man to the
Ispot on Prices road where it was planned
that he should be burned to death, and an
order was given to extingutsh lanterns.
| In the darkness there was confused
rush, and after this no one seemed to
know where the prisoner was. On the
l way to the place Of execution, White
begged to be allowed to say a few words
1 to the crowd before he was killed, and
the promise was made to him that he
7 should be allowed to make statement,
The negro confessed to having commit
ted the deed and did not spare himself
: in telling Of it. He again confessed as
he was standing near the hedge, q few
! feet from where the outrage was com
mitted. He prayed fervently to God to
forgive his sins, and seemed anxious to
do as much talking as possible In the few
! minutes he had to live.
) Split Rails for Fuel.
While White was praying and confess
! ing. the crowd was struggling to form
. a circle. Three or four men began split
ting rails with which to burn the wretch.
: It took so long to get the fuel ready that
the crowd impatiently cried to the lead
: lers to proceed with the execution. The
: mob numbered from 5000 to 5000 per-
: sons, who surged back and forth, crowd
ing and pushing to gain a good position
: from which to see the burning.
When everything seemed about ready,
a man on a horse rode to a nearby farm
2 house, and in a short time reappeared
2 with two bundles of straw The straw
= was piled around the stake and White
: was brought bareheaded into the circle.
: head UP while he addressed the crowd.
: He made another confession and appealed
: to God for mercy. A strong rope was
: then brought and the negro was wrapped
: in its coils from shoulders to feet. His
!. lips were moving while this was being
! done and he seemed to be trying to fins
= lish his statement. The crowd was in q
u !. hurry to get thru with its work and called
: out for the exscutioners to hasten. After
J. the rope had been adjusted, the negro
: twas fastened to the stake and the torch
: was applied to the straw.
d Negro Got Free.
The flames leaped up and licked the
q mans bare hands. He was held by one
of the lynchers until his clothing waa
burning fairly, when he was pushed into
!, the bed Of the fire. He rolled about and
: his contortions were terrible, but he made
; no sound. Suddenly the ropes on his legs
: parted and he sprang from the fire and
!. started to 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 returned
), lWhile this was going on. shouts, cheers
and jibes went up from the crowd.
, When the negro had ceased to show
!, signs Of life the body was placed on Its
Z back and fuel was piled upon 1t and 4
CONTINUED On Second Paxe)