Smyrna times., 1903-06-24
WHITE ROASTED ALIVE BY
ANGRY MOB OF LYNCHERS
P2EPETRATOR OF THE CRUEL ASSAULT ON
HELEN BISHOP SUFFERS AWFUL DEATH.
Dragged Him From the WOrkhOuse in viii
mingtOu to the Scene OF His Horrible Crime
and Amid the Cheers of OnIOOkers.

Dragged Him From the WOrkhOuse in viii
mingtOu to the Scene of His Horrible Crime
and Amid the Cheers of OnIOOkers.
Wrlthing in awful agony as the
flames curled around his black form,
George White the brutal murderer Cf
Helen 5. Bispoh, paid the penalty set
by mob law early Monday morning,
when he was burned to death in field
within sight of the scene of the ira
gedy. Before he died he made a con-
fessiOn the full details of which are
too horrible to print. While he was
being burned the crowd cheered and
seemed to take delight in his suffering.
1t was shortly after 10 O'Clock when
the crowd first moved on the work
house snd 1.30 o'clock White was roast
ing to death. Although the guards,
and police sent to reinforce them made
resistance, they did not make the de-
termined' fight that could have been
made. Had they done so, the result
would have been wholesale slaughter
and no doubt would have resulted in
the destruction of the institution.
Many men were seen carrying enough
dynamite to raze the big brick build
ing. AS it was several persons were
injured. The number will probably
never be known as most of those hurt
did not report their injuries, but were
quietly taken to their homes by friends.
Peter Smith, aged II years, was fatally
shot. The attack on the wOrkhouse
doors with battering rams was made
after Warden Meserve and Chief Black
had pleaded with the mob to leave.
Almost every trade was represented
aud the doors fell after an hour or so of
work. An effort was made to trick the
crowd. They could not be fooled,
however.
Negroes Confession lnfuriated Crowd.
The negro's confession made the al
ready incensed crowd even more des-
perate and some wanted to tear him
limb from limb before they could get
him to the scene of the tragedy, which
was about mile from the workhouse.
The negro begged piteously not to be
burned, but the crowd was determined
and they resolved that no punishment
could be too severe. 1t was a shock
ing sight, but appeared to satisfy the
desires of the infuriated crowd, who
took pleasure in watching the torture
administered. No mercy was shown
the negro at any time after they got
hold of him, and although the preli-
minary torture was terrible and almost
beyond endurance, the negro remained
conscious and rational through it all
and fully realized the pain of the final
burning act and the jeers that were
hurled at him as he was slowly con-
sumed by the fire.
While at times during the Light
there were at least 8, 200 people around
the workhOuse, the men who actually
took part in the deed did not number
over 5O0 The leader was man who
said his name was Baker and he was
from Virginia. He had familiar face
to most of the people and it is believed
he is a resident of Wilmington, al
though some said he had been i'm
ported for the purpose of taking the
lead. The lynching is believed to haYe
been the result of a plot, which was
conceived several days ago and was to
have been carried into execution on
Saturday night, but on that occasion
there was a misunderstanding and as a
result the attempt failed.
First Arrest Made Ia the Case.
Without any intimatiOn of the
sweeping action they propose to take