The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1903-06-26

Wilmington, Del. June PA northern
mob. led by a Virginian, burned a ne
gro at the stake tonight within 4 few
miles of Mason and Dixon's line. The
victim was George F. White, r negro
just out Of the workhouse who was &C
cused of having feloniously assaulted
and stabbed to death Miss Helen S.
Bishop, the II year old daughter of the
Rev. DR.. E. a. Bishop. The crime was
committed last Monday afternoon and
ever since then there have bean NUT
terings 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 h part OF those
who cried for vengeance q mob that
was estimated at four thousand men
and boys gathered in the n~eighborhood
of Prices Corner, four miles from here.
They came from everywhere includ-
ing Wilmington and the small towns to
the south of Prices Corner.
a VIRGINIA LEADER.
Last nights lack of a leader. was
supplied by a Virginian, whose identity
in the confusion and excitement could
not be earne The police OF Will
mingtOn and the cOnstableS tried to
disperse the crowd. but without avail.
1t was evident that hundreds came
from mere curiosity, but once IN the
mob they became inflamed with the
spirit pervading the thrOng and then
actively Joined it. The real leaders
were few in numbers, but did their
work well 1t was after 10 o'clock
the march to the workhOuse a
mile away was taken up. The chief
warden of the and his
guards. who have been on almost con-
slant duty since the negro was landed
in the prison had been warned of he
coming of the mob and prepared to de-
fend the man at any cost.
Armed with pistols, shot guns and
other a the mob soon reached
the Jail. A battery of railroad ties soon
carried away the great outer door Of
the workhOuse. What vas going on in
side the lookup was not known to the
mob nor did it seem to care. The
second. third and fourth doors were bat
tered down by the forward leaders MI
the attacking party amid the yellS and
cheers of those who were pressing for
ward from the rear, when the would
be lynchers were m~Omentarily halted
by a hail of bullets from the inside 4
great howl went up from the leaders
but they were pressed Forward by
those in the rear. More shots We're
fired and there was a scramble to get
out by the Drawer ones in the attacking
party stood their ground. In the ~
SHADE that followed fOur persons fell
all members of the mob. They were
quickly carried to the rear and attend
ed to by those who were not brave
nOugh to be at the front. Three OF
h wounded were men and the other
was a boy. None of them in the con-
fusion could be identified except the
boy who is said to be Peter Smith.
aged years.
1t was evident that the warden did
not wish to slaughter the mob in the
prison corridor, 81 he directed that the
fire hose be turned on the crowd. This
also held the mob for a time, but not
for long. Again n rush was made. the
guards were brushed aside and a man
hunt in the Jail was made for The re-
gro. There are many negroes confined
in the prison but with the aid of a man
who knew White he was quickly
fOund The cell doors were quickly
battered open and the accused man
begging for mercy was dragged from
the cell and the prison. When the
crowd outside heard hat success had
w the efforts of the lynCherS 4
great cheer was set up Attempts were
made to shoot White on the spot. but
the leaders of the GROVE would have
nothing but his life at the stake. Re
sistance on the part of the negro was
useless but his hands were tied behind
him. Then the march to the place of
execution, just as though il were a
march TO the gallows in a prison was
taken up.
1t then became evident that a plan
- HI
ranged but who n planners were is
not known at this writing. With
torches to lead the way and with four
thousand persons following the negro
he was led to the road and to almost
the very spot where the assault took
place. White was given n last chance
to speak and he confessed to the muir
der of the girl. a stake had been ar
ranged by an advance guard. White
was quickly chained to the 0OSt and the
dry underbrush soaked with oil was
ignited. and the horrible execution was
on. White. suffering intense agony.
tainted 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. MANY of
them fearing arrest. However. a large
number of persons loitered at the scene
awaiting developments. The failure of
the county court to give White q speedy
trial is IN n great measure responsible
for tonight's tragedy. The citizens of
Wilkinson county and those in the
vicinity of the crime, wanted an lmme-
date trial and Attorney General H. H.
Ward laid the matter before the court
on Thursday with that end in view.
The court. however, did not consider
haste expedlent and the trial was set
for the September term of court. With
this decision of the court the murmur-
ings of mob violence became louder and
the Indignation of the people grew
hourly. Sunday night no small crowds