The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-06-23
BURNED AT
The STAKE
Northern Mob WreakS Fear
full Vengeance on Negro.
CONFESSED THE CRIME
Mob Of Four Thousand, in Spite Of
Hail of Bullets Battered Their Way
Into Jail and Took Prisoner
by Force,
I
CONFESSED THE CRIME
Try Associated Press,

(By Associated PressO
WILMINGTON, DEL. June PA
northern mob, led by virginian. burn
ed negro at the stake tonight within
few miles of Mason and Dixon's line
The victim was George F. White,
negro, Just out Of the working house.
who confessed to having feloniously as
saulted and stabbed to death Miss Helen
S. Bishop, the seventeen-year old daugh-
ter Of the Rev. DR.. z. A. Bishop. The
crime was committed last Monday after
noon, and cvci. since then there have
been mutterngs of ynchlng the man.
An effort was made last night to get
White, but 1t failed. Tonight, however.
as a result Of tho laws slowness, and
much agitation on the part of those who
cried for vengeance. a mob that was
estimated at four thousand men and boys,
gathered in the neighborhood OF Prices
Corner, four miles from here. They came
from everywhere. including Wilmington.
Last nights lack Of a leader was sup
piled by Virginian. whose identity In
the confusion and excitement could not
be learned. The police Of Wilmington and
the constables tried to dispense the groN-
Ing crowd, but without avail. 1t was evil
dent that hundreds came from mere c,i-
rloslty, but once In the mob they became
infamed with the spirit pervading the
throng and then actively Joined 1t.
DID WORK WE'LL.
The real leaders were few in number
but they did their work we'll. 1t was al
ter 10 o'clock when the march to the
workhouse. mile away, was taken up
The chief warden Of the workhouse and
his 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 weapons, the
mob soon reached the jail.
A battery of railroad tires 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
cid It seem to care. The second, thlrd
and fourth doors were battered down ny
the forward leaders in the attacking
pa rty, amid the yels and cheers OF those
who were pressing forward from the rear.
HAIL OF BULLETS.
Then the would-be lynchers We're mo-
mentarily halted by a hall of bullets from
the inside. a great howl went up from
the leaders. but they were pressed for
ward by those in the rear. More shots
were fred, and there was scramble to
get out, but the drawer ones In the at
lacking party stood their ground. In the
fusilade that followed four persons fell,
all members of the mob. They were
quickly carried to the rear. Three OF the
wounded were men and the other a boy.
None OF them in the confusion could be
Identified except the boy. who is said to
be Peter Smith. aged seventeen years
1T was evident that the warden did not
wish to slaughter the mob in the prison
corridor, so he directed that tte fire hose
be turned on the crowd. This also held
the mob for time. but not for long. a
general crash was made. the guards were
brushed aside, and a man hunt IN the jail
was made for the negro. There are many
In tho nrjsOr hut with
the aid OF man who knew White he
was quickly found. The cell doors were
quickly battered open, and the covering
accused man, begging for mercy, was
dragged from the cell and the prison.
GREAT CHEER SENT UP.
When the crowd outside heard that sue
cess had crowned the efforts OF the lynch
ers a great cheer was set up. Attempts
were made to shoot White on the spot
hut the leaders Of the crowd would have
nothing but his life at the stake. Resist
.ance on the part of the negro was useless
hut his hands We're tied behind him. Ihen
the march to the place of execution. Just
ms though 1t were march to the galloWs
in a prison, was taken up.
II then became evident that a plan OF
execution had been previously arranged,
With torches to lead the way, ana Win
four thousand persons follow1ng the ne
gro. he was led to the road and to almost
1HO VERY SPpI $50
place. a,.
and he confessed to the murder of the
girl A stake had been arranged by an
ADVANCE guard, White was quickly
chained to the post and the dry under
brush soaked with OIL which was ig-
5nited. and the horrible execution was on.
White. suffering intense agony. tainted,
and his body hung limp. Bullets were
fred into his body, and the victim of the
mob was soon dead,
DELAY WAS THE CAUSE.
Satisfied with the nights work most OF
the lynchers Immediately left the neigli-
borhood, many of them fearing arrest.
However, a large number of persons
loltered at the scene awaiting develop
ments.
The failure of the County Court to
give White speedy trial is In great
measure responsible for to-night's trag-
edy. The citizens of Wilmington and
those in the vicinity OF the scene of the
crime wanted an immediate trial, and
Attorney General II. II. Ward laid the
matter before the court on Thursday with
that end In view. The court, however,
did not consider haste expedient. and the
trial was set for the September term Of
the court. With this decision of the
court the murmurlngs OF mob violence
became louder, and the indignation of the
people grew hourly. Sunday night two
small crowds gathered In the vicinity o.