The sun., 1903-06-24
BURNING APPRAISED THE MOB.
5000 PERSONS SAW THE NEGRO
WHITE PUT TO DEATH.
refusal to Call q Special Term OF Court to
Try Miss Bishops Assailant and .
Clersymans Sermon on Lynching In
censed the MOb-Authorities Made
Little Resistance-Negro Made Full
Confession OF His Crime-Souy enirs OF
the Mob's Work Shown About Whining.
ton--One Arrest OF an ALLEGED Leader.

Confession OF His Crime-Souy enirs OF
the Mob's Work Shown About Whining.
ton-One Arrest OF an Alleged Leader.
WILMINGTON, Del, June 23.-The assault
on the New Castle county workhouse last
night by a mob estimated at moro than
four thousand persons, the fatal wounding
of spectator the battering in Of the doors,
the refusal Of the guards to fire upon the
mob, the capture of George White, the
negro assailant and murderer Of Helen 8.
Bishop; his confession. the march OF mile
through the country to the scene Of his
crime the tying Of the murderer to . stake
and his burning have made a series Of
events such as have never before oc-
ourred in Delaware.
1t Is manifest to-day that the prepon-
derance Of sentiment, in extenuation Of
the lynching. places the onus Of respon-
sibility for mob law upon the judges Of
the Court Of Oyer and Terminer for de-
clining to establish precedent by calling
a special session of court to try the negro.
The sermon preached by the Rev. Robert
A. Ellwood on Sunday night has also been
interpreted as being an advocacy of lynch
law. But /; is upon the court that those
who took part in the affair. either a. active
participants or lookers-on, put tho respon-
sibility for the outbreak.
All OF Monday there was evidence Of
something being on foot, and 1t has been
discovered that word was passed through
many manufacturing places asking the
men to meet at the workhouse, where White
was confined. BY Q o'clock at night many
men had reached the place by means Of the
electric cars and crowds were coming to
the spot from adjacent rural districts.
Then Warden Meserve telephoned for police
assistance, and Chief Black and . posse
Of thirty men went to the scene.
Shortly after that it was found that the
only telephone wire to the workhouse
had been cut and that nothing could be
learned except from those who came back
on the cars, Soon after the tremendous
crowd arrived somebody fired pistol
balls through the electric lamps and put
the grounds in darkness. Then 1t was
that an unidentified man made . stirring
call upon the crowd to follow him. There
was a quick response, and several young
men seized . railroad tie and approached
the main door Of the workhouse. ThiA was
Of wood, and 1t was soon crushed In. Warden
Meserve and Chief Black tried to persuade
the mob to fall back, but the mon refused.
SMALL RESISTANCE By THE WARDEN.
Chief Of Police Black said to the crowd:
THE first man that comes in this corridor
will be killed. man said to be from the
South grasped one Of the heavy sledges
and said, as he attacked the steel grating:
= Then you had better kill me for tho first
one" Another man. said to be from the
West. amused himself by shooting out
the cluster of incandescent lights in the ves-
tibule near the front door. He was good
shot and soon had the place in darkness
except for the light that came from within.
The mob and guards exchanged shots.
but did not shoot at one another.
After cutting their way into the lower
corridor on the west wing the crowd surged
up to the front row Of cells on the third
floor. There were number Of wild spirits
among the invaders, but the leaders, who
welded the sledges and rivet cutting ap-
pliances were calm and determined and out
straight to the cell OF the criminal.
That no other doors were demolished il
due to the calmness and foresight Of the
leaders Of the mob, who went quietly to
Chief Of Police Black and Warden Meserve
and told them that they intended to got the
10 thov had fn ci,t fhrO,,Uh
stone door in the place. and argued that
it was a useless expense to the county
to have unnecessary damage done TO
The officers then informed the leaders that
White was in cell 1s. in the front row, third
story. This was enough. and the door
to this row of cells was attacked in earnest.
E This is the only door between us and our
man." one man shouted, .and II you will
stand back we will cut it open in an hour
The crowd stood back for while. but
would now and then get impatient and
surge forward so strongly that the work
was delayed. While the door was being
cut another party with sledges and chiaels
attacked the large steel box containing
the levers that opened and closed the cell
doors. including Whites cell.
II Wds Just tWeilty-tWo Irhnu'eS DelOTo
~ o'clock when the crowd. with yells,
curses and cheers, rushed into the corridor
and past the cell doors Of the frightened
prisoners to that occupied by George White.
Here more trouble was encountered, for
in smashing the lever box the mechanism
was damaged and the door to Whites
,ell would not respond to the controller.
Warden Meserve, who had rushed into
he cell corridor to prevent the mob from
taking the wrong man. saw that the men
with hammers were about to attack and
lemolish the cell door and told them howto
dsconnect the door 80 that it could be
operated by hand.
As soon as the door to the negro's cell
'lid back there was n deafening cheer and
,ries of Don't hurt himl" Hang himi-
Don't hit him!" Burn him at the etake!"
Take him to the place where he murdered
Miss Bishop. for we have driven stake
here and we will burn him!"
Followed by crowd OF over 1000
D RS ms the negro was hauled to the place
II the crime The road is dark and full OF
muddy holes, but White was pulled over 1t
ls though he was M much wood. Along
he road the negro made a desperate fight
l.; I,t Il