Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-06-23
LED BY VIRGINIAN.
Wilmington, DEL, Mob Burns
Negro at the Stake.
Trial Delayed aiken from JaiI--Con-
fessed to Horrible Crime.
Mob observation-disclosures Unable to
ControI-TerribIe Scene.

1ICi, uhN
ern mob, led by Virginian, burned Il
negro at the stake, tonight, within a
few miles of Mason and Dlxon's line.
The victim was George f. White, ne
gro just out of the workhouse, who was
accused of having feloniously assaulted
and stabbed to death Miss Helen S.
Bishop, the 17-year- old daughter of the
Rev. e. A. Bishop. The crime was COM
mitted, last Monday afternoon, and
ever since there have been mutterings
of lynching the man.
An effort was made, last night, to
get White, but it failed. Tonight, a
mob estimated at 1000 men and boys
gathered in the neighborhood of Prices
Corner, four miles from here.
The police of Wilmington and the
constables tried to dispense the grow
ing crowd, but without avail.
1t was after 10 o'clock when the
march to the workhouse, mile away,
was taken up. The chief warden of the
workhouse and the guards who have
been on almost constant duty since the
negro was landed in the prison, had
been warned of the coming of the mob
and prepared to defend the man at all
costs.
Armed with pistols, shot guns and
other weapons the mob soon reached
the Jail. A battery of railroad ties
soon carried away the great outer door
of the workhouse. The second, third
and fourth doors We're battered down
by the attacking party amid the yells
and cheers of the mob. Then the would
be lynchers were momentarily halted by
a hail of bullets from the inside. A
great howl went up from the leaders,
but they were pressed forward by those
in the rear.
In the fusilade that followed, four
persons fell, all members of the mob.
They were quickly carried to the rear
and attended by those who were not
brave enough to be at the front. Three
of the 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 II years.
1t was evident that the warden did
not wish to slaughter the mob in the
prison corridor, so he directed that the
fire hose be turned on the crowd. This
also held the mob for a time, but not
for long. A general rush was made
the guards were brushed aside and a
man hunt for the negro was made.
There are many negroes cOn1lned III Tue
prison but with the aid of a man VINO
knew White he was quickly found. HIS
cell door was battered open and the
man, begging for mercy, was dragged
from the cell and the prison.
when the crowd outside heard that
success had crowned the efforts Of the
lynchers, a great cheer was set up. At
tennis were made to shoot White on
the spot, but the leaders of the crowd
would have nothing but his life at the
stake.
Resistance on the part of the negro
was useless, but his hands were tled
behind him. Then the march to the
place of execution was taken up. With
torches to lead the way and with 4OOo
persons following the negro he was LED
| to the road and to almost the very
SPOT where the assault took place.
White was given a last chance to speak
and he confessed to the murder of the
girl.
A stake had been arranged by an adj
vance guard. White was quickly
chained to the post and the dry UNDER
| brush, soaked with oil, was ignited and
the horrible execution was on. White
suffering intense agony, tainted ana
his body hung limp. Shots were
fired into his body and the victim of
| the mob was soon dead.
Satisfied with it's nights work the
greater number of the lynchers imme-
diately left the neighborhood, many OF
them fearing arrest. However, 'arSe
number of persons loitered at the scene
awaiting developments.
The failure of the county court to
give White a speedy trial is in great
| measure responsible for tonight 8
|