Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1904-07-02
NO. As

awe &c lihess Several residents Of
Biesel pleaded for the negroes life,
and during the parley the negro wan
hustled out Of the crowd-and hurried
on foot down Ernstville road tn the
National pike. Men.pursued on foot
aud In wagons.
In the meantime part OF mob OF 75
collected az Cherry Run, hearing that
the negro had been landed at Bix
Pool, went on hand car to join the
mob at Big Pool. but were too late.
At 10 o'clock the hand car was shifted
to the new Wabash tracks to facilie
tate the pursuit OF Williams.
SHERIFF BILLMYER SPEAKS
To the Evening World man Sheriff
Billmyer and Constable Rhodes gave y
graphic description of the affair at
Big Pool and ErnstviIle. which result
ed in the ESCAPE of the negro, and ID
was easy to understand. the forma
ton of the ground before one, the pic
tnre OF the darkness aud confusion
and haste. how Williams could have
gotten away. When tie officers
reached Big Pool. where they ieft the
train TO drive to Hancock III order TO
avoid the crowd at Cherry Ron. thev
found mob about the place. Threats
Of lynchier ware freely indulgad in,
and Sheriff Billmyer only succeeded
in persuading the crowd to allow him
to proceed after the utmost difficulty.
During the excitement revolvers wsre
drawn, and for time 1t looked AZ II
bloodshed was imminent. The mob
then agreed to allow the officers 10
proceed, bat some one had cut the
harness on the horses hitched to thu
wagon. and the officers, with their
prisoner between them, started on foot
up the road.
They had not gone far bsfo.e tha
mob got after them. and then there
was u wild chase in the darkness, up
the road, over fences, across wheat
field and up the railroad track. After
| tho chase had been continued for
abont mile and quarter. Sheriff
Billmyer and Deputy Rogers. wko
had been on the move for 30 honra
with little to est and less sleep. be.
came exhausted and dropped 20 ths
ground ia state OF collapse. Sheriff
Billmyer called to Constable Rhodes.
who was running with the prisoner,
to keep him away from the mob, III
possible, and land him il jail
Rhodes and the negro ran along the
new railroad tracks for distance Of
a few hundred yards, when the officer
stepped upon a stone and fell. wrench
ing his ankle SO badly that he could
scarcely walk. The negro did not
stop, and by the time Rhodes regained
his feet, Williams had gained q shall
low ravine running through the wheat
field. down through which he lodged
and escaped.
The mob, senseless aud Infatuated,
would not believe that Williams was
at large. and refused to join in the
search for him. Then they made ue.u
ly threats against the officers for al
lowing the fellow to escape, forget
ting, OF course, that his escape was
entirely due to their own actions
The officers were doing their sworn
duty. and II the mob had stood by the
promise given to the sheriff that the
prisoner should not again he molested,
he would have been landed in jail
within a few hours.
FOR TRIAL OF WILLIAMS.
Judge 4. Boyd Faulkner Wednesday
went to Charles Town and called an
extra session of the Circuit court and
ordered the drawing of a grand jury to
convene taere on Friday for the pur-
pose of hearing the case of Williams.
The petit jury. however. according to
the law, will not meet for the trial
until after the expiration OF 30 days.
The crowds are still enraged. aud Will
liams' return to Charles Town at any
time would mean immediate lynching.
Special grand jury on Friday inn
dicted Williams.