The Richmond palladium. (Richmond, Ind.) 1906-1907, 1906-12-22
Sixty White Men Take Negro
Brute from Jail at Annap0-
lis. Maryland
Ill COMPLETELY MASKED
PRISONER ADMITTED THAT He
HAD ASSAULTED WHITE WO.
MAN AND SAID HE WOULD DOT
AGAIN.
Publishers Press.1

annapolis, Ma, Dec. 21. - Henry
Davis, alias Henry Chambers, colored,
20 committed a felonious assault on
frs. John r. Reid, 60, OF Brownsville
December, Ia, and who confessed his
rime, was taken from Jail here by a
mob of 60 masked men and lynched.
Ie was strung up and his body riddled
With bullets.
& The Jail is in the western section of
he city and quite isolated. The lynch
rs had no difficulty in securing the
prisoner. Taking him from his cell.
hey carried him along the road lead
ng to the scene of his crime, five
niles from here.
The plans of the lynchers were kept
participated knew anything about
vhat was to take place. Their move
,1ents were carefully guarded.
In a statement after the man was
AIKEN from the Jail. deputy sheriff,
ruben /. Smallwood, said man ap-
1eared outside of the Jail and rang,
aging he had prisoner. Smallwood
aw that the man had no prisoner and
efused to admit him, whereupon he
efi. Soon afterward 60 men appeared
ief3r the Jail with a whipping post
ind cndeavored to batter down the
oor. Unsuccessful with that means
hey procured a sledge and pick and
managed to break hole in the door,
through which one of them crawled
Ind unlocked the door. Then five or
|ix men entered the building and pro-
|eeded to the warden's room, where
hey encountered the warden, George
Taylor, and Deputies Smallwood and
ames c. Grouse, and the night watch
han. Frank Marcellus.
At the point of pistol the warden
|urrendered the keys. In a few mo-
'1ents Davis was secured and carried
ut bodily. He made no resistance.
lis appearance outside the Jail was
'reeted with yells. He was kicked
md beaten by members of the lynch
lg party.
At the scene of his crime Davis was
loosely questioned. He again admit
epeated that he would have done it
wing or dead As he made this asser-
.on those who heard him raised a
ry, a rope was quickly knotted and
ne moose quickly slipped over his
read.
BY this time Davis was nearly un-
'onscious from fright and the blows
aimed upon him. While in this condi-
ion he was hoisted up to the limb of
tree. Almost before his feet left the
round a revolver cracked and a bull
1T cut a cash through his scalp. 1t
Tas the signal for general firing. and
i least 100 bullets were shot into his
.ody.
After few minutes the body was
ut down and pieces of the rope and
1othing were taken by many as SOU
senirs. The mob then disappeared.
The personnel of the mob is not
lnown, but reliable witnesses to the
occurrence state that all cf those who
Composed il were ounS in ap-
;earance. They a masks. had
heir faces blackeneq and each was
rmed with a revolver.
The negro was carried through the
'egro section of the city, but none in
erfered When people appeared at
he windows they we're warned to re-
nain indoors if they did not want
,arm to ccme to them. The police per-
nitted the mob TO have its way. none |
4 the officers apparently interfering. |
Mrs. Reid. the negro's victim. was
'onfined to her home some days in
erious condition as result of /
njuries.
At first Davis protested his inno- |
ence of any connection with the |
rime. but next day after being con-
ronted by his victim, who identified |
i'm as her assailant, he confessed. |
sumors that efforts would be made to /
vnch the negro were rife ever since /
lis arrest. and several additional |
yards were stationed at the Jail. In |
900 Davis was convicted Of an assault |
n a colored woman and served two /
ears in the penitentiary for that /
rimc.