The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1906-12-25
NEGRO LYNCHED
AT ANNAPOLIS
Taken From Jail by Mob, Hangea
and Riddled With Bullets.
HE CONFESSED HIo CRIME
Little or Ne Resistance Was Offered
Mob When They Battered Down Jail
Door and Carried OF Their Victim.
Assembled at St. johns College.

Door and Carried OF Their Victim.
Assembled at St. Johns College.
Annapolis. Md. Dee %. - \ mob |
numbering % or 80 men broke down
the door OF the Annapolis jail. took
ont Henry Davis. the negro VINO or
last week criminaily assaulted Mrs.
John Reid (white). near lgleharts sta
ton. and lynched him Davis. who was
also known by the name OF Chambers |
confessed his guilt before being put TO
death. Little or no resistance was OIL
tered 10 the mob by the officers at the
iail and none whatever by the prls-
onor. The negro was dragged by the
mob from the Jail to vacant lot on
College creek. quarter OF a mile dis
tant where he was strung up to n
limb of tree and vOlley of bullets
fred into him. lle is thought TO have
died instantly. As the body was being
lei down some one cried out: Another
white woman is avenged
On the way to the place Of eXecu-
ton members OF the lynching party
kicked and cufied Davis whenever OPP
portunity was offered. His body was
LETT living under the tree which had
served as the gallows. lt was viewed
by hundreds of persons during the
dav Later a coroner's jury was en-
panelled. and after hearing the tcsu- |
mony of witnesses returned a verdict
of death at the hands OF persons un-
known to the jury.
The prison from which Davis was
taken is 100 years old. IL is situated
in Calvert street and is only about zoo
wards from the state house and the
executive mansion of the governor.
The lynching party used senior hall Of
s.. Johns College for its assembling
place. This fact is taken 10 indicate /
that most OF the men connected with |
the affair were Annapolitans and dii /
not come from Igleharts station. where /
Mrs. Reid lives. Its members hal
hlackened their faces and some OF
them had donned masks. They were
quiet i'm their movements. but some oil
the students were awakened. These
latter came down and watched the
proceedings. but did not interfere or
give any alarm The college auihori-
ties strongly denied that any of the
students were implicated in the lynch
inc. Most OF them are At their homes
for the holidays.
In a statement made after the man
was taken from the Jail. Deputy Sherlu
Reuben l.. SmallWood said that man
appeared outside The Jail and rang He
said that he had a prisoner Deputy
Smallwood saw that ne had no pris-
oner and refused 20 admit him. where
upon he lett. Son afterwards mob Of
about so men appeared before the Jail
With a nitching post and endoavorel
10 batter down the door Unsuccessful
with that means. they procured a
sledge and pick and managed 10 break
hole in the door. through which one
Of the men crawled and unlocked the
door Then five or six men entered the
building and proceeded TO the warden
room. where they encountered War
den George Taylor Deputies Small
wood and James c. Grouse and Night
Vatchman Frank Marcellus. At the
point of a pistol the warden surrcn'
dcroA the KEYS In few moments
more Davis was secured and carried
ont bodily He made no resistance.
His appearance outside the Jail was
greeted Wit wells. He was kicked and
beaten by members OF the lynching
party. and in few minutes was taken
to a vacant lot on College creek.
Here Davis was closely questioned
and again admitted that he had crimi-
nallv assaulted his victim. and repeat
ed that he would have done it living
OF dead
As he made this assertion those who
heard him raised a cry. a rope was
quickly knotted and the moose slipped
over his head. BY this time Davis was
nearly unconscious from fright and
the blows which had been rained upon
him. While in this condition he was
hoisted up to the limb OF tree. Almost
before his feet had left the ground a
revolver cracked and a bullet cut
cash through his scalp 1t was the
signal for general firing. and al least
100 bullets must have riddled the
mans body.
After a few minutes the body was
cut down. and after a few had exam
ined It and a few took pieces Of rope
and clothing as souvenirs. the mob
dispersed.
The negro was carried through the
negro section of the city but no one
interfered. When people appeared at
the windows they were warned to re-
main indoors if they did not want harm
TO come to them. The police permitted
the mob to have its way. none OF the
officers apparently interfering.
Mrs. Reid is a white woman. Davis
was arrested on Sunday. the 10th inst
on suspicion. At first he protested ms
innocence of any connection with the
crime. but the next day, after being
confronted by his victim, who identi- !
fed him as her assailant, he confessed
Rumors that efforts would be made to
lynch the negro had been rife ever
since his arrest, and several additional
guards were stationed at the jail. |
Davis had already served term In
the penitentary for crime similar to
the one for which he was lynched.
Governor Wants Lynchers Punished.
baltimore. Md, Dec Ex-Governor