The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-07-28
Law WINSlN RACE
Beats a Party of Lynchers Out
of Their Prey.
Rapid Fire Hanging Follows
Chase Down Chesapeake Bay.
PURsUES IN BOATS
Hob Bent on Burning Condemn
ed Nan Alive.
Negro Struggled Away Is Hang
ed just as Lynchers Land.

CW ASb as AyAC4CEb A&uus
-s---------,.
Baltimore, Nd, July 2s.-To foil a
mob intent on lynching, William Lee,
a negro condemned to death three
weeks ago for assault, was struggled
out of the city on an oyster boat, car
ried swiftly down Chesapeake bay. and
/ executed hurriedly on a little island.
1 In the same way the body was brought
back to the city, chased by the fOiled
wouldbe lynchers in a fleet of boats.
The sequel to Lees crime was as
dramatic as the deed was revolving.
In the fight down the bay with their
prisoner the officers assigned to the
executis had to force the oyster
steamer to it's utmost to outdistance a
fleet of boats crowded with men sworn
4 to burn the negro. For time IL was
| thought it would be necessary to hang
the prisoner on the deck of the steam
er in order to carry out the law.
SmuggIe Negro Away on Ship.
Lees attack on two women aroused
intense excitement in the eastern coun-
ties of Maryland. and for weeks the
popular fury was such that Governor
Warfield had the negro confined in the
! Baltimore city jail asa protection from
| mob violence. AS . Further precau-
ton, though it was necessary to carry
/ out the sentence of the law in Somerset
county, the scene of the crime, the
exact place of execution was kept Sc
cret, even from those who were to ac-
company the sheriff as deputies AMI
witnesses.
Late yesterday Sheriff Brown ar
! rived in Baltimore and the prisoner
| was smuggled on to steamer A gal
lows borrowed from the Baltimore
county jail and coffin we're taken
ABOARD. Just before the steamer sail
ed Robert H. Barnes, husband OF one
- - 1ras1H r1s
of the Somerset county lynching party.
WAS sworn in as a depty sherlI
against his will and forced to accom-
pany the officers. He was promised
the satisfaction of springing the trap.
1t was dark when the steamer left
Baltimore. To put the lynchers OF the
trail a gallows was erected at Princess
Anne in Somerset county, where they
had gathered. This promptly was torn
down and burned.
Early today the lynchers discovered
the strategy of Sheriff Brown Scores
of them secured every available boat
driven by steam and started out into
+ the bay to intercept the sheriff
steamer.
Wild Chase Down the Bay.
In the haze of the early morning
1.-THE heetest of the lynchers' boats
sighted the vessel carrying the prison
er. Sheriff Brown knew that he had
to get within the Somerset county to
make the execution legal. He was pre-
pared. however, to take a chance on
the water and execute his prisoner on
the steamers deck if necessary. This
he was about to do, and the gallows
was going up on the deck when Smith
island hove in sight with the pursuing
boats still far behind
When the steamer reached the
island it was doubtful whether the gal
lows could be erected on land in time
The negro begged to be killed some
how before the mob arrived to burn
| him.
The husband of the woman he had
attacked stood aIoof on the steamer s
deck and watched alternately the
frantic work on the gallows on shore
and the approaching boats. He waived
his privilege of springing the traps,
and swore that If his friends came up
in time he would lead them in a lynch
ing
Husband Urges On Pursuers.
The negro lay manacled among the
reeds on the shore while the deputies
hurried the erection of the gallows. The
pursuing feel was now in plain sight and
bending every effort to get to land.
Shouts were carried shoreward and there
was some firing of pistols Then the
scaffold was complete Lee lifted his
head, looked at 1t, and screamed Barnes
still was on the steamers deck, shrek
ing to his friends to hurry.
A half dozen deputies rushed to the
negro and. manacled as he was, lifted
| him from the ground and carried him
to the scamold The steps to the gallows
was an iron ships ladder Up this they
carried the negro.
Il did it. I did it." he kept crying
Forgive me Don't let them burn me-
BY this time the approaching fleet
which seemed to include every oyster
boat in Chesapeake bay. was hardly
more than a quarter of a mile from
shore. Pistol shots rang out and bullets
struck near the gallows. A score Of
deputies ran down to the shore and pre-
pared to hold off the mob. On the
steamer Barnes was wild with i'm
patience bound by his oath to the state.
l and tortured by his desire for revenge.
Law Wins by Frantic Haste.
The first of the boats were trying to
make a landing when the trap was
sprung under the negro. The law had
won the race.
The men in the boats however. were
not done Though defeated in their de-
sire to burn the negro alive, they de-
ternnined to secure the body and burn
, that But. as hurriedly as the negro was
hanged the body was cut down and car
{ ried to the steamer. As much of the
gallows as could be taken on the run
also was carried aboard.
Barnes, the husband, sprang from the
steamer as It left. and the first Of his
friends ran from the boats
you are too late" was all he said
He is dead
r He pointed down the bay. where the
steamer was rushing There was an
chase. but the steamer show ed its heels
z to the boats and disappeared down the
2 bay.
Some of the mob remained on the is
r land and vented its fury on what was
5 left of the scaHold.