Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1907-10-12
BAKERS SLAYER LYNCHED
Infuriated Mob Storms Cumberland
Jail to Get Negro.
CORONER SEEKS WITNESSES
Judge Boyd, a Spectator Of Mob's
Work. win Tell Facts to Grand
Jury at This Term.

Cumberland, Nd, Oct. "A mob
took William Burns, the negro, who
shot Policeman August Baker on
Thursday night. and whose wound
proved fatal Saturday morning, from
the Allegany county jail at | O'Clock
Sunday morning, beat him from his
cell to the street and laying him on
the pavement, kicked him into ua-
consciousness and then iiddled his
body with bullets.
The Jail is situated in the fashion
able resident section of the city, Just
back of the court house, and within
a stones throw of Emmanuel Episco-
pal church, the most prominent house
of worship in the city.
Despite the fact that crowds had
been gathering on the street all night
and that the great majority OF the
citizens of Cumberland anticipated an
attempt at lynching, the only persons
in the jail at the time were Deputy
Sheriff Noah Hendley, turnkey, and
Hendley's wife and children.
The mob approached the jail door
about ght Some Of them wore
improvised masks, but the majority
made no attempt to hide their iden-
tity. Summoning Hendley to the door,
they demanded that he open it, but he
declined and threatened to shoot the
first man who should attempt to en-
ter.
Telephone Pole For Gathering Ram.
Undeterred by this threat. members
of the mob procured a telegraph pole,
and willing hands lent aid in using it
as a batteri1g ram, against the as
saults of which the wooden doors OF
the Jail proved no barrier.
When the portals crashed In, the
leaders of the mob rushed over the
debris. and one of them presented two
guns to the face of the deputy sheriff
threatening to blow his brains out If
he made any move to prevent their
carrying out their purpose.
Others of the mob then carried the
pole down into the basement OF the
Jail, where the covering negro occu-
MED a corner cell This was demol-
ished and the negro dragged out.
The members of the mob did not
make any special effort to conceal
their identity. Toward the last the
pretense at mask pocket haadker-
chief tied over the nose. was removed,
and the work of the mob was carried
on in an open manner.
Tear Out Telephone.
That Deputy Sheriff Hendley might
not apprise the police of what was in
progress, the mob tore the telephones
from the walls and cut the wires.
There were twenty-six other prison
ers in the jail and fearing the mob,
which was blind with fury. might
make a mistake in identity. they, in
one chorus, told the lynchers the To-
cation Of the cell occupied by Burns.
While the pole was being played
against the cell door. after ten min
utes had been consumed in ineffectu-
ally trying to force it without the use
OF the ram, the gas pipes were brok-
en- and escaping gas filled the jail.
The prisoners were rapidly becoming
asphyxiated when their peril was dis
covered by Deputy Sheriff Hendley.
Some OF the prisoners were painting
loudly for breath.
Undertaken Louis Stern has been or
dered by the court to hold the body
OF Burns until Tuesday morning, No
inquest has yet been held. Coroner
George Martz stated that he had 1ot
been able to secure the name OF sin
gle witness who could identify any
Of the lynchers. Until this Is lone il
is useless to hold an inquest.
The October term of the circuit
court for Allegany county assemblies
today, and it is expected that Chief
Judge A. Hunter Boyd, who was at
the scene of the lynching, will adj
dress the grand jury on the matter.
Judge Boyd saw that the body OF
Burns was taken away by the under
taker, after an Intellectual effort had
been made to locate County Coroner
George Martz. Judge Boyd then en-
tered the Jail and saw the work OF de-
struction by the mob