The advocate. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1901-1913, 1907-10-10
KICKED
ToDeafh by Murder.
=. Gus Mob
Was, the Fate of Negro Charged
With Shooting Cumberland,
Nd, PQliceman--Inveat-
-.,' '--$!t s1 igation on. +.


excitementHall day over the first
lynching ih its history. William
Burns, colored, aged 22, who came
here six months ago from Fauquer
county, Va, charged with the muir.
der Of Policeman August Baker, one
OF the VETERANS Of the force, was
taken by a mob which stormed the,
jail early this morning and kicked to
death on the cobble street near the
jail entrance in the rear of the court
house, where his case would have
been taken up tomorrow by the Octo-
Der. grand jury. '
After the mob had stamped the
face and body OF the wretch they
fired at close range at least 20 shots
into his head and body. Five or six
hundred people looked on.
Burns had shot Patrolman Baker
while resisting arrest last Thursday
night. .-... =. ... : -
The mob assembled in front Of the
jail shortly after midnight, but 1t
was after an houro of parley and
storming before the prisoner was
reached In his cell in the basement.
Deputy Sheriff Hendley was in charge
of the jail. Heyrefused to give up
the keys and the mob secured a tel
ephone pole and broke open the front
doors. -r5 --.- ..... . -. .-.---
Deputy Was Held Up.
Two grated, doors leading to the
main corridor we're stormed and the
first was broken open, and, while the
second was being forced, Deputy
Sheriff Hendley, was held up at the
point of two revolvers, his clothing
torn on and the keys. taken from.
him. They did noe at the door of
the cell occupied by Burns, and the
telephone pole was brought in and
the door of the cell Jared open.
All the while the Negro never ut
tered word. '...
Other Negroes in neighboring cells
were careful to guide the lynchers
to that OF Burns, and here the bat
tering ram was used. The lynchers
found their<xictim cronched behind
his cot, and, selling him by the feet,
dragged him down stairs and into
the street, where, within few yards
OF the Jail, Burns, was kicked and
shot to death. ~.
Rev, VIM: Cleveland Hicks, Rec
tor Of Emanuel Church, the leading
Episcopal congregation of Western
Maryland, lives within a stones
throw of the scene Of the lynching,
in the shadow of his church, He asked
the mob to dispense as they were at
tempting to break into the Jail. They
listened to his exhortation from the
jail steps for a moment and then
1hooted. AftSf the wretch had been
dragged from the jail and as he lay
dying on the cobble stones, Rev. Mr.
Hicks offered prayer of mercy over
his PROSTATE form. some of the
crowd yelledf"burn him" but Rev.
Hicks asked them not to do SO and
they respected his wish.
Hanging Was Fooled.
It was the intention to hang the
Negro from the West Virginia bridge
which crosses the Potomac near the
jail, but no rope was at hand, the
man with whom it had been left hay
ing lost his nerve and gone away.
with it. ...
Chief Judge A. Hunter Boyd, who
is member of the Court of Appeals
and who will charge the grand jury
tomorrow, arrived on the scene after
the work Of the mob had been An
I.t, III Il
men In the crowd to dispense others,
ne said, would be compelled to dis
perse. He had the police guard the
body to. prevent threatened mutila-
tion until the 1norgue wagon came
AS 1T was, the garments of the Negro
we're torn into bits by relic hunters.
Some Of the men were not masked,
while others wore pocket handker~
chiefs over their noses. The lynching
was bitterly denounced In the pulpits
today. Rev. Mr.. Hicks was partic-
ularly severe, and ne blamed the
tragedy on the people Of Cumber-
land for permitting the saloon ITO
exist. ......
Rev. Mr.. Hicks narrowly escaped
assault at the hands Of the mob.
The grand jury will take uD the
lynching at once. The coroner will
hold no inquest until he can get the
names Of witnesses who will identify
the lynchers. Tonight he had not
one. Ten thousand people, including
Sunday school children, viewed the
triddled, half nude body of the Negro
at the moreue today. (
The mob broke the. gas pipes in
the jail and 26 prisoners we're nearly
asphyxiated before the discovery was
made. Several were revived with
difficulty. ~ &iS z !. u X Il 4, VA.