Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1910-12-31
Kept From Mob in Big Safe.

Weston, w. Va. Dec. 2S-William
Furby. a negro, for hours last night
was between two fires-death at the
hands of a mob or suffocation in the
iron vault of the express office at the
local railway station. Outside the lit
tie building a crowd of several hun
bred persons waited from noon until
late into the night demanding the life
c. the prisoner for alleged assaults
upon and an attempt to murder Flora
Anglin, a prominent farmers daugh-
ter.
While the mob waited, and resorted
to occasional but feeble acts of vio-
lence, large squad of special depu-
ties and the regular force of sheriffs
guarded the express room and kept
the negro locked in the large express
safe, where he had hardly air to
breathe. For hours the crowd wait
cd, but for want of leader it failed
to move with sufficient force to dis
ledge the deputies and take posses
sion of the express room. They storm
ed the place several times, breaking
all the windows and forcing open the
doors but were unable to gain access
to the safe.
The only hope of the authorities,
however. to get their prisoner to the
Jail at Clarksburg as they intended
to do when the mob collected was in
the arrival of State troops. An order
was issued early in the evening for
the mobilization of the militia at sew
eral points but although special trains
were provided it is doubtful if the sol
6ters will reach the scene before
early morning.
The appearance of Mr.. Anglin, the
father of Miss AngIin, an aged man
with long grey whiskers, upon the
plat form of the station, telling the
crowd that the story of his daughter
was as true as steel set the mob wild
with excitement.
Prosecuting Attorney Swint made
continued attempts to appeal to the
people Upon a truck on the depot
platform, but the truck was thrown
from beneath him and the crowd
yelled him down. The officials were
wholly unable to cope with the sit
| uation.
An appeal to Governor Giasscock,
at Charleston for State troops was
| followed imediately by an order for
the mobilization of the militia at
Clarksburg Grafton and Parkers-
burg, and their dispatch here by spe-
cial train.
At us the mob burst open the
door of the express room where the
sheriff and their prisoner had locked
themselves. All Ehe window lights
were broken aud the mob demanded
the negroes life. But the latter was
| pushed into the concealed vault o.
the express company for safe keepine
where he had hardly breath of air.
Until the arrival of the militia il
was necessary to confine the negro u
the airless vault. Although that Nigh
mean death to him from suffocation
it was considered a greater peril (
release him while the mob's frenz'
was at such height.
After the negro's trial he was hell
to the grand jury, without bail. Il
answer 20 the charge of assault ant
attempt TO murder. The Anglin CIR
took the stand herself after all othe
witnesses and spectators were eS
cluded from the courtroom and toll
how Furby attacked her while sh
was returning from the dairy on he
fathers farm last Saturday night.
While she struggled, he dragged he
800 yards, and following the attack
he was in the alleged act of murdeI
ing her by strangulation when a raj
road fiagman came running to her res
cue. The negro ran to a horse tie
!; near by and made off, but the anima
fell. throwing the rider. His shoulde
was dislocated, and he was easily car
tured.
: Following the trial mob collecte
J at the court house and demanded tn
t negro, but with the organization of
large squad of special deputies an
the regular force Sheriff Perry G. A
fred succeeded in getting his man t
: the railroad station, planning to talk
I. 1.-THE $50 train for Clarksburg. TIL
train was an hour late. however, an