Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1911-09-02
ARREST WITNESS
IN LYNCH PROBE
Youth Accused Of Perjury Be-
fore Grand Jury,
MANY WITNESSES CALLED
Five Women Among These Heard
In the investigation OF coatesyilIe
Outrage.

Outrage.
Parker F'oos, seventeen years old.
one of the witnesses summoned before
the grand jury at West Chester. Pa,
investigating the lynching OF lack
Walker. in Coatesville. on Aug 10.
was arrested soon after he had given
his testimony. The warrant charged
him with perjury.
F'oos Is teststamper in the Worth
mill. He was arrested by Andrew
Wright. special policeman of the
Philadelphia &. Reading railway.
He was admitted to bail before Jus
tlce OF the Peace Paxson. The sum
was fixed at $500. The specific charge
on the perjury warrant is swearing
falsely before the grand jury
Richard ID. Gibboney, member OF
the Codtesville council, was summon
ed before the probers, but was exam.
ined for a short space oil time only.
Leon LiplSin. David Wright and w. L..
w. Jones were other witnesses called.
Foos had been called before the
grand jury. Oliver CromptOn, colored.
employed in the same mill as Foos.
was, called into the jury room. and
while ne vas there Foos was again
summoned. The boy was sent outside
and recalled no less than three times.
Finally the district attorney came
out into Tic corridor and beckoning TO
Foos asked him his full name. Parker
Foos' was he answer. Gawthrop then
called Wright and despatched him 10
a magis, ra,as office Tor warrant.
While foos SIT in the corridor await
ing the of, GERS return he was visibly
worried.
Il don't know whether they have
gotten a warrant for ne or not he
said. 'Thcy told me inside that had
told Cronp, IN bow the lynchlng oc-
Cured. ano Crompton also said had.
| did toll Crompton about It. but ii
was simply what somebody else had
told me. got 10 the scene OF the
lynching after Walker was dead.
Il didn't tell Crompion that some
body had told me first. however, and
the grand Jury evidently thought | was
lying when explained the cfcum-
stances.
Additional witnesses We're called be.
fore the grand jury. among them he.
ing four women--the superint endent
of the Gainesville hospital. a nurse. a
cook at the hospital and telephone
operator
The summoning OF Miss Bessie Eby,
OF Parkesburg, the telephone operator,
carries out tie belief that the inquiry
is drawing loser around Chief OF Pc.
lice umstc H. II is understood that
Miss Eby wa on duty At the Coates.
vile exchange upon the night Of the
lynching, and that she overheard a
conversation between somebody al the
hospital and Umstead. asking for po-
Ice protection from the mob. which at
that time surrounded the building.
For some time there have been
vague rumors that a telephone oper.
ator had overheard conversation OF
this sort. hut il could not be placed as
more than rumor The arrival of
Miss Eby ycuid tend to establish the
report a. n TACT; In no other way could
tcier hone operator on duty when
Walker was burned to deafh be ac'
quaintcd with any facts of value 70 the
probers.
Miss Eby. with Miss Townsend. the
superintendent of the hospital; Miss
McMenamin. a nurse. and Mrg. Sheri-
dan. at that time cook in the hos
pital employ. arrived from Coatesville
on a trolley car and Al once went TO
the court house where they awaited
the board OF inquiry.
Whether Miss Townsend, the FIRST
witness. could give the grand jury any
names OF those in the mob Is not
known. but her examination consumed
fully half hour.
Following Miss Townsend came
Miss MeMcnamin. She Is one OF the
nurses who aad charge of the ward in
which the self-wounded colored man
was placed after his arrest.