The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-08-14
Pennsylvania Quakers HOrrified
at Lynching.
Mob at COatesViIIe FieHdish in
Its Brutality.
ESCAPED FROM FLAMES
Caught by Frenzied Men and
Thrown Into Fire.
An Effort Will Be Made to
Prosecute Members.

person who is found to have been di-
rectly or indirectly connected with the
lynching last night for the murder of
Policeman Edgar Rice on Saturday
night will be arrested and prosecuted
to the full extent of the law. This was
decided on today at a conference by
Sheriff David NJ. Golfer of Chester
county, District Attorney Robert s
Gawthrop Burgess ShalIcross and
Chief of Police Umstead of Coatesville
and Chief of Police Entrenkin of West
Chester, at which it was decided to
make a full investigation.
1t is said the authorities have not
the name of one person directly con-
nected with the burning of the negro
although many men are suspected. An
Investigation being prosecuted by the
Chester county authorities leads to the
belief that men prominent IN the
community and who are numbered
among the best citizens in Coatesville
are implicated.
Quaker Community Shocked.
The fearful work of the frenzied
mob here last night when 1t dragged d
wounded negro from hospltal lo ana
burned him to death for killing Edgar
Rice. a policeman, Saturday night mas
aroused the greatest indignation IN
this community and everything posi-
BILE will be done to bring to justice the
| ring leaders of the mob That Such an
affair could occur in a Quaker com
munity like that in Chester county was
not believed possible. Thousands OF
persons journeyed out to the scene OF
| the burning today. Even before dawn
people began to gather at Inc spot.
/ Every sort of vehicle was brought INTO
use and prices to take people TO the
place quickly went up. The distance
to the Newland farm, where the lynch
/ ing occurred. is not far and q steady
! stream of curious people kept moving
! ont to the scene Nothing is left of
Ezekiel Walker, the victim, but ms
/ ashes All unburned portions OIL tne
/ hospital cot that formed part OF ms
pyre had been gathered up by souvenir
Among the angriest people in the COM
nounitv are some of those who captured
Walker yesterday afternoon In a tree III
| the woods near here. he had TWO re
volvers with him and when he was sur,
rounded by the posse he threatened
them. Several of the man hunters nred
at him and wounded him slightly. EVl-
dently believing that he was ABOUT u
be shot to death Walker tried suicide,
sending a bullet into his head. lie 1eli
and was quickly captured by the crowd
with no thought of lynching but with
= Q deterninati ton of having him tried
quickly for the murder OF Rlce, the
posse laid him across three shotSuns
| and carried him to waiting automo-
bile which brought him to the Coates
Vile hospital When he reached the
hospital Walker confessed his crime to
Chief Of Police Umsted and District At
torney Kawthrop.
walkers Confession.
Walker said:
I'D been out drinking gin and 1 was
feeling pretty good. l got out there
near the Worth mills, among the
! lot ha 7 2
/ bold man and might hold 'em up.
fired three shots from my gun Of
course they yelled and Rice, who had
heard the shots. came rushing up and
grabbed me. They had yelled. Murder
and l reckon he thought that was
about it,
Il had too much gin and didn't cal
cuIat1 to go along. So held back and
asked Rice what he wanted me for. For
carrying concealed deadly weapons he
to pull away He drew his club and
reached for his revolver, and it must
have been then that I shot him"
News of the murder of Rice, who was
very popular among the people here,
spread rapidly. There had been other
crimes committed in this neighborhood
that had been blamed on negroes and
talk of lynching fell on willing ears. As
! the crowd increased the talk of lynch
ing spread and finally masked man
mounted the steps of the hospital and
| shouted:
Men of Coatesville, will you let
drunken nigger do up such a white
man as Rice2"
The throng was instantly transform
ed into a riotous mob. The attack on the
| hospital was then made. There We're
only the superintendent four nurses
and policeman in the institution at
| the time and a defense of the negro
was impossible. The crowd swarme1
into the place through doors and win
dows and before most of the mob knew
it, the wounded and frightened negro
was being taken out of the building.
/ Still lying on the cot, he was carried
i through the streets and out of the city
to the Newland farm. He had been
tied to the bed with ropes and as the
| crowd tore fence rails and gathered
| wood and other inflamma.ble material
| Walker writhed on his cot and tugged
at his bonds but could not free him
self The negro pleaded for mercy.
He asserted he killed Rice in self de-
fense.
Don't give me a crooked deal be-
cause am not white" Only vile oaths
greeted his pleas.
Threw Him Back Into Fire.
All the leaders in the crowd wore
masks made of handksrchiefs tied
taround their faces. They did their
work quickly and, after piling up the
rubbish, placed the cot wItr it's shud-
dering victim on it over the pile. A
dozen matches, it seemed, were stimuli
taneously applied to the pyre and in
an instant the negro was enveloped in
the flames. The fire burned the ropes
that held him and he made a. dash fol
liberty. Walker reached a fence anC
was about to climb it when staIwari
hands seized him and dragged hin