The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1911-08-17
LEADERS CONFESS
Five Admit Part in Burning
Negro at COateSviIIe.
THEY IMPlICATE OTHERS
Warrants Sworn Out Already But
No Arrests Will be Made I'm
Ill After Funeral Of Walk
er's Victim.

COateSNllic, Ia, Aus. 10. NNhiN0-
sions were obtained from five of the
men VINO participated in the lynchins
on Sunday night. when Jack Walker.
the negro who murdered Edgar luve.
a Waterman. was burned to death.
Furthermore. the confessions imrli-
cate o; S.. .,..,.c.s IN the mob. and tie
assertion is made by the five that lhey
can bring incOntrovertible proof as 10
the identity OF many people who took
active part in the brutal crime. Men
prominent in business and politics IN
the town are among those named by
them
Though warrants already have be II
sworn out Tor the arrest of the ring
leaders of the lynchers, Robert ;.
Gawthrop. district attorney OF Chester
county. says that no person Will be
taken into custody until after Rice $
funeral.
MANY of the leading citizens OF
Coa,esville." said Mr. Gawthrop, nave
begged that no hasty action be taken,
as with the present inhamed condition
of the public mind. another and more
serious uprising might easily follow.
We have examined twelve Wit
nesses and have had unexpected sue
cess. The men who confessed SAID
they we're sorry for what they had
done. and asked 70 be treated as len
iently as possible. They declared that
they had no idea when the mob OF
which they were members marched
to the hospital that anything serious
would result
The officials. including the district
attorney and the county detective. X
0. Jenries. left police headquarters in
a motor car. They were preceded by
Captain Wilhelm. OF Troop {. STATE
cOnstabulary.
They headed towards the Newlin
farm. a mile out of town. where Walk
er was burned TO death alter being
dragged from the COatesyille hospital,
where he was being treated for a p's'
toll wound in the mouth. received when
be attempted suicide on his capture
for the murder of Rice.
Town Is Excited.
The news spread that the officials
were beginning their campaign 10
bring To book the perpetrators OF what
all Coatesyille now realizes was an
outrage against law and order and an
act certain 10 put a blot on the good
name OF tire town People hocked
from stores and dwellings looking Gu
riously after the speeding motor car,
and the idle and curious rushed in the
direction the police had taken.
IL was then known that a message
had been received at the COatesyiile
police station from the office OF John
c. Bell. the attorney general. District
Attorney Gawthrop called up the Office
Of Mr.. Bell on the long distance tele'
phone and spoke personally with him.
Mr.. Bell asked Mr. GawthrOp how
things were going. and the the district
attorney replied that five warrants
had already been obtained for the ar.
rest of the men who burned Walker
at the stake
Then Mr. Gawthrop went into con
ference with Captain Wilhelm, who's"
troop. Troop c, OF Pottsville, arrived
in Gainesville. and with Chief OF Pc
lice Umstead. of Coatescille; Sheriff
Colder. Chief OF Police JET les, OF
West Chester. and other officials who
are trying to obtain the names Of the
riot leaders.
II was after this conference that
Captain Wilhelm and private started
toward the scene of the crime. The
troopers were followed by the motor
car. containing all of the officials, with
the exception Of Sheriff Colder. who
remained at the police station to carry
out the plans that had been mapped
out for him.
Guard Rolling Mills.
At this time several OF the mounted
policemen were patrolling that section
of Coatesville where the iron mills are
located. 1t is believed that some OF the
men who instigated the lynching OF
Walker are employed in the mills and
that the police are keeping them I'M
der surveillance.
When the arrests are made the
prisoners will not be taken TO the
Coatesyille Jail. Threats have been
made openly to remove any white man
from the lookup who is arrested for
having participated in the lynching
The men will be whisked to the cOun
ty prison in West Chester in motor
cars as soon as they are taken into
custody.
A member Of the Coatesyille police
force IS declared to have been one OF
the leaders of the mob which burned
Walker
The information discriminating the
policeman leaked out from police
Headquarters, where the Chester coun.
ty authorities held a conference, put
ting several men through the third
degree" to obtain what evidence they
had conce ming the identity OF the mob
leaders.
The Information against the police
man, whose name has so FAR been
withheld. was given. it is said. by
nurse at the Coatesville hospital. who
recognized him despite his disguise
Like the rest of the lynch leaders, he
wore a mask, but the nurse knew his
voice.
CALLS BEATTlE VeNlRE