The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1912-02-03
JUSTICE IS DESIRED
BY THE GOVERNOR
Pennsylvania Executive Hot
on Trail Of Lynchers
of a Negro.
(Nationai News Association,

National News Association)
PlTTSBURG, Feb. 3.-Governor
John X. Tener will make one more at
tempt TO bring to justice the men who
participated In the lynching of Zach
Walker, the negro who was burned at
the stake In a vacant lot in Coates
Vile, Pa, last August. The Governor
has instructed Deputy Attorney Gen
eral J. r. B. Cunningham, Of Pitts
burg. who IL in change OF the prose-
cution. to go before the Supreme
Court. Monday morning. and present
. request that the lynching cases be
taken out OF the Chester courts and
removed to the courts of some other
county for trial.
In speaking of this novel procedure,
Cunningham said that the application
in any way as reflection upon the
conduct OF the Judge Of Chester county
in the previous trials. and continuing:
1.-THE race prejudice is SO strong in
Chester county that ! am confident
that, II the recall were in force these
judges would be taken off the bench by
the electors because Of their activities
In trying to put the guilty ones be-
hind the bars. There seems to be
mutual feeling in all classes of society
In Chester county. from the highest
to the lowest. that no white man will
suffer for the burning Of the negro"
What the Jurtes Did.
The Deputy Attorney General went
on to say that 1t was only after a great
deal OF unnecessary delay that the
grand jury, called for the purpose Of
investigating the crime. handed down
the indictments. He alleges the trial
juries paid absolutely no attention to
the evidence presented and always
returned q verdict for acquittal, even
after q defendant had admitted his
connection with the crime. In five
trials there were six defendants and
all of them were set free ~ the juries,
who said, did not make the least
prctense ut considering the evidence.
The crime for which Governor Ten
er wants the guilty parties punished
was one OF the most spectacular case
Of lynching that has ever occurred
north of the Mason and Dixon line.
Edgar Rice. special officer en-
plOyed as a Waterman around the
mills Of Coatesville. and great favo-
rite with the workmen, was found
dead with bullet wound in his head.
August IL. Of last year. One Zachariah
Walker was accused OF the crime. and
l.--.AluA~1~, ~ {,,f, ,rio 4.
ed friends was formed and set out to
hunt the negro. He was finally sur.
rounded in tree on a farm near the
outskirts Of the city, and as the posse
drew near, he shot himself and fell
from the tree. He was placed under
arrest, and taken to Coatesville hos.
pital TO have his wound dressed.
The feeling against the accused
negro waxed warmer and on the night
OF HE arrest 400 masked men stormed
the hospital and broke down the doors.
They carried his cot to which the un.
fortunate negro was manacled to q
nearby lot and pleced It upon pile OF
oil.soaked fence rails. which were set
ON fire. while crowd Of over one
thousand. half of them women. looked
on. Tue fear-crazed negro struggled
to free himself as the flames crept ur
and began licking the side OF his cot
but every time that his attempts seem
ed successful, he would be proddet
back into the heart Of the fire. Onl,
after the body OF the man had been re
duced to a mass OF burned flesh AM
charred bones, did the mob appear sat
isfied and dispense.
The lynching Mortified the whole
country and the lynchers were de
nounced by the newspapers In all sec
lions. Governor Tener was especial!
hitter and ordered an immediate In
vestigation and the prosecution OF an!
and all OF those who participated II
the lynching. The work Of the Off
GERS met with opposition on all side
in Chester county, and the case ha
never been brought to a conclusion.
Deputy Attorney General Cunning
ham 10 confident that he can secur'
several convictions II the Suprem
Court will grant his request to hav'
the hearing of the trial removed t
another county.
g.