Evening star., 1920-07-23
FOUNTAIN HANGED;
FAILS IN SUICIDE
Negro Who Assaulted Girl
Twice Tries to Cheat
Justice.

EASTON, Nd, July 23.-Isaiah Foun-
tain. colored. paid the death penalty at
8:12 o'clock this morning, after two at
tempts at suicide, made shortly after
midnight.
He was convicted of criminal assault
on Bertha Simpson, white girl of
fourteen.
Four minutes after his body had shot
down through the trap of the gallows
in the little county Jail he was pro-
nounced dead.
About 1880 O'Clock Chief Inspector
Roger A. Williams of the state road
tain's cell. He went in and found the
negro, his bed clothes torn and twisted
into strips and wrapped around his
neck trying to fasten the ends Of the
improvised ropes to a bar of his cell.
Williams removed the wrappings from
Fountains neck and found that the
negro had hacked at his throat in an
attempt to cut it. The cuts had been
inflicted with a broken safety razor
blade, which Fountain said he had
front of his cell. The wounds, while
they bled good deal. were superficial
Committed in April, 1919.
The crime for which Fountain paid
the death penalty was committed
April 1, 1919. The excitement created
in the Talbot county neighborhood
over the criminal assault upon Ber-
tha Simpson, a fourteen -year-old girl.
soon gave way to the greater excite
tional break for liberty during his
trial and while a mob of 1000 angry
citizens in the courthouse square at
Easton was demanding his life.
The man hunt that followed; the ne
gro's subsequent capture and the
m NIL ~ h so y~to ~
house surrounded by Maryland mill
tiamen with fixed bayonets; his con-
viction and Sentenc to death; the ap-
peal to Maryland's highest court; that
tribunals decision that the jury must
have been so Influenced by the voice
of the waiting mob that the trial did
not give the negro that assurance Of
cold justice the, law contemplates, all
tended to make the case a famous
one.
AS il this were not enough. the
second break for liberty. after the
man had been granted another trial
and in a foreign Jurisdiction once
more found guilty. again set the whole
state by the ears, while bloodhounds
and posses with the blood lust strong
upon them trailed him through marsh
and swamp, adding fuel to the flames
of popular and morbid interest in the
case.
Chronology of Case.
Extending over a period Of sixteen
months, here is the chronology of the
case:
April 1, 1s1s-Crime committed On a
lonely road near Trappe.
April 9-Fountain arrested just
over the Delaware state line, whittier
he said he had gone seeking his wife,
who had left him.
April 12-Accused identified by
Bertha Simpson.
April Especial term of court
convened to try the case. although
opened on April 10. Presentment and
indictment found.
April 21-Trial began. and at close
of days session, as Fountain was
being led back to the Jail from the
courthouse. he escaped through the
rear Of the Jail and. avoiding the
mob, got away.
April 22-Court offered reward of
$1,000 for negro's return unlynched.
This was added to by a reward of
Eugene ODunne, the Baltimore law
yer who defended Fountain in both
his trials and in the appeal to the
court of appeals.
April 22-Man hunt through two
April 2s-Fountain captured at West
April 24-Trial resumed Trial con-
cluded and verdict of guilty" fol-
lowed by imposition of death SEN
tence, while the mob pressed about
the courthouse. On the day Of his
conviction, Fountain was taken out
Of the county under strong guard and
brought to Baltimore for safekeep-
ing.
May 3-Appeal filed with the Mary
land court of appeals. Subsequently
the court of appeals granted an ex-
tension of time to the negro's coun-
sci to prepare the appeal and bill of
exceptions.
June 24-The appeal was argued
before the court of appeals under
special assignment.
July 17-Court of appeals filed an
opinion granting q new trial.
July 23-The court OF appeals was