The Washington times., 1933-10-23
IDENTIFICATION
Of KILLERS
TRACED
Names of 3 Mob Leaders In
Hands Of J. B. Robins, the
Attorney of Somerset

PRINCESS ANNE, Md, Oct. %.
Formal investigation of the lynch
ing of George ArmWood, colored,
alleged attacker Of a 71-year-old
woman last Wednesday, opened
here today when officials ques-
toned persons said to have been
witnesses with a view to pos
sible Identification of participants
in the killing.
The inquiry is in the hands OF
John B. Robins, States attorney
for Somerset county, and Attor-
ney General William Preston Lane,
jr., although the latter is not ex-
pected to arrive here until to-
morrow.
Eye-WitnesSes Sought
Luther Daugherty, sheriff OF
Somerset county, spent the day
yesterday attempting to gather
the names of eye.witnesses to the
lynching. He was to turn these
over to three members of the
Baltimore police department. who
arrived here early today to begin
tracing the names.
Eyewitness names were said to
have been obtained by Daugherty
from State police who attempted
TO keep the mob from batterlng
down the door of the Jail at the
time Armwood was dragged from
his cell through the streets, then
hanged, and his body burned.
What the Judge Said
Other names are understood to
have been secured from the dep
uty sheriff, Norman Dryden, in
charge Of the jail, and others are
believed to have been furnished
by Judge Robert F. Duer, who
lives here and pleaded with the
mob not to go through with its
plan to lynch Armwood. Duer, in
his pleading, said he knew many
persons in the aroused gathering.
Although no names have been
published, it is said that the au-
thorities have the names OF at
least three of the ringleaders OF
the mob.
Many who have been questioned
here contend the lynching crowd
was composed of residents OF
other localities who were not
known by sight to persons living
here.
Inquest Tomorrow
Dryden emphasized this with
the information that when he was
on the streets here about two
hours before the lynching swarms
of persons he did not know were
seen.
An inquest into the lynching
has been set for 2 p. m. tomorrow
in the courtroom here. State po-
lice and representatives Of the
Sheriff's office are the only ones
expected to take the witness stand
at that time.
Meanwhile, yesterday, one East
ern Shore preacher, DR.. John j.
Bunting, pastor of the Emmanuel
Methodist Episcopal Church, Of
Crisfield, deplored the riot and
crime that inflamed it," defended
the lower Eastern Shore and de-
cried the cenSure leveled against
its residents for the lynchings.
Defends Locality
He said the Eastern Shore is
not sparsely settled and backward,
as it has been pictured, and, in
answer to criticism Of some metro
politan papers, said distant
readers might think we had as
few people as some counties that
lie in desolate mountains or on
windswept plains" He added:
"We have shuddered to i'm
agine what might have followed
had the State police fired $50
rounds into the crowd, rs
newspaper seems to think
should have been DONE"
On the other hand, Baltimore
clergy yesterday told their congre-
cations that the leaders and par
ticipants in the Princess Anne
mob were guilty of murder when
they lynched Armwood and should
be brought to justice regardless
AR