The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-10-28

CONTINUED FROM PAGE ONE
three, conversing in whispers. Ey-
cry few minutes the heavy, from
barred gate leading TO the outer
world would open and another wit
ness passed in. Several ruddy-
faced men dressed in baggy clothes
entered with grim smiles on their
lips.
"Come TO See the Party"
Cast Shore men," reporters whis-
pered to each other. That's where
Armwood was iynched last week.
They've come to see the party"
Bernard AIDES, LID. counsel,
who had fought desperately for
Lees life, appeared at the door
and created stir for moment.
II am here only because Fuel Lee
asked me to be present." he said.
"Lee wanted to feel that there was
some friendly soul among those
who would see him die. I will
wait outside the execution cham
Der. I couldn't bear to see him
hanged"
lie looked haggard and worn.
Silence again descended on the
groups waiting in the lobby. The
clock read 10 minutes to IL.
A reporter went off to the ward
ems Office and pulled a flask of
whiskey from his pocket.
Christ" he said, shaking his head.
An East Shore man watched him
pass the bottle around and grinned.
Suddenly a deputy sheriff stood
on the stairs leading to an upper
floor. Gentlemen" he said tensely,
you will all form in line"
His voice quivered. He coughed
and wiped his white face.
Dcathly Silence in Death Chamber
81 must ask you to maintain com
plete silence in the death cham
Der. And take your hats off while
in there"
This was directed at the officials
and citizens from the Eastern
Shore, who might not be inclined to
take their hats off when just a
"nigger" dies. In a deathly silence
the witnesses started. shutting to-
wards the library's shelf upon shelf
of books-the accumulated struggle
for civilization-while going to see
a black man lynched. Down an
iron circular stairway where only
one man could pass at a time and
suddenly, they were in the prison
yard. The high walls doomed
against the darkness, The windows
were lit as for a party. Past red
painted brick buildings and Their
shoes struck cobblestones with a
startling clatter. In the semi
darkness they looked like an in
vading horde, and the shuffling
sound which had marked their
tread now became an ominous clat-
ter. Men hunched their shoulders
as if to ward off blows anc
breathed heavily. Suddenly they
were in a high, narrow, white
washed room. Five powerful lights
blinded them coming out of the
darkness. And there before then
was a rope with a hangman's knot
tightly tied around the moose.
They shuffled into the death
chamber where a black man wa.
to be lynched. They could not tax,
Their eyes off the rope that hung
from an iron. ring in the ceiling
directly over the trap-door through
which a man was to hurtle to hi,
death in a few minutes.
The trap-door was high, built II
platform about 20 feet from thu
cement floor. An iron chain strung
across the narrow death cell KEEP
witnesses from getting in the way
of the doomed man when he was
shot into eternity.
Witnesses Tense
The witnesses cleared theil
throats. They breathed with diff
Guilty and the sound of Their
breathing was like gust o.
wind sweeping through the marrow
death chamber.
They wiped the perspiration from
their hands with handkerchiefs
each man looking at the other will
a set face. Beads of perspiratiol
stood out on some and the laboret
breathing seemed to increase il
intensity until it filled the execu
ton chamber.
The vague sound of indistin
guishable voices floated down from
q white-washed door leading to tn,
platform. A guard appeared car
rying a stretcher which he PLACED
in corner. On that a man nov
living would be carried out deaf
in a few minutes.
It was two minutes after mid
night. The minutes dragged. Tn,
difficult breathing increased unit
the tension became almost unbear
able.
Goodbye" The words cam
clearly through the white washe,
door. Fuel Lee had started on hi
last walk.
The Last Few Minutes
And suddenly he appeared.
black cape thrown about his should
ers to hide the strap that bound hi
arms, a shiny black face tina
blinked at the bright lights tina
glared at his last moments o.
earth Three guards led him to tn
certer of the trap-door. His hea,
was silhouetted against the brigh