Page:The Negro a menace to American civilization.djvu/234

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THE NEGRO

dreds of other United States papers gave full accounts of this famous lynching : —

CONFESSED AS HE STOOD AT STAKE

——

Cool-Headed Leaders of Mob Protected the Wilmington

Slayer from Attack While He Told All About His

Deed — Story of How White Was Burned to Death.

Wilmington, Del., June 23.— Here are the facts of the burning of George White at the stake: Word was passed around early yesterday morning that a lynching party would organize at Price's Corners at 8 o'clock last night, and move from there in a body to the New Castle County Workhouse, where White was imprisoned. Many who heard the rumor refused to take it seriously, but by 8 o'clock fully 5,000 persons had gathered about the workhouse.

The Police Department had been warned of the plot, and thirty policemen, under command of Chief Black and Captains Evans and Kane, went to reinforce the small number of guards inside the prison. The place was completely surrounded when they arrived, and they had scarcely entered the corridor of the west wing when the leaders of the mob made a rush for the door. Shots were exchanged, and the first to fall was Peter Smith, a twelve-year-old boy. Another young man was wounded, but the flying bullets failed to deter the mob. They pressed closer to the door and when it seemed certain that they would push it from its hinges, Chief Black appeared at the grating.

Chief Shouted Warning

"I give you fair warning," he shouted, "that the first man who enters this corridor will be killed." A tall man, wearing a wide-brimmed white hat, pushed forward, grasped one of the heavy sledges, and as he attacked the steel door exclaimed: " Then you might as well kill me for the first one."