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| 2 0RDE1 01? OF SLAYER SALISBURY Continued from Page 1. tossed to him and he threw it over* tween father and him. a limb and slid to the ground STRUGGLE IS FUTILE Williams, unable to see because of the bandages over his face, began a futile struggle. Two men kicked him in t.ie shins and another held him around the waist, while a fourth fitted the noose around his neck. A score of hands seized the other end of the rope and the negro was hauled into the air. The lynchers jerked the rope several times to make sure the murderer's neck was broken, then tied the free end to a lamp post. BELL TOLLED Williams' body dangled. A few convulsive motions and he was still, as the courthouse bell tolled eight strokes. The mob began to disperse, when a cry went up: "Burn him! Burn him!" The execution rope was slashed and the negro's body thudded on the lawn. Lynchers dragged the body three blocks to a bus terminal, where they demanded gasoline. An employe objected and was told: "You'd better get back in there or we'll take this place apart." 40 GALLONS OF "GAS" Forty gallons of gasoline were pumped into cans, carried by willing members of the mob. Williams' body was dragged along Main street to the edge ot the negro quarter, thrown into a vacant lot and ignited. As the flames leaped high the crowd cheered. Frightened negroes peered from behind closed shutters, fearing the mob would march through their section and take further vengeance. When the flames had died down the rope again was attached to the charred body, which was dragged along for several blocks, with the mob marching behind. Three negroes were crossing a bridge over a small creek when the mob approached. They leaped into the chill water, waded upstream and vanished. The mob dispersed after the rope had been tossed over a telephone guy wire and the body left dangling. Police, who had been powerless against the mob, cut the body down and removed it in a truck to a negro undertaker's establishment. As soon as he was notified that the mob had hanged and burned Williams, the Attorney General sent the following telegram tc State's Attorney Levin C. Bailey oi Wicomico county: "The facilities of my office are at your disposal for any assistance you may require in the investigation of the lynching." Mr. Bailey, who was in Pocomoke City when the mob took Williams from the Peninsula General Hospital, also launched an inquiry today. The State's Attorney said: "1 have called the sheriff, chief of police and other officers into conference to determine whether they recognized any of the mob. The investigation will be most thorough and those guilty will be prosecuted to the limit. "It is unfortunate that ' was in Pocomoke City last night. Had I been here I would have appealed to the mob." RITCHIE SHOCKED The following statement was made by Governor Ritchie: "This is a shocking thing and I want to make a thorough investigation before issuing a statement. An independent investigation into Eastern Shore conditions, growing out of crimes of violence laid to negroes, is under way. "I shall confer with Attorney General Lane this afternoon before leaving for Chicago and probably will have a statement after the conference." Mr. Elliott was shot to death five hours before the lynching as he sat in his office talking over the telephone to Thomas Chatham, a produce broker, six blocks away. Williams crept in and fired once. The bullet entered behind Mr. Elliott's right ear, emerged through his left cheek and lodged in a filing We gave him work whenever we could for the last seven or eight years. He even worked this week." . Besides his son, Mr. Elliott is survived by his widow and two daughters, Mrs. E. R. White, Jr., of Salisbury, and Mrs. Warren T. Hamm. Jr.. of Spartanburg, S. C. A hpliday spirit prevailed today in Salisbury. Groups of residents stood laughing in the streets and gathered about the tree on which Williams was hanged. RESIDENTS DEFIANT Their attitude was defiant and the expression most heard was: "Nobody in the crowd is going to be identified." Following a special meeting of the City Council today, attended by the State's Attorney, Sheriff, Mayor, Chief of Police and magistrates. Mayor Insley said: "A careful investigation shows that everything is quiet and no further trouble is anticipated. There U no indication of tense racial feeling, and what has happened can be safely classed as indignation directed only toward the individual concerned. "There never has been any trouble between the races here, and there is not going to be now. Simply as a precautionary measure, sufficient police protection has been provided. The city feels that it is amply able to handle the situation without outside help. "The ' investigation of last night's unfortunate occurrence is in the hands of the proper county authorities." [The sheriff said: JAIL GUARDED "I tried to break up the mob, but there were too many. Their ages ranged from seventeen to seventy. "When they hanged Williams en the Courthouse lawn, I attempted to get through the crowd but was knocked down by accident. Members of the mob apologized when they recognized me. "I thought it best to stay pretty close to the jail, because I didn't know what might happen to the other prisoners." |