Governor Albert Ritchie
1931-
(Newspaper Clippings and Correspondence Relating to the Lynching of
Matthew Williams, Courthouse lawn, Salisbury, MD, December 4, 1931)
An Archives of Maryland On Line Publication

msa_s1048_1_and_10-0301

   Enlarge and print image (256K)     
 Jump to  
  << PREVIOUS   NEXT >>
clear space clear space clear space white space


 

Governor Albert Ritchie
1931-
(Newspaper Clippings and Correspondence Relating to the Lynching of
Matthew Williams, Courthouse lawn, Salisbury, MD, December 4, 1931)
An Archives of Maryland On Line Publication

msa_s1048_1_and_10-0301

   Enlarge and print image (256K)     
 Jump to  
  << PREVIOUS   NEXT >>
17 MOR^ GALLED FOR GRILLING IN LYNCHING PROBE Total of 119 Subpenaed by Salisbury Jury in Slaying Of Matthew Williams 10 TESTIFY THIS MORNING --------- earing Expected to Continue Into Next Week Special to The Post SALISBURY, Md.—Seventeen additional witnesses were summoned today for appearance before the Wicomico County grand jury, which is investigating the lynching of Matthew Williams, Negro, by a mob of lower Eastern Shore citizens here on the night of Dec. 4. Issuance of summons for these 17 persons raises to 119 the total number of persons subpened in the investigation. It is considered a certainty that many more will be called before the probe is concluded, and there is a possibility the inquiry in this one case may extend over into next week. Ten Questioned Today Ten persons were heard by the grand jury this morning. These, added to the 12 heard yesterday when the probe was started, make a total of 22 heard out of 119 so far summoned. The 17 subpened today are believed to be persons whose names were given to the grand jury yesterday as possibly having knowledge of the lynching. The new witnesses are: P. A. Grier Jr., chief of the Salisbury Volunteer Fire Department and a member of the Town Council. Dr. H. A. Barnes, attached to the staff of the Peninsula General Hospital, Miss Mary Massey, nurse at the hospital. Carroll Hopkins, contractor. Marion Brown, insurance man, Mary Waller. George Croswell. John Martin Sr. John Martin Jr. Loran Niblett. All of the above are from Salisbury. Three residents of Somerset County also were called. They are: Thomas Webster. Russell Webster. "Fats" Wilson. Four Salisbury colored men also were summoned. They are: Randolph Rouse. Daniel J. Elzey. Roger Jennings. George Farlow. Chief Testifies Among those heard today by the grand jury was Chief of Police N. H. Holland, of Salisbury, who was in charge of officers at the hospital the night the mob dragged Williams from his cot in the institution, forced him to walk half a mile to the Courthouse green and " hanged im to a tree. Chief Holland was before the grand jury for over an hour. He was'followed by Helen Fisher, night superintendent of the hospital. - Others before the grand jury today were Alfred and Charles Truitt, publishers of the SalisburyJTimes; Wallace H. White and E. Sheldon Jones, publishers of the Salisbury-Advertiser; John W. Downing, banker and former county treasurer; Conrad O. Long, lumberman; P. W. Burroughs, delegate to the last Legislature from Wicomico County, and State Sen. David J. Ward, of this county. Communistic Angle Whether any Baltimoreans will be summoned before the jury is not kiiown, but indications are the group may extend its investigation to take in reports that Communistic meetings were held in Salisbury at intervals for several weeks prior to the day Williams killed his employer, Daniel J. Elliott. Charges have been made- that Williams was incited to this action by Communist propaganda, and Judge Joseph L. Bailey, presiding jurist of the Wicomico County Circuit Court, asked the grand jury to look into these reports. There was said to be a possibility that Baltimore officials of the International Labor Defense League might be called to Salisbury to testify whether that organization was instrumental in staging meetings here. Physicians Testify Witnesses^"heard yesterday included Dr. R. M. Nock, Dr. J. Mc-Fadden Dick, Dr. Hunter R. Mann, all physicians attached to the staff of the Peninsula General Hospital; Miss Helen V. Wise, hospital superintendent; Miss Florence S. Smith, dietitian; Misses Mary Robinson and Myrtle Wright, nurses, and Miss Lillian Serman, Talbot Lar-more and Severn , W. Murray, of Berlin. h