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| Atlas of Fifteen Miles Around Washington Including the County of Prince George Maryland. (Hopkins,1878) http://jhir.library.jhu.edu/handle/1774.2/33000 |
LYNCHING OF A FIREBUG.
—
Joe Vermillion Strung Up at upper Marlboro'.
—
LONG STORY OF A NEIGHBORHOOD FEUD.
—
Special Dispatch to THE EVENING
STAR.
UPPER MARLBORO', Dec. 3.
This
morning, at half-past 2 o'clock, Judge Lynch visited our town, and although the
party he was after (Jos Vermillion) was in the hands of the law, the old-time
punishment was meted out without the intervention of the jury[.] Joe Vermillion, a white man, was arrested
about ten days ago in the upper part of the county for setting fire to houses
and barns, and to others of the same family were also arrested but were
subsequently released. Immediately after the arrest threats were
heard that Judge Lynch intended to save the state the expense of a trial, but
the talk dying out it was thought that the law would be allowed to take its
course and the extra precautions taken by the Sheriff were somewhat relaxed. This morning about 2 o'clock there was some
commotion in the town when some 40 horsemen, well last, appeared in our streets
and surrounded the jail. They were very
quiet and orderly and calling to the jailer, Mr. Ridgway, that they had a
prisoner, Mr. Ridgway came down from his bed room and opened the gate. The two hiding men at once grabbed the jailer
and others covered him with pistols. Mr. Ridgway resisted as best he could, but
the iron grip of the men holding him prevented him from getting away, and some
of the party sees the keys from him. Some
of the party went to Vermillion's cell, where they found him with his leg
shackles welded to the floor.
These were
cut by some while others were holding the prisoner, and some were preparing the
rope which they placed on his neck, although Vermillion fought them
desperately. They then dragged him from
the cell and building, but he fought hard for his life, and having secured a
piece of glass some of the literatures were cut and scratched by him with it.
They took him toward the railroad and reaching the iron bridge on the east of
town about 500 yards from the jail threw the rope over a beam, Drew him up and
tying the other end left him hanging.
Preparations
are being made for an inquest this morning.
Vermillion
was a desperate character was a desperate character and died cursing the mob.
Justice would have taken its course, but the due man had threatened the life of
many in Queen Anne district. He was one who would have kept his word and this
may be assigned as the primal cause.
THE CAUSE OF IT.
On the
night of November 22 John Vermillion, who lived near Halls station, Baltimore
and Potomac [Rail] road, and was well known to the court officials of Prince
George's county, was forcibly taken from his home and tied to a tree. The unknown visitors then removed his
furniture and set fire to his log cabin.
Fearing bodily harm the man promised to leave the vicinity immediately,
whereupon he was released and left for parts unknown. He had several sons. A number of young men
living near Hall's and Covington were arrested on November 23 and tried before Justice
Ryan, who ordered them released. On
Monday, November 25, considerable excitement prevailed near Mulliken's station,
on the Baltimore and Potomac road, because of the burning of two large barns
and a tenement house, which were fired by incendiaries. These Saturday night before, almost at the
same hour, buildings were seen burning in different parts of Queen Anne's
district. Thomas Black, who live near Mulliken's station, suffered the greatest
loss. In his barn were stored 10,000 pounds of tobacco, and his entire crop of
hay and fodder. About 9 o'clock this building lay in ashes. At 925 a barn on the farm of General [John
W.} Horn, tenanted by Walter Ryan, the magistrate who acquitted the young men
brought before him for assaulting Vermillion, which contained this year's crop,
together with farming implements, was seen to be on fire.[1]
Though every assistance was rendered, it soon succumbed to the flames. A small unoccupied house belonging to James
Hamilton was also burned.
THE WHOLE FAMILY ARRESTED.
On the
theory that the buildings were set on fire out of revenge for his decisions and
for the treatment of John Vermillion it was determined to arrest the whole
family of Vermillions. A tramp, giving his name as William Wright, was also
arrested as an accomplice. When arrested he had in his possession a seven-shooter
and threatened anyone approaching him. He
denied any knowledge of the burning and said he was at the residence of ex-Gov.
Bowie when the affair happened. The Vermillion family have taken up their
residence near Bennings station and constables have been sent there to arrest
the father and a third brother. Much
indignation is expressed here, both as to the burning of the Vermillion
property and the supposed incendiarism of Saturday night.
Accordingly
constables from upper Marlboro' went to the home of the Vermillion's and
arrested Edward, John, jr., George, Lloyd and Joseph Vermillion, all grown men
and the fathers of large families. Charles
Bell, a brother-in-law of the Vermillion's, was also taken into custody. The constables took the six prisoners at the
point of revolvers after they had been order to throw up their hands. Joe Vermillion was particularly ugly in his
behavior. Before he could consent to
accompany the officers he had to be roughly handled. He was an escaped prisoner from the house of
correction, who was wanted by the superintendent of that institution to serve
the remaining eighteen months' sentence.
JOE MADE ALL THE TROUBLE.
John
Vermillion, jr., told the officers that his brother Joe was the cause of the
trouble. John said that on Saturday
night, November 23, about 830 o'clock, Joseph, who had been living in the
woods, came to his house and threatened to get even with those who would not
give his father justice in the affair of the night before (Friday) when the
older Vermillion's house was burned by a band of men, who tied him to a tree
and only released them on his promise to leave the neighborhood. Both the father, who was in John's house, and
John himself tried to persuade Joe from carrying out the threat, whereupon he
left. About 1130 Joe returned to the
house and asked to be admitted, carrying in his hand a cold oil can. He told
John that he had a little fire of his own . He immediately left and nothing was
known of his whereabouts until he was arrested. Bell, the son-in-law, was
charged with burning his own house, which he rented from James Hamilton. He
denied the charge and said Joe did it after leaving the Barnes. Many thought
that Joe would never reach the jail alive, as the excitement prevailing at and
about Lincoln's was so great that fears of violence were entertained. John
Vermillion, sr.,aged sevebty-three years, the father of the man arrested, was
not arrested.
TESTIMONY AGAINST JOE.
As there
was no evidence to implicate anyone else the charge of arson against the other
Vermillions was dismissed, but 13 citizens of Mulliken's neighborhood swore out
peace warrants against each of the other Vermillion boys, and they were placed
in jail in default of [??]00 bail.[2]
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[1]
Col. John W. Horn, Warden, Baltimore Penitentiary.
" In 1872 Mr. Enoch Pratt, a philanthropist of Baltimore City purchased a
twelve-hundred (1200) acres of land here as a place to which delinquent colored
boys of Baltimore could be sent for rehabilitation. The name given the
institution was "The House of Reformation for Colored Boys." It was to be under the control of a Board
of Managers and to be conducted by a Superintendent and whatever other
personnel as was needed. Among the earliest superintendents was a certain Gen. John W. Horn who
had been connected with the Maryland Penitentiary in Baltimore. The first boys,
thirteen in number, were brought down in January 1873. As no buildings had yet
been erected, they were housed in what had been a residence of a few preceding
years. With the exception of a garden plot and an apple orchard this tract too
was woodland or scrub land. Through the years more and more land was cleared
and an administration and other brick buildings erected. Some of the personnel
were drawn from Baltimore but much employment in the many different lines was given
to people of the community both then and throughout the following years. Some
of the girls of the neighborhood secured husbands too from this and the
Railroad project." website: Selby Family Tree. http://www.selbyfamilytree.net/CousinHattie.html
Transcribed by John Peter Thompson, November 30th,
2014.
PG 74B-030 MIHP Duvall-Hopkins Store at Hall Road
http://www.mncppcapps.org/planning/historiccommunitiessurvey/gallery_viewer.cfm?ID=74B-030&photo=PG%2074B-030%20MIHP%20Duvall-Hopkins%20Store%20at%20Hall%20Road%2002.jpg
Transcribed by John Peter Thompson, November 30th,
2014.
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