The Lynching at Berkeley
October 29, 1904
Summary
The Planet criticizes the police of Norfolk after handing “George F. Blount, a prominent colored citizen” charged with the assault of an officer over “to the men who had chosen the means and methods to murder him.”
Transcription
The lynching of George F. Blount, a prominent colored citizen at Berkley, Norfolk county, Virginia last Monday morning without palliation or excuse and cannot be condoned by any of the surrounding circumstances connected with his assaulting a police officer and slightly wounding him.
Blount was in the hands of the Berkeley authorities, unarmed and helpless. That they should have accommodatingly turned him over to the men who had chosen the means and methods to murder him was an outrage, calling for the severest condemnation and the greatest punishment.
The colored people of this state are law-abiding; but if it is to be understood that an arrest by the officers of the law means the preliminary step to a dreadful execution, where is there a man, who, in his right senses will submit to such an arrest? It seems to us that Turn-key Ferrell of Berkley is largely responsible for the affair. The ease with which he submitted to the scare revolvers and threats of the lynchers indicate that he is not a proper person to entrust with the life and safety of any prisoner.
The least he could have done was to have thrown his revolver to the unfortunate Blount and bid him do for himself that which he was unwilling to do for him. It is certainly time that no more cowards be permitted to have charge of our station houses. We should certainly like to know of what service they are, if upon the demand of any armed parties, prisoners are to be taken from the cells and murdered, while they sit down with their mouths closed until the murderous ceremony is over.
Blount was charged with a misdemeanor, He was punished for a felony by a body of irresponsible men, who are themselves now guilty of murder. The outrage is being condemned by right-thinking white men throughout the state and the indications are that some arrests will be made, although the coroner at this writing is persistent in his statements that he does not know the names of the guilty parties. It is evident that when colored men are arrested for offenses against white men, the jails must be guarded by the friends of the colored men arrested.
This will alarm the conservative element among the white people, who will see it to that sufficient force of law-abiding white men are secured to avoid clashes between the hot-headed elements of both races. Berkley is in reality but a suburb of Norfolk city and that such a tragedy should be possible there is as surprising as it is unwarranted.
Some reference has been made to the fact that a “blind tiger” was in operation in the roar of Blount’s place of business. This has nothing whatever to do with the case for some white men of that section make it a business to run such affairs themselves for white men and deputize certain colored men to run similar dives for the degradation and downfall of colored ones.
We shall not carefully the result of the investigation, with an idea of ascertaining whether the condemnation of the lynching on the part of the local authorities is in good faith or is done only rid themselves of the responsibility for this most inhuman and revolting butchery. Lynch-Law must go!
Blount was in the hands of the Berkeley authorities, unarmed and helpless. That they should have accommodatingly turned him over to the men who had chosen the means and methods to murder him was an outrage, calling for the severest condemnation and the greatest punishment.
The colored people of this state are law-abiding; but if it is to be understood that an arrest by the officers of the law means the preliminary step to a dreadful execution, where is there a man, who, in his right senses will submit to such an arrest? It seems to us that Turn-key Ferrell of Berkley is largely responsible for the affair. The ease with which he submitted to the scare revolvers and threats of the lynchers indicate that he is not a proper person to entrust with the life and safety of any prisoner.
The least he could have done was to have thrown his revolver to the unfortunate Blount and bid him do for himself that which he was unwilling to do for him. It is certainly time that no more cowards be permitted to have charge of our station houses. We should certainly like to know of what service they are, if upon the demand of any armed parties, prisoners are to be taken from the cells and murdered, while they sit down with their mouths closed until the murderous ceremony is over.
Blount was charged with a misdemeanor, He was punished for a felony by a body of irresponsible men, who are themselves now guilty of murder. The outrage is being condemned by right-thinking white men throughout the state and the indications are that some arrests will be made, although the coroner at this writing is persistent in his statements that he does not know the names of the guilty parties. It is evident that when colored men are arrested for offenses against white men, the jails must be guarded by the friends of the colored men arrested.
This will alarm the conservative element among the white people, who will see it to that sufficient force of law-abiding white men are secured to avoid clashes between the hot-headed elements of both races. Berkley is in reality but a suburb of Norfolk city and that such a tragedy should be possible there is as surprising as it is unwarranted.
Some reference has been made to the fact that a “blind tiger” was in operation in the roar of Blount’s place of business. This has nothing whatever to do with the case for some white men of that section make it a business to run such affairs themselves for white men and deputize certain colored men to run similar dives for the degradation and downfall of colored ones.
We shall not carefully the result of the investigation, with an idea of ascertaining whether the condemnation of the lynching on the part of the local authorities is in good faith or is done only rid themselves of the responsibility for this most inhuman and revolting butchery. Lynch-Law must go!
About this article
Source
Location on Page
Lower Left Quadrant
Topic
Contributed By
Megan Brooks
Citation
“The Lynching at Berkeley,” Black Virginia: The Richmond Planet, 1894-1909, accessed May 12, 2025, https://blackvirginia.richmond.edu/items/show/679.