Biography
John Henry (d. 1906)
Executed on July 27, 1906 in Snow Hill, Maryland
John Henry was executed in Worcester County on July 27, 1906 in Snow Hill, Maryland. Henry was 27 years old, and was suspected to have assaulted and raped a white woman in Berlin in 1905. According to the Democratic Messenger, Henry was the son of "prosperous negro" Isaac Henry. John worked for Frederick Selby as a carpenter, and had already served a term in the House of Correction at the time of his arrest.
On November 21 1905, Henry was arrested for the assault of his employer's wife. He denied knowledge of the crime, but was identified by Mrs. Selby as the perpetrator on the basis of having the large lips of her assailant, and that he was beyond a doubt responsible for her assault. Shop owner Thomas Jarvis also put Henry in close proximity to the scene of the crime. A mob soon assembled to lynch Henry, so the police took him to the jail in nearby Snow Hill for his confinement and safety. An armed guard had to remain with him all night to prevent his extra-judicial killing. In February of 1906, the accusations against Henry intensified from assault to rape. It is speculated that had Henry been accused of this crime upon his initial arrest, the lynch mob would have succeeded in its goal.
Henry remained in jail from the time of his arrest to his day in court. On May 31, 1906, Henry was convicted by Judge Henry Page of Worcester County Court and sentenced to death by hanging. The testimonies of Mrs. Selby, as well as several other white citizens put Henry at the scene of the crime when it occurred. No jury was present at the trial, but an audience was, who cheered at the news of Henry's death sentence. Efforts were made by African American citizens of Worcester County to petition the Governor Edwin Warfield to prevent Henry's execution, but they ultimately failed to gain support due to the hanging of William Lee in Somerset County, also for the rape of white women. Governor Warfield set the date of July 27th for Henry's execution. Henry did not show signs of distress at his sentence, but continued to claim innocence up until the day of his hanging, where he confessed to the Worcester County sheriff and a minister. This confession was kept quiet until after his execution in order to prevent a lynching. Several hundred people attended the hanging.
Newspaper Clippings
"White Woman Assailed," Baltimore Sun, November 23, 1905.
*also published in Salisbury Advertiser on November 25, 1905.
"Woman Assaulted," Washington Post, November 23, 1905.
"White Woman Assaulted by Colored Man," The Courier, November 25, 1905.
"Attempted Assault on a White Woman," Democratic Messenger, November 25, 1905.
"A Woman's Modesty Prevents a Lynching," Democratic Messenger, February 17, 1906.
"Saved from Lynching," Baltimore Sun, February 19, 1906.
"State," The Courier, February 24, 1906.
"John Henry is to Die," Baltimore Sun, June 1, 1906.
"Negro Henry to Hang," Salisbury Advertiser, June 2, 1906.
"John Henry Found Guilty," Democratic Messenger, June 2, 1906.
"Town Topics," The Courier, June 16, 1906.
"Henry Says 'I Am Innocent'," Democratic Messenger, July 21, 1906.
"John Henry Executed," The Courier, July 28, 1906.
"John Henry Hanged!" Democratic Messenger, July 28, 1906.
"John Henry is Hanged," Baltimore Sun, July 28, 1906.
"Maryland," Baltimore Sun, July 28, 1906.
"Negro Hanged for Assault," Washington Post, July 28, 1906.
