Judge Lynch's Court
Mob Justice in Maryland During the Age of Jim Crow, 1860s - 1930s

Lynching Profile: 
Characteristics Considerations &
Database Field Design


William Burns
MSA SC 5339-70-28




Key: Responses are in bold; questions that are not applicable to this incident are in gray

1. Last Name of Person Lynched: Burns

2. First Name of Person Lynched: William

3. Middle Name of Person Lynched 

4. Prefix to Name of Person Lynched (Mr., Miss, Mrs., Ms.) 

5. Suffix to Name of Person Lynched (Jr., II, etc.) 

6. Title to Name of Person Lynched (Rev., Dr., Capt., etc.) 

7. City of Press Consulted: Baltimore

8. Name of Press Consulted: the Afro American Ledger; the Sun

9. Date of Lynching: October 6, 1907

10. City Where Lynching Occurred: Cumberland

11. County Where Lynching Occured: Allegany County

12. What was the trigger crime 

a) Violent altrication resulting in fatality 
b) Unsolicited fatal violence
c) Violence in fatal self-defense 
d) Unsolicited non-fatal violence 
e) Violence in non-fatal self-defense 
f) Sexual violence 
g) Robbery 
h) Arson 
i) Participatory insurrection 
j) Guilt-by-association (in the case of insurrection)


13. Who was victim of trigger crime? (all that apply) 

a) Local
b) Outsider 
c) Male
d) Female 
e) Black 
f) White
g) Lower classes 
h) Middle/upper classes 
i) Child or teenager 
j) Adult (healthy)
k) Elderly, handicapped, or infirm


14. Who was the alleged criminal/lynch victim? 

a) Local 
b) Outsider
c) Male
d) Female 
e) Black
f) White 
g) Lower classes 
h) Middle/upper classes 
i) Child or teenager 
j) Adult (healthy)
k) Elderly, handicapped, or infirm


15. At what point did the lynching take place? 

a) Shortly after the crime, but before any conclusive investigation
b) After a suspect had been identified, but not yet apprehend, or apprehended but released 
c) After a suspect had been apprehended and detained, but before any trial 
d) While trial was on-going, before verdict 
e) While trial was on-going, after the verdict, but before sentencing 
f) After the trial had concluded, verdict handed down, sentencing handed down 
g) After defendant was found guilty in court 
h) After defendant was sentenced to less than death in court 
i) After defendant was sentenced to death in court


16. Was the suspect continuously detained locally, if not, to where was he/she removed? 

a) Yes
b) No 
i) [notes field]
17. At any point in the apprehension, detention, and trial of suspect did the state intervene on any level? 
a) Yes 
b) No
i) [notes field]


18. In a few sentences characterize the court proceedings? 

i) [notes field]


19. If lynching occurred in lieu of a formal trial: 

a) Was lynch victim found at scene of crime?
i) Yes
ii) No 
iii) Not reported


b) Was lynch victim found locally within hours of the crime? 

i) Yes 
ii) No
iii) Not reported
c) Was lynch victim identified and killed well after (days) after the crime? 
i) Yes
ii) No 
iii) Not reported
20. If lynching took place after trial:
a) Did it occur immediately after the sentencing?
i) Yes
ii) No
iii) Not reported
b) Was lynching perpetrated in public space (court house yard, street, etc.)?
i) Yes
ii) No
iii) Not reported
c) Was a non-participatory crowd of on-lookers present?
i) Yes
ii) No
iii) Not reported
d) Was lynching executed surreptitiously (at night, in woods, no non-participatory witness)?
i) Yes
ii) No
iii) Not reported

21. Method of lynching? (All that apply) 
a) Hanging 
b) Burning 
c) Gun shot
d) Stabbing 
e) Dragging 
f) Other fatal torture 
g) Dismemberment 
h) Not reported


22. What was the disposition of the press toward crime? 

a) Sad, but simply a crime 
b) A particularly heinous crime 
c) A unique and/or unprecedented crime 
d) No comment


23. What was the disposition of the press toward possibility of lynching? 

a) Encouraged lynching 
b) Discouraged lynching 
c) Silent on the prospects 
d) No comment


24. What was the disposition of the press toward lynching after the fact? 

a) Congratulatory 
b) Disapproving yet understanding 
c) Outraged
d) No comment


25. What role did the local law enforcement play in the lynching? 

a) Participatory (through action or inaction)
b) Preventative (though action, even if unsuccessful) 
c) No role (lynching occurred before local law enforcement became involved) 
d) Not reported


26. What role did the local judiciary play in the lynching? 

a) Participatory (through action or inaction) 
b) Preventative (though action, even if unsuccessful) 
c) No role (lynching occurred before local judiciary became involved)
d) Not reported


27. What role did the local executive play in the lynching? 

a) Participatory (through action or inaction) 
b) Preventative (though action, even if unsuccessful) 
c) No role (lynching occurred before local executive became involved)
d) Not reported


28. What role did the state law enforcement play in the lynching? 

a) Participatory (through action or inaction) 
b) Preventative (though action, even if unsuccessful) 
c) No role (lynching occurred before state law enforcement became involved)
d) Not reported


29. What role did the state judiciary play in the lynching? 

a) Participatory (through action or inaction) 
b) Preventative (though action, even if unsuccessful) 
c) No role (lynching occurred before state judiciary became involved)
d) Not reported


30. What role did the state executive play in the lynching? 

a) Participatory (through action or inaction) 
b) Preventative (though action, even if unsuccessful) 
c) No role (lynching occurred before state executive became involved)
d) Not reported


31. How were the lynchers portrayed in press local accounts (all that apply)? 

a) Outsiders 
b) Town folk 
c) Heroes 
d) Vigilantes 
e) Criminals 
f) Unspecified
32. How were the lynchers portrayed in press non-local accounts (all that apply)? 
a) Outsiders 
b) Town folk 
c) Heroes 
d) Vigilantes 
e) Criminals 
f) Unspecified
 33. How were the on-lookers (if any) portrayed by the local press? 
a) Aghast and/or horrified 
b) Somber, matter of fact 
c) Celebratory and/or souvenir seeking 
d) Unspecified


34. How were the on-lookers (if any) portrayed by the non-local press? 

a) Aghast and/or horrified 
b) Somber, matter of fact 
c) Celebratory and/or souvenir seeking 
d) Unspecified

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