No one seemed to care about the Christmas Eve, 1891 death of an African American man resulting from an oyster bar fracas in Millington. But when Dr. J. Heighe Hill claimed the man died of natural causes, he became the target of murderous retribution in a sensational case that focused national attention on Kent County and a lynching scare and ended with a quadruple hanging outside the jail in Chestertown.
“Injustice on the Eastern Shore, Race and the Hill Murder Trial” author G. Kevin Hemstock, historian and journalist, uses court records, local and national news accounts and interviews to analyze the case and its long-term racial, judicial and sociological consequences; to tell the story of the victims; and reveal the back story that made the case so relevant. No one seemed to care about the Christmas Eve, 1891 death of an African American man resulting from an oyster bar fracas in Millington. But when Dr. J. Heighe Hill claimed the man died of natural causes, he became the target of murderous retribution in a sensational case that focused national attention on Kent County, Md., caused a lynching scare and ended with a quadruple hanging outside the jail in Chestertown.
While attending college in Wyoming , Kevin Hemstock’s first history project was researching the 19th-century Overland Trail stagecoach stations of southwestern Wyoming. As a journalist he has worked as reporter, photographer and editor for various newspapers, in Florida, Idaho and Maryland, publishing hundreds of articles on the topic of history. From 2009 to 2014 Hemstock worked with the Kent County Office of Tourism to plan activities associated with the War of 1812 bicentennial. As part of that project he authored numerous articles about the War of 1812.
He left the Kent County News in 2012 to operate Old News, a genealogical and historical research service and ephemera shop in Millington where he continues writing about local history. He currently lives in Millington, Md. with his wife.
Come join us for History Happy Hour, 4 p.m. Friday, April 3 at the Bordley History Center, and hear about the case that may have helped shaped the debate about capital punishment in the Victorian-era.
Colleen Sundstrom says
You have the who, what, and when of this article but not the where. Where is this being held? Thanks.