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This was the report received by Colonel Beverly Ober, State police head in Baltimore. He ordered every available trooper into Worcester County, sent Lieut. Ruxton Ridgely and Sergeant William H. Weber with orders to save the Negro women "at all costs." A member of Baltimore's exclusive Bachelors' Cotillion, twice married, good-looking Socialite Lieut. Ridgely spent his first honeymoon pursuing bootleggers, was famed for his exploits. No mob-fearer was Sergeant Weber, who was badly battered trying to stop the 1933 lynching. They flew to Salisbury, sped into Worcester County by car.
Meanwhile the mob had congealed in Stockton's four corners, yelling at the Negro women, asking them "How would you like to have this [rope] around your neck?" Terrified Lillian Blake promised to lead them to her man's hiding place. Someone pointed out that the two women, both barefoot, could walk faster if they were shod. A committee crowded into a store to buy shoes.
At that point Lieut. Ridgely and Sergeant Weber arrived. They grabbed the women, waded back through the non plussed mobsters, clubbing their way when someone tried to stop them. The report, later denied, was that they had fired one shot, pinked an oysterman in the hip. They stuffed the women into their car and drove away. By next morning one other Negro was in their custody—Charles Manuel.
As the search for Collick dragged on and a snowstorm wetted down mob spirit, tension in Worcester County relaxed.
Five days after the Pilchard murder, Collick, famished and tattered, ran plump into the arms of police. He and the other prisoners were safely transported to Harford County jail, on the other side of Chesapeake Bay.
Said State's Attorney William G. Kerbin, commenting on the storming of the Snow Hill jail: "First we've got to find out who did it. ... It is my job to prosecute the men arrested by the sheriff. Ask him." No action could be taken until after the murder case was settled, explained Sheriff Hall, refreshed by his sleep. But "there has to be an investigation," he pronounced.
"The people are demanding one." Having narrowly escaped another discreditable lynching, Maryland quickly charged Collick and Selby with murder, Manuel with shooting with intent to kill.
Lillian and Martha Blake did not mind being held as witnesses. They grinned with pleasure over their new shoes.