Smyrna times., 1858-04-08
A Student killed at Delaware College.


i A lamentaole affair occurred at Delaware
l. College. Newark, Del, on Tuesday, the 30tt
E ultlmo, by which an estimable young ma named
: J. Edward Roche, of Annamessex, Somerset
county, Md, lost his life. On the night of that
day, an Exhibition was to have been given by
; the Junior and Sophomore classes, in which a
prominent part was to have been taken by the
deceased. For this Exhibition programme, as
is usual in such cases, was printed, and men,
: bers of the classes who were not to take part in
the exercises were endeavoring to obtain a copy
of it, for the purpose of getting out mock pro-
; gramme on it, it being a custom at the college
to burIesque the Order of Exercises at such
Exhibitions. The speakers were using all their
diligence TO keep the programme a secret that
they might be spared the r1icule sought to be
inflicted, and none were made public. Two or
three weeks previously, young Roach placed a
letter in the hands of one Of his friends, to Ia Ike
to the post office, the letter containing a copy
OF the programme. A student, named Samuel
M. Harrington, from Dover, son of Judge Har-
rlngton, snatched the letter from the party to
whom it had been entrusted for mailing, and,
opening 1t, made copy of the programme
This act made some bitter feeling, which was
increased when, on Monday, il was discovered
that Harrington and his fr ends had got up q
vulgar burlesque, and caused it 10 be printed
The speakers determined, if possible, to dc stroy
these sham and indecent programmes, and on
Tuesday, while all the getters-up of tie bur-
lesque, (except one placed on guard,) with some
of the speakers, including Roche, were at din
ner, five of the latter broke into the room in
which they were placed and proceeded to de-
stroy them. In the meantime word had been sent
to the opposite party and they returned to rescue
their programmes, and succeeded in getting
part of them out of tie stove before they were
destroyed.
1t was Immediately, at this stage of proceed
ings, that the affray took place, which resulted
In the death of Roche. The one party attempt
ing to destroy, The Other to save the burning pa.
pers' they came in personl collision. While
the strugg lie was going on, a student named ].
IL. Weaver, of Baltimore, ran into the room
with dirk or bowie-knife and with this knife
Roche was stabbed in the right side of the neck.
whereby the carotid artery was severed, caus-
ing his death i'll a few minutes, from loss o!
blood. Before he expired, he declared, two or
three times that Harrington stabbed him. The
knife was found in Weavers room, in his trunk:
towel was found in Hlr ington's room, on
which, as shown by the marks of blood, tha
knife. or one Of the same sz exactly, had been
wiped. II is also stated ilat the sleeve on
Harrington's right arm was bloody, which he
said came from his nose which had been bleed |
ing in the melee. DR.. Hudders testified before
the Jury Of Inquest that Weaver, who ran for
him to render medical aid, said he thought he |
stabbed him; lludders' clerk, however, saws
Weaver did not say that, but that Roche had
been stabbed aud he feared he might be blamed
The verdict OF the Jury was that Roche came
10 his death by q stab from knife iu the hands
of one of the three following persons :-J. Fl.
Weaver, Sam'l NJ. Harrington and Il. D. Giles,
and these young men were committed to New
Castle Jail. Giles is from Laurel, Del, and his
implication as party to the affair is thus ac-
counted for: When blood was seen flowing
down the breast of the deceased, he exclaimed.
{" did it!"-but when it was discovered that
the blood flowed from a wound in the neck,
he denied having used knife, but acknowledge
ed that be struck the deceased on the nose and
supposed the blood proceeded from that blow.
Roche is represented as having been young
man of good abilities aud amiable department.
and about 10 years of age. On the next dav
his body was conveyed TO Baltimore and thence
by steamboat across Il bay probably to an
nounce to his parents, by its arrival, the inteli-
gence of their terrible bereavement. The subj
lect of his address was announced on the bro
gramme as Departed Glory"
One Of the worst features in the whole ae
fair was the breaking open of Roche's private
letter directed to lady; for that there is no ,
apology OF excuse, and from this circumstance
arose the whole difficulty, and as the .rue pro.
gramme was obtained by unwarrantable means
there can be no question of the right of the
speakers to destroy the sham programmes
wherever they could find them.
hearing Of this sad affair took place before
Chief Justice Gilpin at New Castle, Monday.
The Court room, says the Gazette, was crow
led with gentlemen from all parts of the State.
The court convened at Ii O'clock; The accused
entered the court room at 20 minutes thereafter
The fathers of each of the beys were present. q
seated by them. Council for Harrington, ID. M
Bates and N. P. Smithers; for Giles, Hon. ].
2. Comegys, and James M. Booth for Weaver.
Geo. B. Rodney. The Sheriff lied the list of
one not being present, the Sheriff
was directed to send deputy to Newark, to
summon him.
The Attorney General asked the course the
Court would pursue. His Honor replied that (
he could open the examination with such fit
ling remarks as he saw proper. The prosecu-
Ting attorney waving any remarks Immediately I
called F.. s. Mitchell to the witness stand, who
being sworn, rected briefly what he knew of
the affair. Much that this witness said we did {