Delaware State journal and statesman., 1867-07-30
1.rnnn LAW 1N pElAwARm.

i'The citizens of Leipsc, this (Thursday)
morning, 25th inst, were horror STRICKEN ny
Mr.. Thomas r. George coming into town
and reporting that the body of a negro man
was hanging on willow along the road
leading to the railroad, ON the corner OF MIR.
John Saughter's farm, about n mile out OF
town. Many citizens visited the scene OF
the tragedy He was very dark-hued and
about % to "a years old, and supposed to
weigh from 1870 to 140 pounds. He had
been working on farm with William 4.
Collins, at Martins Bridge. Last nignt
about o'clock, while Mr.. Collins and his
wife were absent visiting neighbor, some |
five or six unknown persons in disguise,
came to his house and called the boy out
into the yard, when he was set on, tied, car |
ried off, and hung from the tail OF u cart or
wagon OF some sort, as the tracks oi wheels
were seen under the corpse. No cause can
he assigned for tins fearful outrage. MIR.
Collins out buildings were fired and burnt
to the ground on Monday night last, anu
some suppose that this fire had something
to do with the hanging, as there were good
grounds to suspicion this boy, who was re-
cognized to be VIM. Evans, but there is not
the least evidence that any one that had the
least interest in the property destroyed had
any completely in the hanging. 1t is a sad
case, as he was considered perfectly loyal,
and had served several years in the war.
ANOTHER ACCOUNT.
The Dover DeldWdTedn of Saturday says:
We learn that II negro man, named VIM.
Obie was lynChed, or murdered, on Wednes-
day evening, III the neighborhood OF Leipsic.
1t is said that the negro was accused OF set
ting fire TO Il barn, recently, and 1t is sup.
posed that he was taken TO the woods and
hung, by unknown parties, on account Of
/. | hn uucfNipipOa auainaf him Wp home the
Coroner will make thorough investigation
of the matter, and bring the parties guilty
of this outrage to Justice. There is no ex-
{ cuse or palliation for lynch law In Kent
County, and it should not be tolerated. The
Coroner held an inquest on the body on
Thursday, and the jury found that Obie
came TO his death by hanging al the hands
7 of five men, to the jury unknown.
8 After the above was in type we received
j the following;
LEIPsIc, DEL, July 20, 1867
This morning, at an early hour, the body
@ of negro man was found by neighbors
l. passing along the public road, suspended
if from the limb of a willow tree, on the south
east corner of the farm Of John Slaughter
y about mile from Lelpsic, at the junction o
IS the road leading from the direction OF Mar
e Tins Bridge and Morton. He was hunl
T. with common plow line, his feet about Il
:. OF 20 inches from the ground. There wer,
y wagon tracks under the body, which showe(
!, that he was hung from wagon or carrag
" Of some kind He was identified as a VIM
y Evans, alias Obie, and had been living witt
Mr.. VIM. I. Collins, at Martins Bridge. Las
~ night, in the absence of Mr.. Collins and hi
n wife, who were visiting his father, some per
le sons in disguise called the boy out of III
!, house on the pretence of engaging him I
cut oats for them. He was roughly seized
Z" tied and placed in kind OF peach wagon
n and drawn off in the direction OF Leipsit
al This took place about 8 or 10 o'clock in tn
90 evening. He was seen hanging last nigh
about 10 O'Clock, by some members OF Mr.
n Mary Cowgill's family, who were returnin
Ill from Leipslc. There were supposed TO |
w. six or eight persons engaged in the hanging
l,c but as they were completely disguised reco
~ nition was impossible. On Monday last, NJ
ID Collins outbuildings were burnt, and susr
ur cion rested on tins boy Evans, as being Il
nd perpetrator OF the act, as it was undoubted
10 a case of arson, and it is supposed that th
fire had something 10 do with the lynchn
No one is suspected OF being engaged in
'cs that we are aware of. His body, at III
he writing, Is still hanging, waiting the arriv
tes of the Coroner. G. w. S.
ar An Unmuzsled Dog Case The followi
ors decision in the case of an unmuzzled d.
-, prove of some interest:
u" George G. Gordon, Esq, was informed
ors by officer Heritage, for allowing his dog
thc be unmuzzled in the public streets contra
an to the ordinance The evidence of ofic,
- Olmstcad and Heritage and Mr.. Jan
iis" Strahan, was TO the effect that they had sc
I'M the cog without a muzZle in front Of
the Gordon's residcnce-that he was genera
nod with him, but they could not say tor cert
IA hnfhar thpN bnd linn n n 70 Of y
az without Mr. Gordon being with him.
rial Mr.. Gordon alleged that the words of
hly ordinance, which are as follows.-"or 81
and permit such dog to be ut large between
first day of July and the 18th of Septeml
'on' in any year without being eifectually M
-stic zled so as to prevent his biting, meant I
ards the dog should be at large without be
reot under the control of the owner-that
without the dogs owner being with hir
that whilst his owner was with him, and
Tth, was under his control-he could not in
state spirit of the ordinance be at large. I
rri,o his dog was never out except in front of
own residence, when he sat with him OF
eIoi evening TO give him air, and allowed
The to play on his own pavement. That
iem- never allowed him to follow him when
Am was out walking. Mr.. Gordon stated
Dix, that @ he ieit IL dIsSrace holding tho NO nosi
for violation of an ordinance. That
rton officer should have informed him that
,cer, dog was unmuzzed, as other city off
49,, had done. lie asserted that the officers
huu partial; that they passed numbers of
ourr- unmuzzled III the streets, and arrested
nos That officer Heritage had basely acted a
III in inurlei S oeHounJeu M ,he & aGoo9 g ~ ~
ty, to on Sundays, which was their duty,
he es- hunting up dogs for the informer's fee.
The Alderman in reply stated that Ii
gretted the attack made by Mr.. Gordo
John the police OF the city, and officer Heri
so,,en who had done no more than his duty ac,
-, ing to his oath of office in giving info
VIII ton of II dog uumuzzed That the Go
ry by had taken more pains to get that dog
&c will nance enforced than any other on the
That it could not he expected that the o
could enter into the nicetes of the cons
ton of the ordinance-he left that Il
Mayor and Alderman. 1t was suf1
atisrs for him that dog was unmuZzled Il
,ounty public street 10 make complaint
nj DO though no man stood higher in public
nation in this city as Il gentleman and
idenee yer than Mr.. Gordon yet the city
asst. IN would be good for nothing were onl
5 were ignorant alChe 10 pe arrested lot the
wine ton Of the ordinances, and the learne
in the Intelligent 10 go scolt iree, Ihat none
as and better the difference than Mr.. Gordon bel
what was evil Ill itself and evil only be
le first prohibited. That the one carried dis
tented the other no disgrace, and that the ordi
at i'm was OF the latter character. That So
by the the wealihest, best educated and mo
npany. spectad people of the city had been
the Mayor and Alderman on this law
lunuer the reason so many dogs were upmuz2
D light n,.ners' nn,nes That If ;S evtremel
cuped AMI to nmrnrce tbe law egoinst intoy
Market dri,i,s ANN Leca,,so neonla would not
tnnssnA NllnNei NeeNpaao lN.LhI. WVNlN ~