The herald. (Smyrna, Del.) 1870-1871, 1871-04-15

In our last we gave the known facts of
the burning of Mr.. Langms3e's barn,
and also stated that freedman, Gilbert
Harris, formerly the Property of Mr.. l..
had been arrested andcr strong suspicion
OF being the 1ncen1lary. On Tuesday of
last week The negro had hearing before
justices jangs and Sullivan.
TIE testimony was purely circum-
stantial, yet sufficiently strong TO autbo-
rize the Magistrates in committing the
negro TO Jail to await trial before the Su-
perior Court. He was delivered to the
Tailor and confined accordingly. On
Tuesday night, or rather Wednesday
morning, between twelve and one o.
clock, party of Disguised mounted
men, estimated by the Town Marshal at
| from seventy tive to one hundred in
number, made their appearance upoh
the Public Square. Proceeding to the
Jail, tney knocked loudly upon the front
door, and demanded admittance. We
should remark that the Jailor and his
family reside upon the first floor. Being
aroused from sleep, MIR. Mayo, suppos-
ing it to be the Marshal, called out,
''hold o." Mr.. Mayo was prostrated
with rheumatism and unable to attend
the alarm. Mrs. Mayo threw on a dress
and fastened to attend the summons
In.the meantime the knocking, with the
order to ''open the door," was repeated
several times. The prisoners in the up
per story were aroused, and seeing the
masked horsenen around the Jail, rails
ed the cry of fire, doubtless divining the
object of the party and hoping by giving
the alarm of fire to awaken and bring TO
their.relicf the sleeping town. The man
Ebert raised most piteous wall, crying
out, "Oh, Lord Oh, Lord , seeming to
realize that he was the victim sought.
Opening the door. with candle in hand
Mrs. Mayo found herself confronted by
fifteen or twenty disguised men. With
that heavenly instinct known only to the
devoted mother, the first thought was
for her little ones. AS the men came
crowding into the hall, she expostulated
"you will brighten my children tn
deathr' They assured her that her fam
lily should not he harmed, and asked,
"where is he ?" meaning the negro, Ell
bert. Being told, they called for the key
to his cell. Obtaining the key they pro-
ceeded 10 the room designated, aud soon
returned, bringing the negro, his bands
tied behind him, returned the key and
left. AS they went out the negro looked
her in the face, SAY ing, most piteously
"Oh, Missnsr
None of the party were recognized by
any who saw them. In fact, but few
knew anything Of the matter until mex
morning.
On Wednesday morning the body o
Ebert was found lying on its face, the
hands tied, in the edge of mill pond
one mile from town. A number of citi-
zens repaired to the place, and had th'
Lody taken from the. water and the Cor.
oner sent for. At the inquest, DIR. A
Beach examined the body and found
five gun shot wounds: three immediate
ly around the left ear, either of which
would have produced instant death one
through the neck, and one below the lief
nipple. No clue could be obtained as X
the perpetrators of the deed, and the YER
dict of the Jury was: He came TO deati
from gun shot wounds inflicted by un.
known parties.
We do not expect our political enc.
mics to believe us when we say this aw
full tragedy tragedy is deeply regretted
by the people generally. The negro ha(
bad name, was generally unpopular
more so with his own color than will
the whites-had deserted his wife ant
children, was dou btless bad man; ye
humanity revolts at his terrible end
The people regret it, also, as mater o
policy. Full we'll they know all thes
things are laid to our charge as politica
sins-no matter how bad the victim is
politics did it, and Beast Butler fairl,
Shouts over every case. For this reasol
fain would we pass this case by and sa,
nothing about it. But experience hal
taught us that it is better to give tn
a / whole truth, than to leave it for an enc
! my to misrepresent the 4, al state of af
fairs.-Sandersyille tGa.) Central Geor
pfGn.