Wilmington daily commercial., 1872-11-22
NEW CASTLE COUNTY COURTS,
the TRIAL OF DENNIS.
THURSDAY.

THURSDAY.
The first case called up for trial was that of
state os William Dennis, (col } who was indicted
for committing rape on the person of Mrs.
Mary Thompson, and on his arraignment last
Monday, pleaded not guilty."
AFTER twenty-eight jurors wers drawn, ten Of
whom were challenged peremptorily, and six
challeged for cause, the following iury WAS Oh
tanned for the trial of the prisoner David H.
Oullen. ID. Brainard Ferris, Edward L. Clark,
Elihu Talley, John 'Jourdan, Joshua Robinson
John O. Corbit, William Husbands james
McMullen, John s. Steel, Minshall Hinkson and
Albert j. Lyman.
The special jurors who were not serving en-
the above Jury were then discharged.
The first witness called was Mary Thompson
VINO testified in substance that on the night of
the 10Th OF March last after she had gone to
bed, (having her two children, one five years
old the other about eighteen months OF age
with her In bed) she was aroused from a doze
by hearing noise outside at the window.
she got up, went to the window and opened
1t and there saw a man who had OPEN
ed the shutter Of the window below, and
who called John John, ;" (the name OF her hus-
band) three times. She said 10 him, "what do
you wanG go away from here" She then ran
out at the back door and across the road to
house occupied by colored people who had
moved there the day before. Dennis ran after
her and struck her on the head with a clothes
prop; she screamed, and the inmates of the
mouse came to the window and said to the
maui gou hhu D6bLbr STOP, YOU VIII
kill that woman" and saw the man
Cthey did not recognize the parties) strike the
woman with his fist. Dennis Tit her on the arm
in several places, tearing out pieces OF the flesh,
and splitting them out scratched her breast and
dragged her round the corner OF the house when
he threw her down and ravished her He then
dragged her by the hair. through the mud, to
her own house, and put her on the bed when she
became unconscious. After regaining conscious
ness she saw Dennis, with his knees on the bed
leaning over her, with knife in his hand and
he said to her. you will not have me hung for
this will kill you and your whole family. +"
She knocked the knife from his hand, jumped
up and ran out of the house to that Of Mr. Jos
LeFevre, near by, who let her in and started in
pursuit OF Dennis. Her clothing, consisting of
skirt and some under-clothing, had been torn
OIL her, and she came to Mr.. LeFevre'a in nude
condition, save skirt thrown around her head.
Mrs. j. Jane Abbott who washed and dressed
her next morning, said she was terribly bruised
and bitten, with a clot Of blood on her head, and
that IN washing her head, two locks of hair
about as thick as her little finger came of. She
was too sti1 and sore to move, and when taken
on the third day to the couEsy almshouse, she
had to be carried out of Mr.. LeFevre's house.
When her hair was combed at the almshouse, a
few days after her arrival there, large hand
kerchlef full of hair came out, which was exhi
bited in Court.
The main facts were corroborated by the re-
naming evidence produced by the prosecution,
and by confessions made on two occasions by
the prisoner.
The Court took recess till 8 p, M, when the
arguments pro Il con were delivered.
The defence endeavored to prove that by the
contradictory statements of the prosecuting wit
ness the penetrdUh had not been sufiicie ntly
proven, and that the prisoner, by his intoxlca-
ton, was physically unable to commit the crime
charged against him.
After short charge from the Court tile case
was submitted to the Jury about 80 o'clock,
who in fifteen minutes after leaving the box re-
turned with a verdict of guilty" Attorney
General Lore and Opt Atty. Gen. Bates repre-
sented the State. John IL. Rodney, Esq, de-
Tended the prisoner
State Us. JOS. Smith (colored), indicted for
the larceny Of some carriage harness, from
VIM. B Ford, at Kirkwood on the 10th Of June,
last. Tried and found guilty" W. Cummins,
Esq, for State.
State Us. same, indicted for larceny on same
day and at same place, OF a cloth coat from Alex
Morris (col )-trled and found guilty" VI.
Cummins, Esq, for the State.
The grand and general juries were discharged
till 10 o'clock tomorrow morning, till which
time the Court adjourned.