Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1874-10-22
The cDeVines-DepUty Murder Trial.

ACQuITTAL OF THE Observation-Disclosures OF THE
AcQuIrrAL-scESE N THE COURT ROOM.
The DevineE-Deputy trial, which was begun
in the Sussex County Court, sitting at George
town, on Thursday last, was concluded on Fri
day with verdict of acquittal. 1t will be re-
membered that the murder was only committed
at Milford on the Friday previous Qt WAS re-
ported in the COMMERCIAL on Tuesday, so that
the commitment, indictment, arraignment, trial
and acquittal were all accomplished in less than
week from the hour of the commission Of tile
deed.
The evidence in the case was not lengthy, and
was all given in on Thursday. From this eyi
dence 1t appears that Thomas nevines had been
living in constant dread Of his victim, Abraham
Deputy, and upon several occasions has been
subjected to eritel and unmercifnl beatings,
This has continued, according TO the evidence,
for some time past, and ever since Deyines WAS
the principal witness in case in which Deputy
was defendant, he having been sued by the
plaintiff to recover damages for boat which he
had destroyed. The amount of the damages
was fixed, it seems, according to Deputy's own
valuation OF the boat repeatedly made to De-
vines before the suit, and clearly given ins ev-
deuce by him at the trial. Deputy lost the case
mainly through Importance of Devines testmo.
ny. which so augered him that he let no oppol-
tunity pass to beat Deyinee, and being much
stouter man he accomplished the task with much
seeming pleasure. On one occasion Devines
NaS ooNoiViN ihJucu Nv peihS oea,eh WITH VII
oar.
1t was also offered IN evidence that on the dsy
of the murder Deputy had followed Devines
about to pick quarrel with him that he pur-
sued him from the wharf on the Mispillion, in
Milford, to Front street i'll the same town that
instead of turning of hero and going to his
home in another direction, as was his custom,
he continued to follow Devnes, applying
abusive epities frequently, until he finally
caused Deyines to stop and the two approached
each other, joined in struggle. and in
the midst of it Devines drew an ordinary
barlow knife, and with it inflicted wounds which
terminated fatally on the second day after the
occurrence. The fact that Deputy was in no
danger of his life until after he had passed
Front street, in Milford, and provoked the quar-
rel and encounter with Devines, thereby losing
his life, weighed with sufficient force upon the
Jury to bring in verdict of acquittal. The caro-
was given to the jury at II O'Clock on Friday
and the verdict was rendered in ali hour.
There was strong feeling of sympathy for
the prisoner not only in Milford but throughout
Sussex county wherever he was known, aud
when the verdict of the Jury was announced the
crowd which had thronged the court room
pressed eagerly about the prisoners dock and al
most overwhelmed him with their congratnla-
tons.
Devines is n Southemer by birth and residence
until about ten years ago, when he removed to
| Milford, and found employment under Deputy
| in the oyster business. He subsequently ell
! gagged in the same business on his own account
and to this source is attributed much of til. ILL
feeling which Deputy is believed to have con-
SANITY entertained towards him.