Wilmington daily commercial., 1874-10-07
The Shooring of The Nut-Hunters.


ARREST OF MIR. wooDwARD-HIs STATEMENT TO
COMMERCIAL REPORTER
The particulars of the shooting of two OF a
party of boys while gathering chestnuts on the
farm tenanted by Aaron X. Woodward, near the
city, yesterday, were printed in late edition Of
Last evenings COMMERCIAL, and will ba found |
reprinted on our inside pages to-day. During |
the afternoon warrant was issued by Esq. o.
Neill, at the instance of the father Of young
Skelley, for the arrest of Mr.. Woodward, and
Officers Daniel ONeill and Brickle went out to
his residence late in the evening and brought
him e prisoner to town. George Lukens has
also sued out a writ against Mr.. Woodward, which
was served this morning
MR.. wooDwARD's STATEMENT.
At an early hour this morning, COMMERCIAL
reporter visited Mr.. Woodward in the cells to
whom he made the following statement. He
said about 10 o'clock in the morning he perceiv
ed several boys under his chestnut trees and
started to drive them away. When within fifty
yards of the trees he ordered them from the
premises, when they told him to "Go to HI"
and ran. As he drew nearer the trees another
boy came down from among the branches and
also ran. Young Lukens and Skelley, he says,
were still up the trees hiding among the
branches when he arrived on the ground, but
came down at his command. As one of them
was slipping down the tree he picked up dead
limb which was lying upon the ground and
struck him over the shoulder. After they were
down he says he told them to rum when one of
them inquired, " you won't shoot, will you Z" to
which he replied in the negative, and they then
scampered away across the field. When they
had gotten about 80 yards distant and were still
running, one Of the boys, turning, told Lin to
" Go to ILL., He then raised his gun, which
he had taken with him from the house, to shoot,
but endeayored to aim above the heads Of the
boys. He says his intention was not to shoot
them but only to frighton them away.
Mr.. Woodward further says that he has been
greatly annoyed the whole season by trespass-
ers in his orchard and truck patches-so much
30 that he has been compelled to stand guard
over them. Only last Sunday he was compelled
to drive away party of young men, who dis
are posted, he says, conspicuously about on the
premises These notices were also on the
chestnut trees which the boys had climbed, he
added.
THE ExAMISArIos-woo COMMITTED FOR
MURDER.
At O'Clock, this morning preliminary ex-
animation was begun before Esq. O'Neil. Dur
ing the brief pause before the beginning of the
trial the death of young Lukns was announced,
and this case was taken up first, Mr.. Woodward
pleading mot guilty. Geo. C. Gordon, ESD,
had been retained counsel for defence but
was not present.
| Edward Speakman was tile iirrt witness cal ed
who. being sworn, deposed that at about 9.3C
| yesterday morning, LulIens was one of party
| OF boys who were going after chestnuts OH the
| Brandywipe Springs Road; that when they came
| to MIR. Woodwards 4 place they went over to til,
trees and Lukens, Shelley and William Greer
climbed the trees, the other boys remaining be
low; had not been there more than 10 minute
when Mr.. Woodward came out of the woods, an,
while yet 100 yards away ordered the boys Il
! down. those hplDW u.b V y
came to the tree lie pointed his, gun Il
it and afterwards threw up a sticl
the boys then came down, Gree
running in one direction and Skelley an
I4ukens III another ; had gone but short dis
tance when Woodward discharged his gun an
Lukens fell ; saw Woodward run to Lukens an
picking him up tried TO walk him away witnet
then advanced to the two and asked for a wago
to take l.ukens home, when he was told to get
;, wagon from some one else Shelley kept @
running. Mr. Woodward asked tile witnei
some questions the object OF which was to in
peach his testimony. bnt they were unimpor
ant.
r VIM. Green. 15 years of age, and Walter NJ,
d Elvey, lG years of age, both satisfying the ma
u istrate that they were aware of tho consequei
Il ces of swearing falsely were sworn and tesutit
n without material difference from the above wi
h ness VIM. Green, however, added that lie WI
the last to leave the tree and that the shootiI
took place before he came down. The witnes
es were both cross-examned by Mr.. Woodwa
but without any significant results.
William Coyle, 16 years of age, being swor
testified that the party had started for Brand
wine Springs after chestnuts that when the
came to Mr.. Woodwards place they climbed IL
on the fence to look at the chestnut trees al
seeing the burs open started for the trees b
not with the intention of staying McElv
m picked up a bur, the only one On the groun
ks which he threw to Speakman, and which Spea
man was opening when Mr. Woodward Che ide
titled him. came running across the field Al
following, 'lf you don't get down out OF tn
tree Will blow your brains out J the boys be
ged that he would not shoot Lukens tn
came down hrst and as he did 20 Woodwa
struck him with a stick which broke over
shoulder. Shelley then jumped a
both ran away together with tn
arms tapping each other; after th
had got only some six or seven wards frt
the tree Woodward put his gun up to
shoulder, took aim az If lie were going to she
bird and fired Lukens fell from the effe
of the shot witness was only about 80 yai
away Skelley ran ON through another field a
to reioned the crowd, his arm all bloody and ble
no ing from the wound.
Being cross-examined by Woodward, with,
said that he (Woodward) was standing still cl,
by the tree when he fired, and the boys W,
Nd running only about six Or seven yard from
tree did not hear the boys say anything to hi
neither witness nor the boys shot were O.
there before.
Mr.. Woodward was then examined ON a chai
OF shooting with intent to kill young Skelley
which he also pleaded not guilty. The sa
witnesses were examined who gave in subst
. TALLY che same testimony The room was ii
49, cleared, the Magistrate reserved his decision
short time, but returning after brief absel
nal committed Mr.. Woodward to New Castle with
IDS bail. The witnesses were each held in 500
appear and prosecute the case at court
After the hearing Mr.. Woodward made sta
ment which was taken down in writing by L
ONeil. His statement is about the same az {
made to COMMERCIAL reporter, and prin
above.
ls, DEATH OF LuRENs-sKELLEy's CONDITION.
Young Lukens died this morning about
,R,. past nine O'Clock, and his death was annou
in the office Of Esq. O'Neill shortly after the
currence and before the examination was beg
Mr.. Woodward was sitting within the office
80 ing at the time. His co lntenance had worn a
E9 expression before this, but the announcer
made no perceptible change in it, He sat IL
quietly, apparently deeply solicitious for the
suit of his examination. After the hearing
the witnesses was concluded, and while wal
wnl for the decision, Mr.. Woodward leaned forv
n Ie's and buried his face in his hands upon the Il
Get before him, but was soon composed again.
nv Shelley passed tolerably comfortable nj
RI Of but experienced much pain from his wound
L.. l.... ..t -