Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1875-12-02

FINAL ACTION OF THx CoA0Qk3A SUAY-TKR MYk.
rlHr STILL uasoIvRp-soNH susS1c1ous oIRcux- ,
STANCES pRv1LorgD.
Tho Cofones's Jury which had been summoned I
IN the case OF the murdered stranger At Norton
vile made further inquiry into the AFFAIR, Mon
dsy. District Attorney Wangsr was present and
assisted In the examination Of the Witnesses
The session was oponed shortly after 10 clock,
and continued to six, with only short iutermls-
sion for dinner.
About dozen Witnesses were examined
These were subjected to q moat thorough aud
searching examination. Much Of the testimony,
however, bad no direct bearing on the case, aud
almost al OF It was conflicting and unsatisfactory.
David Mcclure, man whose reputation in the
neighborhood u not the best, aud woman who CO.
habits with him. Mary Ann Bennett, we're Among
the witnesses, and their testimony WAS oontiadic-
tory throughout. The belief 10 entertained In the
De&hborhoOd that IL Mcclure was not party
TO tile murder he knows ct least something shout
IL, aud some suspicious circumstances were de.
veloped, which, could he be little more clossly
connected with IT. would warrant his detention.
As 1t IL he IL still At large, the Jury declining to
order bis arrest District Attorney Wanger, who
will continue to work mp the case, may, how
ever. have him locked mn.
The suspicious circumstances alluded TO are
these: On the Gath of October last Sunday
Eber Nielde, who passed Mortonvils coming
South 10 visit his daughter, discovered upon the
railroad ties on which he was walking traces OF
blood. These began at point immediately OPP
posite McClure's house, Oh the other side Of the
dam, and continued to the spot where the body
10 supposed to have been thrown in. At this
place WAS small pool Of blood, while the re-
maining traces were drops scattered along on
the track. The blood was then fresh and had ev-
identity fallen upon the track within few hours,
say between shutdown on Saturday and the mid
die Of the day on Sunday. MIR. Nields at first
thought it only chicken blood, and attached no
Importance to the discovery Of 1t until the find
ing Of the dead body. In front Of MoCure's
house and connecting it with the spot at which
Mr.. Nields first sAw the blood Ia q ford In the
| dam.
In MoClures possession was found vest with
| at aims upon 1t VI something which may or may
not DO blood. Mcclure says he bought the vest
| from colOred man in Coatssville, and that it
WAS covered with stains Of paint when he obtain
i. Mary Ann Bennett also undertook to corro-
borate his statement, but did it in such burg
ling manner "a to render 1t valueless, while Nc
Clure discredited his own statements in their
variety.
Further about the time the murder Is sup.
posed to have occurred Mcclure was possessed
no visible occupation. He WAS very anxious to
bet with gentleman who saw in his pocket book
quantity OF money upon the top OF which was
ten dollar bill. He said himself that he Lad
fifty dollars. The Jury undertook to estimate the
possibility Of his rghtful possession Of that
amount Of money At any one time, and they were
| Of the opinion that such Was impossible, judg-
ing from his means Of support. McCure's head
was also bundled up about that this time by rea-
son Of wounds, to account for which he first
said he was knocked down and robbed OF twen-
ty.tve dollars, but he afterwards ridiculed the
idea OF his having that much money. He Also
SAID the wound was received in fall from the
| cars.
While the body was lying in the Mortonville
station house awaiting identification Mcclure
WAS very restless, would look upon the body and
then 90 away. He did this thing two or three
times. 1t was also in evidence bsfore the coro-
ner that Mcclure was seen looking very aux-
iously into the dam one day before the body was
pulled out, but while it was floating in the wa.
ter,
As We have already ssid these are strong SUE
picous circumstances, but they will amount IL
but little unless Mcclure can be brought more
closely into connection with the affair. No one
seems to have seen the man at any time in com.
psny with Mcclure, or at or passing his house
Some leople are Of the opinion, however, tina
District Attorney Wsnger is in possession o.
facts which were not brought ont at the inquest
aud that he will fssten the guilt directly upoi
Mcclure. Mcclure is regarded as dangeroul
man, none too good to commit such deed; il
fact, he is in some way connected with An at
tempted murder of man named Stamp, Il fey
years ago. He has also served term in prison
probably on account Of the Stamp affair
The verdict OF the jury was that the maj
, found in the dam came to his death by volenc
at the hands Of aome party or parties to the jur
, unknown, that the wounds found upon the bod
showed that the murder had been committe
before it was thrown in the dam, and that tn
body had evidently been In the dam about tire
weeks.
The identity Of the stranger still remains IN
discovered Several inquiries have been re
ceived, and come photographs sent. Informs
ton has been asked by friends Of missing pal
, ties in Philadelphia, Baltimore, Harrisburg, All
. Pottstown, Montgomery county, Pa. From til
latter place photograph WAS sent, and some Q
the jurors thought they could discover traces Q
, resemblance between the picture and the dea
!, stranger. Both were stont men; there WAS som
similitude in the features Of the face but I'll
man in the picture wore full heavy beard, Will
, the moustache Of the stranger was shaved OF
!, Still, by close examination OF the picture til
physicians were of the opinion that there was
|, break IN the moustache at the very place whei
the the hare lip occurs in the dead man. and Thu
!, this break might have been caused by such
!, natural defect. Correspondence will folio
! between the jury and those who sent III
!. photograph. The name Of the missing man frol
a Pottstown il AIKEN,