The Morning herald., 1876-06-23
THU DOWNEY OAEE.


delphta- Teslict Of tho Oeronss's Jury,
Especial Correspondence to the Herald.]
CHRISTINE, DEL, June %, 1876.
1t did not require extraordinary powers of
observation, to discover that the usually
quiet and staid village of Christine, was
the subject, this morning Of sensation.
BY ten o'clock. A. M. crowd of persons,
variously related to the Downey poisoning
case, had collected, and every succeeding
hour, till tho assembling of the Jury of In
quest, At one O'Clock, P. M, contributed to
increase the number. Amongst those
earliest on the spot, ready for action, were
the Coroner, his son and Deputy Richard
Groves, and DR.. Howard Ogle. At later
period DR.. Maxwell, of New Castle, and
DR.. Grimshaw, of Wilmington, appeared.
Whilst waiting for "something to turn
| up" dinner hour arrived; and after =
thorough test, your correspondent is willing
to be qualified, that there 10. in Christine at
least one man, John Elliot by name, who is a
prince of good fellows, of whom 1t is only
truth to say that, he "knows how to keep q
| hotel"
|! writer understood, was Miles Dickerson,
who is entitled to notice, for his old age and
i remarkable preservation. He 10 now III the
ninety seventh year Of his age and looks to
be about sixty. He is capable of perform
| ing full days work on farm, and he says
he will not turn bis back upon any man
with cultivator.
Promptly at ten o'clock, A. M, the Coro-
ner and the jury entered the school house,
the use of which had been obtained for the
purpose of holding the investigation which
was rapidly filled to overfowing by crowd
Of curious spectators. Upon calling tho
jury, two were absent, which caused some
delay. The Coroner began proceedings by
reading extracts from the law applicable to
tho case.
\ The first witness examined was William
Rust, nsighbor and tenant of the late
Mr.. Downey who, upon being asked what
absolutely nothing about it. On Tuesday
4 twice; he was ailing about ten davsssor two
n in the stomach, occasionally expressing
Il wish to have DR.. Maxwell visit him.
II Mr.. eStafford being sworn said:
\ was there during Mr.. Downey's illness; was
II there severa! days. On Wednesday he
seemed to be better; he did not vomit in my
presence. He complained of burning in
side; said the medicine gave him inward
piles did not do him any good.
BENZ. Downey, son of deceased, sworn:
Don't know anything about the poisoning
4 only what heard. ! went there on We'd
a nesday, and he complained Of sense Of
4 burning on the inside. Did not hear father
\ say any thing about bis coffee tasting
wrong; heard that he said his coffee tasted
like laudanum; my wife said she heard IA
aT1ther say to Kate, ooh, Katel Kate, you
1r1gave me the lnedicine that will take my
PlifeV
g Mr.. Btddle, sworn: don't know anything
Hexcept what heard; heard Mrs. Do wn-
ley say ten days before he died, he found
asomething in his Office like sand, which she
said as sand in the sugar; heard him
complain Of burning.
John Bell, colorsd; sworn: l lived with
Mr.. Downey when he died; I don't know
d aanything about tho poisoning; never told
lanybody that suspected that Mr.. Downey
had been poisoned; have seen Mr.. Phillips;
he came to live with Mrs. Downey two days
after Mr.. Downey was buried, have heard
Everybody talk about the case.
Chas. n. McWhirter, said know moth
ling Immediately connected with this case;
had lost sight of Mr.. Phillips, who used to
live In our neiehborhood. noticed that he
looked we'll, and dressed we'll. He said he
had soft thing, as he was being supported
by woman in the neighborhood. who gave
him everything ho wanted. She wanted to
give him . horse and carriage, but she
would not do that until they made away
! with tho old man; that they had put some
thing in his coffee, but the old fellow would
not drink enough of 1t to put him out o1
| the way.
A. o. Pennington sworn: Phillips CANT
| to St. Georges' last Fall, and asked for Sut
| ton; told me he had bottle of poison
which he showed me, but said there Wal
too much laudanum in 1t, and that the ole
man had tasted It and would not drink
enough Of 1t to kill him. Hs then broke thu
bottle, but said his business was to got Al
bert Sutton to put him up poison. HI
said he had coed home If he could onl.
get the old man out Of the way.
Daniel Draper said: don't know anything
about the poisoning; last Fall, PHILIPPE live'
with me.
| The testimony Of this witness was withou
afiliation to the case.
VIM. Taylor, Jr. said: don't kaov
much about 1t; all know is what Mr.. Pen
nington told me; that Phillips srid he wa
r going to poison somebody; who it was
: don't know; and that he then expected t.
have soft thing.
Savilla jackson said know Nj. Phil
= lips: last Fall he came to st. Georges an
asked me whore Albert Sutton was. W
walked together and he showed me bottl
! which he said lad poison in 1t, with which
4 he intended to poison somebody; have know
Phillips for long time; I place no cont
dence in anything he says. and therefor
J attached no Importance TO anything n
! thing he says. / smslled the cor
tents Of the bottle, but did not recognize th
l. tsmell of laudanun, or anything I am fami