The daily gazette., 1879-11-20
FIFTH EDITION.
OUR COUNTY COURTS.
DOINCS IN COURT THIS MORN
ING;
THE CASE OF sEwKLL sTAHKKY rAKBN
UP-HARRY BRANNoN's CASE.

-. SA"@ W INV 1LL . AAhhh hAADN
UP-HARRY BRANNoN's oAss.
Specially Reported for the Gazette.
New CASTLE, Nov. 2O.-Court met
at the usual hour this morning; judges
Comegys. Wootten and Houston on the
bench.
State vs.. Sewell Starkey, COL, burgla.
ry, with attempt to commit larceny;
for defense. In Starkey's case quite a
change has been made In the manner If
the indictment he YVES at first indicted
for attempt TO commit rape, but Attor-
ney-General Gray had new indictment
found - the facts wou d not bear out
the allegation In the former.
Laurence J. Rigney testified to the
robbery. 1t occurred on the night of
July 18th, when his house on the Lam
caster Pike, just beyond the limits OF
Wilmington was broken into and many
things taken away which were Q tea
spoons, O knives, o forks, several napkin
rings, . lot Of jewelry and clothing.
The entrance was affected by means Of
forcing open the cellar window. or
the things taken, witness only recover ed
| q neck-tie which he recovered at the po-
lice station he had worn this on the
day preceding the robbery.
Hannah Rigney sworn-The first
knew Of the robbery was when Maggie
Haggerty screamed abont 2 or 3 o'clock
.. IN. that there was a man In her room; I;
She is our hired Girl; among the thugs
taken away were necktie and pair Of
drawers Of peculiar make with . band
around the top. (Witness was shown
| the necktia found by the police on Star
Key, and recognized IL ~ the one taken. }
Several days after the theft, Stark. y
came into the store and moi ed that
he had on my husbands drawers on the
band of the garment was above the top
OF his pants, and he had . vest on that
was too short for him found out that
his name was Sewel Starkey and my
husband had him arrested.
| Sergeant of Police James T. Whelan,
and Chief of Police VIM. j. Maxwell
testified TO arresting Slarkey on July
18th, and 10 recovering the necktie that
had been put in evidence as part OF the
property taken from Mr.. Rigney's house
| Rachael Ewing, col, swOrn.- -Starkey
boarded with me At the time the robbery
was committed he wore the necktie IL
question on the Sunday preceding hi,
arrest 1t was one among quite num-
ber that had been about the house fo
some time.
Magarct Haggerty, sworn Il wa
working at Mr.. Rigney's store as do
mestic at the time of the robbery /; tha
night l retired at 1890 o'clock, ant
about two O'Clock was awakened by
mau in my room who had hold Of N,
hand, and stood by the bedside erie,
Tor Mr.. Rigney and he said, "hush
they're all asleep, and you'll awakeI
item" She cried again and he attempt
ed to put his hand over her mouth fail
ing to stop her cries he went out of tn
room upon hearing Mrs. Rigney callinl
to know what was the matter. Witnes
recognized the voice Of the man, thou.
he spoke In very low tone, as that O
Sewall Starkey. who had often been Ii
the ore.
The State having closed, Mr.. Boot
opened for the defense, saying he won
endeavor TO prove an abb for the prise
| ner.
Calvin Crossin, a farme- in Christian
Hundred. testified that Starkey worke
for him about the time Of the robbery
he slept In the barn and sometimes wen
away at night. Timothy Freeman, col
testi fled that eweIl asked him for \ Ioa
Of money at IL o'clock the night Of tb
robbery, near Brandywine bridge
About l2 O'Clock he came to witness
house and rem Nned till nearly sun III
Sunday morning.