The daily gazette., 1880-03-31
FIRST EDITION.
The BIackbIrd Outrage.
THE FEARaUL CRIME PERPETRATEp
BY WIN. NEAL, NEGRO-THE OUT
RACER ARRESTED.

BY WIN. NEAL, NEGRo-THE OUT
RACER ARRESTED.
The outrage of a white woman by a
| negro man in Blackbird Hundred, this
county, on Monday afternoon, as
briefly stated in yesterdays GAZETTE,
proves to be most brutal crime, and
it is fortunate thing that the perpe-
traitor was so promptly arrested and
confined in Jail. The full facts of the
outrage is as follws: r.t 81
Mrs. Magaret Gosser, a young white
woman, wife of John Gosser, lives
with her husband on the farm of
David J. Cummins, Esq, of Smyrna.
The farm is about three miles above
Smyrna, in Blackbird Hundred, not
far from the dividing line between
New Castle and Kent counties. a
About two O'Clock on Monday after
noon, as Mrs. Gosser was at home
alone, attending TO her household
affairs, strange negro man entered
the house and came to the room where
she was at work. Without word and
before she could express any remon-
STRANGE to his unwarrantable intrusion,
he seized towel hanging near by, and
threw it over her head. He then
seized her by the neck with both
hands and choked her violently, after
which he threw her to the floor, and
despite her struggles brutally outraged
her person. AS soon as he accom-
plished his fiendish purpose the viii
lain fed, and Mrs. Gosser, half-dead
with excitement and terror, ran to a
neighbors and gave the alarm. Her
face was severely scratched, and her
neck bore the villainous impress Of the
black wretch's fingers.
Soon afterwards, the husband came
home and was made aware of the fear
full outrage to which his wife had been
subjected. From the description given
by the woman of her assailant, he rec
ognized him as one William Neal, a
negro man living in Smyrna, and pro-
ceeding at once to the office of Esquire
Deakyne, he had q warrant issued for
Meals arrest. The warrant was given
to Constable Warner, of Blackbird,
who, accompanied by Gosser and
three or four of his neighbors, started
Immediately in search of the criminal.
They traced him down into Thorough
fare Neck, and closely searched every
negro house on their road. Finally
they found Neal in the house Of a col
ored man named Isaac johnson,
in the Neck. He was in bed, fast
asleep, but was Immediately aroused
and arrested. Under the close sur
veillance of his captors he was convey
ed to Esquire Deakyne's office, arriy-
ing there between seven and eight
o'clock in the evening. He was i'm
mediately given a hearing, and Mrs.
Gosser positively identified him as the
man who had so vilely outraged her.
On this direct testimony the Esquire
decided to commit him for trial, and
accordingly he was closely guarded
through tue night and taken to New
Castle on the first train Yesterday
morning. Sheriff Pyle took charge Of
him and locked him up in cell No. 81,
on the second floor of the Jail, where
he will remain until his trial at the
May term of court.
The prisoner is an ignorant negro,
apparently about 28 or 80 years of
age, though he does not know how
old he is. He is rather below the me-
dium height, quite black in color, and
wears a small moustache. He wore,
when locked up, a checked shirt, knit
jacket, and light striped pants. As
usual, in such cases, he strongly as
serts his innocence. He claims that
his wife was visiting Isaac Johnson's
house, and that he went there Mon
day afternoon to see her, arriving
there about four o'clock. Previous to
going to Johnson's house he claims to
have stopped at the houses of several
colored men in the neck.
Neal says he was born in Accomac
county, Va, on the farm of William
Neal, ESQ.,, from whom he took his
name. When boy he roamed up to
New Castle county and worked on
various farms. For several years past
he has driven the hack of the Della
ware House, in Smyrna, but a few
days ago he secured work in Cummins'
bone factory, and was to have COM
menced his labors there yesterday
He claims to have had his clothes at
Isaac Johnson's house, which was one
reason for his journey down the neck.
He is married, but has nochildren.
Mrs. Gosser, the victim of the out
rage, is a young and respectable wo-
man, who has resided in Blackbird
Hundred for several years. She has
haan mn rriad opIv a faw ,noptbS