The daily gazette., 1880-05-13
FIFTH EDITION.
THE COUNTY COURTS.
THIS MORNINGS SESSION.
THE OUTRAGE CASE PARTIALLY OPEN
ED AND SOLE CRIMINAL BUSINESS
KNTERED UPON.

. NEW CAsTLk, may 18th.
Court opened at 10 o'clock this
morning Chief Justice Comegys, and
Judges Houston and Wales on the
bench.
Oyer and Terminer Court opened.
VIM. Neal, COL, indicted for commit
ting an outrage ON Mrs. Margaret
Grosser,of Blackbird HID, was brought
in. His counsel, Anthony Higgins,
Esq, alluded to the difficulty of the
defense in securing the attendance Of
the required witnesses, and was given
until afternoon to determine positively
when he would be ready to 20 into
trial. Neal was then returned to his
cell. rs. .
Sewall Starkey, COL, an old offender
and generally desperate character,
was placed on trial for burglariously
entering the house of Isaac Grubb, in
New Castle Hd., and stealing a gold
watch, valued at 800, pair of sleeve
buttons, an overcoat, and about 500 in
money. Deputy Attorney General
Cooper for the State.
Mr.. Cooper opened with brief,
succinct statement Of the facts which
the State expected to prove, and then
ex-Sherif Grubb took the stand. He
testified that on the morning of the
17lh of February last, he arose from
bed and learned that his house had
been entered during the night and rob-
bed Of the articles above stale The
watch and money were taken from the
pocket of his vest, which hung on
Nhatr tAat1a hta ha1
was taken from the hall down stairs.
John Rittenhouse testified to seeing
SeTall Starkey in the store near Mr..
Grubb's house, In the early part of the
night Of the robbery. Starkey asked
the witness where Mr.. Grubb's house
was and witness told him. About
Eight O'Clock Starkey left the store and
started of In the direction of the lane
leading to Mr.. Grubb's house.
Asbury Pennington, of Middletown,
said after the robbery he received note
from Isaac Grubb, in accordance of
which he traced Starkey as far as the
house Of Henry Hooper, COL, where he
found an overcoai, which he identified
a. belonging to Mr.. Grubb. He then
went TO Wilmington, where he found
Starkey under arrest; at the hearing
before the Mayor witness heard Starkey
admit be had left an overcoat at Henry
Hooper's house.
Henry Hooper then testified that
Sewall Starkey left at his house the
overcoat found by Mr.. Pennington.
Henry said Sewall arted for Whining
tch when he left bis house, but previous
to starting he took some of the boys to
Peacock's tavern and "set up" pint OF
whiskey.
Sergeant James T. Whslan, of the
Wilmington police, testified to arresting
Starkey, at Second and Market streets,
at the complaint of Isaac Grubb. Star
Key told witness he had left an overcuat
at Mr.. Hooper's,
The State here rested, and John
Nichols, COL, was called for by the de-
tense, and Sewall attempted to prove by
him that he bought the coat from a man
on the morning of Feb 17lh, who said
he was from Crisfield, and sold it for
one dollar.
Starkey then addressed the Jury, de-
falling the story Of the purchase of the
coat from the unknown Crisfield man
with considerable ingenuity. Sewall
also claimed that the States evidence
was insufficient to warranta conviction.
Mr.. Cooper briefly declared to the
jury the inconsistency of Sewall's
yarn, and then the Court charged the
jury to the effect that if the testimony
given by the State was to be believed,
there was no doubt of the prisoners
guilt. &c.
At II o'clock the jury retired.
The jury in the starkey case returned
at l1.16 with a verdict of guilty. The
Court sentenced him TO pay the costs of
prosecution, and fine Of $500, to stand
one hour in the pillory aud be whipped
with 40 lashes on Saturday next aud be
imprisoned three years.
State vs.. Benjamin Wilson indicted
for assault with intent to kill George
Lloyd. Mr.. Gray for State, Sharpley
for defense.
George Lloyd sworn:-Was coming
along the railroad on Sunday last with
Geo. Donnell, Charles Donnell and Will
liam Haley. Geo. Donnell and Haley
went after base ball bat and when
coming back saw Wilson come out Of a
house asked the boys ii they were going
70 use the bat on Ben (meaning himself)
They made no reply.
They came up TO the alley where we
were standing and Wilson came ND
and said If they wanted to use the bat
ON him to use it. Witness told him
no one wanted to interfere with him
that he had better 90 on and leave
them alone. Wilson drew a revolver
and pointing 1t at the witness and the
other boys pulled the trigger, twice
the cap snapped and he recocked the |
revolver and fired four or five times.--l
We picked up stones and threw at him |
a crowd of men and boys gathered.-
Wilson got behind the corner of a |
house and would look out and shoot. |
He shot three times before he got be- |
hind the corner of the house.
Cross examined-Had had no trou- |
BILE before with Wilson. He was go
ing to hit little fellow and | told |
him to "hold up"
George O'Donnell corroborated |
Lloyd's testimony.
John Ash testified that the boys
we're throwing stones and bricks at
Wilson he fred three shots while wit
ness was looking !; told the officers and
had him arrested. On cross examina-
lion said that three or four boys were
moving the stones, saw one stone
about AZ big as my fist hit him he
was backing toward his home when
'aw him.
AZ