The daily gazette. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1874-1883, 1881-12-07
NEAL ESCAPES THE HALTER
the WORK OF A JURY CHOSEN
FOR A PURPOSE.
A verdict that Receives Not the
slightest Popular sympathy OF
Approval - How Il was Ar

and the black ravisher was again set
loose upon the community whose laws
and sense of decency he had SO fear
fully outraged.
The trial being over and the
prisoner acquitted, It is now in order
to give the details and the popular
opinions of this remarkable case. Neal
was first tried at the May term, 1880,
after a motion by Mr.. Higgins, his
counsel, to quash the jury panels by
reason of the exclusion therefrom Of
men of African descent by reason of
their race or color, and TO remove the
case to the United States District
Court had been refused. He was then
tried by jury composed Of the fol-
lowing gentlemen
Thos. s. Dixon, Brandywine Hd.
John w. Worrell, Mill Creek.
John Williams, st. Georges.
Hyland P. Bullen, White @. Cree K.
Jesse Reeves, New Castle.
VIM. Lswton, Wilmington.
James Vanarsdalen, New Castle.
Aaron H. Paxson, Pencadsr.
John Thompson, Mill Greek.
Richard Booth, Wilmington.
Deweese Chandler, Christiana.
Joseph ii. King, Brandywine.
This jury after an hours deliberation
returned verdict of guilty on the
afternoon of May 28th, 1880, and tho
following day Nesl was sentenced to
be hanged. .l..
The subsequent proceedings, which
resulted in reversal Of this judgment
AMI Meals arraignment for a sec ond
trial are we'll known.
On Friday last Meals second trial
was commenced, and in the drawing Of
the jury MIR. Higgins was careful to
challenge every Democrat and every
man on the jury who lived south Of
the canal. With the exception of the
foreman, the entire jury was drawn
from Christiana, Brandywine and
Wilmington Hundreds, eight of them
being from this city. The regular
panel was exhausted, and Sheriff Clark
summoned talesmen from previously
prepared list. among his names being
some men who, ifthey hved a thousand
years in Wilmington, would never be
deemed worthy of having their names
| placed In the box to be drawn upon
the regular panel. His proceedings IN
drawing talesmen for the Harrigan
jury were in marked contrast, as on
| this occasion he called upon reputable
and well-known citizens of New Castle
county. Finally this remarkable jury,
evidently chosen for deliberat te
purpose, was selected. as follows
DAVID R. CHOATE, White Clay
Creek Hd.
| WIN. B. ADAMS, Wilmington.
NEHEMIAH DAVIS, New CASTLE.
| VIM. MURPHY, Wilmington.
VIM. b. BANCROFT, Christiana
MATTHEW MACKLEM, Viii,
mlngton.
PETER WOOD, Wilmington.
| JUHN NICHOLS, Wilmington.
| SAMUEL g, LOGAN, Whining.
CHARLES H. HOWARD. Will
GEO. u. WATSON, Wilmington
ALBERT I. DERRICKSON, Bran
II was q representative jury in one re
spect, at least. It represented Republi
can sentiment generally and the Reput
/ lican party of New Castle county moi
admirably.
The Jury drawn the trial proceeded
The State made plain case. The ev
deuce of the prosecuting witness wa
not impeached In the slightest particula
and the defense made practically n
dsfease whateuer. Mr.. Higgins CAV
!, the Jury the key note in his closing ar
eumept, when he brutally said he wcul
treat ethe evidence Of the prosecutin
witness,-the poor, outraged white VIC
man-as lie, for such he believed 1t
be. Judge Houston, In bis charge, con
batted thi 10 by saying that 1t was high
improbable q woman would make sue
q A charge against an entire stranger, witt
J, ont lust cause. The jury, howeys
), took the cue. and branded the poor VI
+ man as wretchsd perjurer, for the sal
i, OF the black villain whose guilt was ciel
!. as the MONDAY sun.
Il At seven O'Clock Saturday evenir
o tho jury retired for consultation, 81
+. remained out all night. Sundi
9 morning there were rumors,-whit
Q were evidently sent out from the jul
room for the purpose Of dscetving u
: public-that the jury stood ten for co
< yiction and two for scquittal, and tn
= finally one OF the latter came over to u
j majority, leaving but one dissentt
\. The sequel shows that these repor
a. were false, and that only two OF the 1u
had COINCIDENCE enough to mainta
the guilt OF the accused. Four mt
voted for acquittal on the first ball!
while two votes for conviction ana u
A. other ak by blank votes expressed I'M
~ doubts In the case. One by one the
six came over but the two who held o.
RS for convection, remained true to their &C
sciences until the eighteenth ballot,
q Monday evening, when one went ov
% to the side OF acquittal, where tnel
doubtful (?l ones had already rang
themselves. Tuesday morning the 10
60 champion of female virtue stood o.
most manfully, but after dinner ne 10
ok al the ranks OF the negro worshipsrs
,be .farcical verdict was formed.
od II was lust three o'clock when II
w c.ms into court, and, with stolid
nressionlass faces took their seats In |
ed inry.box. There was brief delay WI
"a Waiting for the prisoner to be broul
in and tben IN answer to the usual
be tsrrooa Al ories OF the clerk, the forn
en- pronounced the startling words, I'M
GUILTYw
in A silence like unto death, followed.
tee one moved, no one spoke. The spec
.en tors scanned as though spellbound v
borrow and surprise, lnstinetiyey