Delaware gazette and state journal., 1884-05-22
ACCfDENT OK UhDah.
A Mutilated Coiored Corpse Found
Lying on the p, w. & Ii. Railroad.

train WAS passing the West street CROSS
ing Of the p, W. & B IAilrosd Sun tsy
morning the fireman discovered the u au.
Rled remains OF q ovlored lnan lying
alongside the tracks. The depot anihor-
tiles were promptly notified and shifter
No. 10 was sent out to bring the corpse in
TO the station. Here the dead man was
recognized as Perry Hamilton, who lived
on East Liberty street, Hedgeville. The
back part Of the mans head was crushed,
his body badly bruised and torn, and one
Of his legs severed from the trunk. I'm.
dertaker Palmer took charge Of the body
and removed 1t to the morgue.
At first 1t was presumed that Hamilton
had been struck and run over by train
some time between midnight Of Saturday
and the hour when the corpse was found,
but subsequently 1t was supposed, from
Indications surrounding the finding Of
the body, that he had been foully dealt
with and then placed upon the railroad
tracks Chief OF Police Mcdonnell
and Detective Jones went to work
upon a clew and their investig atoms re-
suited in the arrest of Elijah Benson, a
colored man about 25 years OF age, at 1
O'Clock Monday morning. Benson went to
Hamilton's house on Saturday evening,
and, after quarreling for seme time, each
man threatened to have the others lite.
Three or four witnesses, who are sup
posed to know something Of Hamilton's
death, have been locked up.
Hamilton was about 35 years of age
and, although not married, lived with .
woman in Hedgeville. For some time
past he had been employed by the P, W.
Il B. Railroad Company. 1. is said he
was very drunk on Saturday evening.
The inquest WAS set for 10 Monday
morning but 1t WAS postponed until p.
m. on account Of the inability to get all
the witnesses. The chief testimony
against Benson will probably be that Of
his wife, who while drunk Sun
day morning had fight with
her husband. During the en-
counter she was heard to ex-
claim: "You killed Perry Hamilton
and put him on the track but you can't
kill me-" Several witnesses will testify
to hearing this exclamation. There are
several other stories afost which place
the prisoner In very suspicious light to
say the least.
A large crowd Of colored people gathered
at the coroner's office and discussed the
killing, while waiting for the inquest
Monday morning. One Of the women who
was summoned as a witness and is
believer in the murder theory
whispered oonfdentlally to the
coroner to try and get the sus-
peoted Benson to touch the body, as a
The body is 30 terribly mangled 1t will
4 Ii k1aa I,..l 80 al
that the man had sustained injuries
previous to his being run over by the
cars.
Coroner Smith in the afternoon sum.
moned q jury and after viewing the re-
mains adjourned to the municipal
court chamber, where the testimony Of
the witnesses WAS heard. A medical
examination of the remains WAS made,
but owing to the mutilstion Of the body
no marks could be found to substantiate
the suspicion that Hamilton had been
murdered.
Tho evidence, as far as heard, throws
cloud of mystery around HAmilton's
killing, and shows that the untiring
forts of Detective Jones and Chief OF
Police Mcconnell to sIft the matter we're
entirely justi6able and oommendable. 1t
was shown that locomotive No. 81, arriv-
ing here at 2.b5 O'Clock Sunday morning
from the south, passed over Hamilton's
body, which was lying directly between
the line OF rails on the north bound
track. The pilot of the engine came
lightly in contact with the prostrate body
of the negro, tearing up some Of the skin
and flesh, which WAS afterwards found on
the pilot bars.
The fireman Of the locomotive, Ralph Il.
Hughes, in his testimony stated that the
body WAS lying just west Of the railroad
crossing OF the Harlan 4 Hollingsworth
Company between the rails when he saw
1t and the night being dark the loco
motive WAS directly upon it when is WAS
first seen He examined the locomotive
directly after the accident and discovered
only the meaty particles sticking to the
pilot. There was entire absence of fresh
blood anywhere upon the locomotive
which he accepted as fact that the man
was dead before being struck by his engine.
| The next morning he visited the scene OF
| the casualty aud observed large pool Of
oongealed blood about 20 feet from where
| the body was first crushed. He discovered
| the location Of the blood pool ss being
about 4 feet outside the main lines Of
| track near siding. He reiterated his
opinion that the man had been dead some
time when he was struck by the looome
| tive of which the witness i5 fireman
After arriving in Philadelphia he in
spected the two locomotives passing
through here on the same track and be-
| fore his locomotive but saw no blood or
| indications that they had run over any
| one.
William W. Hickman, train dispatcher,
testified that he was notified OF the acci-
dent by the crew OF the locomotive at
tached to the train reaching here 55 a.
M. He got shiftsr, went directly to the
| place, found the body which WAS perfectly
cold not bleeding and giving unmistaksble
evidences that death had ensued probably
| two hours before. Both shoes were of,
one lying by the side OF the track and
the other in pile OF iron short distance
away.
Luther W. Palmer, who was called on
t, gather up the body, testified to the
finding OF two mems hats and woman 8
hat in close proximity to where Hamil-
toms mutilated body lay. He also gave
as his opinion that the man had been
dead two or three hours.
| Annie Irons, oolored, denizen of
Marsh Lane, testified to sesiDg the de-
ceased in company with Elijah Benson al
IL 80 Saturday night. They knocked at
her door, and Hamilton called out for ad
mission. She slipped quietly up stairs
| and, from her lattioed shutters watched
the two men. Hamilton was very drunk
and, after knocking few minutes st her
door, he went away and lay down. Benson
went to him raised him up saying he was
going to take him home which Hamilton
resisted and the two men disappeared
around the corner. Shortly after the
witness heard Hamilton crying out
"Don't out me any more; don't out me
again" She afterwards saw their
shadows on the fence which indicated
,hst they were engaged in a vigorous
struggle,
Harry Rothwell, colorsd, testified to
seeing the deceased and Benson together
at the railroad aud Market street at II. .4C
D. m. Hamilton appeared TO be drunk
and shouted boisterously 81 don't give q
damn for any man and no one black s.
Of a b. had better not tackle me-"
Benson, to this defiant exclama-
tion, replied "You may give q
damn before the nights over" On
Sunday morning about 8 or 10 O'Clock
he walked past the house where Benson
was stopping with colored woman
named Martha Blsokson. The two were
engaged in fight at the time. This
witness heard Masths say to Benson, in
an emphatic way, lyon tried to kill one
can't do me-"
v,Ixn nhar ata u