Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1884-08-13

Il As Or1eny stated in late edition Of
the REPUBLICAN, ON Tuesday after.
noon, Daniel Reardon, q prisoner in the
County Jail at New Castle, committed
suicide about 2.30 O'Clock the same
afternoon by cutting his throat with
razor while sitting on his cot in the
cell. The unfortunate man was SEN
fenced on May 18th 10 pay the costs Of
prosecution and . fine OF $50, and TO
undergo an imprisonment of nine
months from that dAte. He was charged
with assault and battery on Dennis
Lynch with intent to kill. Through
his counsel, Willard Salisbury, Esq,
however, he plead guilty of the assault,
which plea was accepted by the Attor-
ney General. The crime was committed
on sunday evening. January 9th last,
about O'Clock. Reardon, who was o
section boss on the b. & P. Railroad.
had toen drinking during the afternoon
at the Columbia Inn with LYNCH.
Michael Lucy and John Kelley. The
party, who were all more or less under
the influence of liquor, started to 20
home, when a quarrel ensued, which
resulted in the serious injury of Lynch,
who received a cut about an inch long
and an inch deep In the abdomen below
tho navel.
At the trial, Lucy and Kelley testified
that Reardon did the cutting, while the
latter maintained that Lucy and Kelley
set upon him with knives in a quarrel
about Lynch's daughter, that he step
ped behind Lynch to shield himself
and that Lynch received one of the
blows intended for him. He was ar
rested the same night after the occur
ence, given hearing before Judge
Cummins, and held for Court. He was
com mitted to the jail at New Castle,
January 20, where he has remained
ever since, with the exception of making
the trips to and from tie Jail to attend
his trial. He occupied cell with Will
liam Begley, who was convicted of the
burglary Of Harry Pizor's store at No.
ia Market street, and WAS serving out
years sentence. They occupied
cell No. Z on the lower tier and
at the time Of the suici6e Begley was
standing at the opening in the cell door
talking to HenryR. McGregor, another
prisoner who was in the corridor, about
a drawing that he (Begley) made, and
McGregor had just handed him sheet
of paper. Rear,ion was sitting on his
mattress, which lay on the floor in the
northeast corner of the cell, leaning up
against the wall as has been his custom
for some time, as he appeared very mo-
rose and low spirited. All of sudden
Begley heard a peculiar sound, similar
to that of water rushing from hydrant
and upon turing quickly around he Oh
served great stream of blood squirting
apparently from Reardon's mouth
across the cell. McGregor also saw II
at the same time, and Begley shouted
|" Dan has hemorrhage run for help
quick" He then proceeded to raise hi
companion up, when he made the horri
BILE discovery that he had cut his throat
and cried out My God, Dan has killet
himself.
Warden Hance quickly responded t,
the summons, but when he arrived at tn
cell the unfortunate man was jus
breathing his last, having lived onl,
about two minutes. Coroner Smith wa
Immediately summoned by telephone
was empaneled: Charles Gray, e. r
|; Milford, William Ruth, Henry VIII
liams, Joseph q. White, e. II. Jamison
. E. T. Kemp, B. +. Lancaster and w
s. McNair. When the jury entere
the cell CHASTITY spectacle met thei
gaze. The dead man lay with his hea
;, on the foot of his mattress which, 9
, well as most Of Qfvohi,s bis wfilfftbiaD. va
! stream had formed along the floor {
:, the narrow apartment and the whit
walls were badly smeared. The blood
> razor lay upon the floor beside the wal
while the unfortunate man 8 compapio
stood trembling with fear on the farthe
side of the cell.
!. DR.. Black, assisted by Mr.. Wallace
a a student, made an examination of tn
I wound in the presence of the Jury, an,
found the arteries on the left side of tb
/ neck and the larynx severed. He sta
ted that the man could not have live,
D more than two minutes, and that from
what he had observed he believed hin
, temporarily insane from brooding owe
+ his troubles.
! Begley and McGregor testified befor,
the jury, when verdict of suicid,
while temporarily insane was rendered
Undertaken Palmer, who had arrived
with his wagon, placed the remains il
a box and brought them to the morgu,
in this city. If not claimed by tn,
friends, the body will be Inferred IL
Potters' field. Deceased was about A.
years of age, although he looked mucl
younger.