Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1884-05-08
BUG CEpHAs CONVICTED.


|
The trial OF Bog CephSs, colored, for
the murder of Mrs Celia Bust was begun
at Cambridge Monday. The tritl was
continued INFO the 'veniug, when the
prisoner, who had borne mp w,-il duri 2
the day, was taken suddenly i'll. Dr..
Steele examined him and pronounced his
sickness to be due to indigestion and the
close heated air. When he had recovered
somewhat the trial WAS resumed, but
Cephas being again taken Ill at O'Clock
court adjourned till Tuesday. The pri-
soner was very sick Monday night, but
his condition WAS not regarded as serious.
1t WAS thought by come that he might
have taken poison, but Or. Steele said be
| could discover no evidence OF his having
| done 80.
CAMBRIDGE, Nd , May I'm the case
Of Bug Cephas, negro, indicted for the
murder of Mrs. Celia Bush (Murphy)
near Williamsburg on April 18th, the jury
tails morning rendered verdict of guilty.
The jury WAS out 40 minutes. Counsel
for the defense has moved for a new trial,
1.-THE body OF Mrs. Bush WAS found In a
thieket near her lonely cabin on the
Wednesday or Thursday OF the second
week in April and things about the
premises pointed to her absence since
the Monday previous. There were but
slight marks struggle, but it WAS
evident the body had bsed dragged some
distance after the fatal blow WAS given.
bloody club was found some 200 yards
away.
Cephas and another Eegro were arrested
within few days, on suspicion. The
preliminary examination did not impli-
cate Cephas' companion and he WAS dis-
ohsrged. The sstimony brought out on
the trial against Cephss is briefly sum.
Marie in the following report OF the
argument Of States Attorney Daniel NJ.
Henry ,Jr., delivered yesterday afternoon.
He argued that the murder must have
been committed between IL and O'Clock
on Monday, April 7th, basing his theory
upon the appearance Of meal and other
articles which Mrs. Bush had purchased
at Williamsburg that morning, and which
were afterwards found in her house
undisturbed, and not even partially used
by the deceased, the condition Of the
body when found and the presence in
Cephas' house for the first time on Mon
day between those hours of soap which
the state claims has been taken from Mrs.
Bush's house. Mr. Henry then proceeded
to show that Cephas WAS seen to leave
his home at IL o'clock on Monday morn.
ing going in the direction OF Mrs. Bush's,
and was not seen again until a or 8 O'Clock
that afternoon. OF his movements in the
meantime he gave an account which
had been shown to be false and
ptro ha III,
house compared in color, shape and
weight with sosp made by Mrs. Bush,
which was Of peculiar quality. He
had failed to show where this soap WAS
obtained. The bludgeon with which
Mrs. Bush was struck was found lying
directly in the path which Cephas would
have taken to reach his house in flight
from Mrs. Bush's under cover of the
woods. He also dwelt upon the blood
stains on Cephss' psntaloons and other
points in the testimony and claimed that
the chain of oircumstsnsiai evidence
pointed irtesistibly to mis- guilt
In regard to these blood stains t..
state showed that Csphas told coutr.
dictory stories. For the defense, LA
jenkins. colOred, testified tnat G, pa
had cut off tue ear OF pig several week
before his Arrest, holding the pig betw, 81
his knees, and that he hal on at the tint
the pantaloons aud ove,alls he wore on
April 7th.
ConDsel for defense claimed there WAS
no case on record in which there WAS sucu
an entire absence OF evidence to convict
the party accused with the commission OF
the crime. There was nothing to show
that Cepnas wss on o: near the Bush
farm on the day OF the murder, nor was
there any evidence to trace the murder
GUS weapons to the prisoners possession ]