Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1885-08-27

came running up stairs a little after 2
O'Clock in the morning and that he told
her excitedly that he bad killed man.
| This was the first she had heard of any
/ trouble. She of course was excited and
did not catch all he said, except that the
men had made threat to burn his place,
and that he was going to give himself up.
Becker, the murderer, is spoken Of by
| those who know him as a steady man, q
| little rough sometimes, but one who
attends to his business and is right
hearted in his inclinations. He is Of an
| impulsive nature, mud was said Sunday
by several people to have been too
| passionate for a business such as that in
which he was engaged. This WIS cited
as his only fault.
Among the visitors to the park Sun
| day, most of them expressed II strong
feeling against Becker and gave willing
ear to the most exaggerated stories. One
of the latter was to the fact that Just
before the futed moment McGinnis was
on his knees before Becker begging him
| not TO shoot. The opinion was expressed
| that had Becker been at large and Access
sible Sunday the crowd, most of whom
live in the northwestern part of the city,
would have dealt violently.
The story about McGinnis having been
on his knees to his murderer, is not
credited, as the spot in the fence is so
high that the man must have been on his
feet to be hit at all.
Coroner Smith picked up the victims
hat at the scene of the shooting Sunday
morning. Il is o black Derby and has
two minute shot holes on the left side,
Ala N,.;, al.
through the crown. II must have been
on the back of the head when it was
blown off, from the appearance of the
holes.
BEoKER's HISTORY.
The perpetrator of the awful crime is
little over 40 years of age. He was born
in Bavaria, Germany, but has been in this
country number of years. He came tn
Wilmington in 1879, and had previous to
that time lived in New York City, where
he was foreman in the brewery of
Schwaner x Armand of that city. He
came here for the purpose of assuming
the duties of boss brewer for Hartmann
Il Fehrenbach, which position he entered
upon on August 18Th, 1879, and held
until October, 1888. He then took the
proprietorship of the Schuetzen Park,
where he has been about two years.
He is married and has one son
aged Is, and stepson aged
Is, both of whom were living
with him. Becker stood well
among the Germans of this city and has
many friends, His step-daughter was
engaged TO be married to George Fehren-
bach, son of the member of the firm of
Hartmann & Fehrenbach, last spring, but
died in May, few days before the time
set for the wedding. The peculiar sadness
of this case caused deep sympathy and
the funeral was attended by large con-
course of commiserating friends, there
being 1870 carriages in the line of mourn
ing. The misguided man had built u
brewery at Silverbrook, on the new b. d
p. road, and would have left the park
and gone into the new business on the ex-
pirition of his years lease.
Becker is about feet or inches in
hight, broad and stoutly built for his
size. He wears a full dark beard, which
is slightly streaked with gray. His hun
is dark and his complexion ruddy.
THE VICTIMS BRIEF CAREER.
McGinnis was born in Village Green,
Pa, and would have been % years i'd IL
October. During the past three years he
had been living ut Riddles Banks with
his widowed mother, three brothers and
two sisters. Previous TO going 10 the
banks to live he resided in the Ninth
ward, and while there was n member of
the Brandywine Library Association. By
occupation he was wool dyer, and had
worked at the Arlington, Riddles and
Bancroft's mills. Several months ago he
was thrown out of employment and went
to Philadelphia to secure work. While
there he injured his breast, and shortly
| afterwards returned to Riddles Banks.
| Three weeks ago he obtained work at
| Bancroft's. He left home on Saturday
saying he was going to the picnic
and that he would return early.
His neighbors regarded him as
| II quiet and inoifensive young man. Said
one of the neighbors yesterday "He
was of such retiring disposition many
of his fellow-workmenw were not acquainted
with him." His father died five years
ago. Mrs. MGGinnis was visited by re-
porter, Sunday afternoon, at her home,
| No. 81 Riddles road, II plainly but neatly
furnished three-storied stone building
erected on hill overlooking the Brandy.
wine, Riddles mills and the quarries OF
the Brandywine Granite Company and
within a stones throw of Riddles
Chapel and Riddles woods. She
sat weeping, surrounded by her
| three sons and some neighbors.
The sad fate of her eldest child had
greatly Frustrated her. About 4.45
o'clock Sunday morning the hostler at
Schuetzen Park had called at her home
and informed her of the shooting, and 15
minutes later the corpse was carried in.
| II was in such condition, however, that
she could not and was not permitted t.
look upon it. The fatal shot Ind blown
out the brains and an eye, and blown of
the left cheek and part of the nose.
Deputy Coroner Smith called during the
morning, and johnson j. Barnhill began
to prepare the corpse for burial. The
funeral will probably be held ON Wed.
nesday, md the interment will be made
in Riverview cemetery.
Mrs McGinnis is so years old and still
retains traces of former beauty. She has
living five children, three boys and two
girls. The latter are twins, not quite II
years old, and the boys are respectively
8, 16 and IS years of age. The murder
had such n sad effect upon the girls that
they had to be brought to the homo of {
relative in this city. The family is in re-
duced circumstances, the murdered mar
having had very little work to do fol
some time past and another son having
been thrown out of employment n weeJ
agod Only one son now has work. Ii
order to help support the family tn,
mother has been compelled to take il
washing.
THE coRoNER's INQUEST
The coroner's inquest was begun n
Mt 10 O'Clock Monday morning. Th'
Jury went to Riddles Banks ant
viewed the dead body and then wen
over to Schuetzen Park and surveyed til,
scene OF the shooting. AT the park TIN
jury took the testimony of Mrs. Eliza
beth Becker, wife of the prisoner, Frank
lin b. Ellington and his wife Adeline 5
ELLINGTON. There was nothing new
developed in the evidence of these three
witnesses, except that Mrs. ElkingtUi
was the person who first found the body
The Jury then adjourned TO meet at tn
city hall at 9 O'Clock. II consisted o
Daniel Mulherin, foreman; William X
Long, secretary; Herbert X. Watson, A
z. Chopper, james MCGOWAN, james A
Magee, Arthur Preston and Samuel N
Smeltz. .....
At the o'clock session the dog show
man, Alexander Roehm, an intelligent
German, was the first witness, but hi
testimony did not differ from thu
given above, except that lie sal
he heard something like threa
TO do some burning. The statement O
William NJ. Walker, McGinnis' companion
and the only eye witness, was the mos
important feature of the inquest. Will
il did not differ from that which he mad