Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1885-06-25
LOCAL AND PENINSULAR
A WEALTHY FARMER COMMITS
SUICIDE.
A Lively Row ON Saturday mt n
Warwick Picnic. in which a
Ncgress Takes "a Hand.

Special Correspondence OF Gaz tie and journal.
MIDDLETowN, June 22.-During thu
past 10 days posters have been posted
announcing grand picnic in McCrone's
woods, near Warwick, Nd, and accord
ingly, Saturday last being the date, hun
dreds of negroes went thither. As usual,
a majority of them carried along the ac-
customed razor or pistol, and some had
both weapons concealed about their per-
son. These combined with Cecil county's
local-option- -pear-cider and the captiyat-
ing black bellies, played prominent parts
in bloody scene.
The facts so far as have been able to
gather them from eye witnesses and
others are about as follows; The colored
folks all seemed to get along well together
until about the middle of the afternoon,
when number of men became intoxi-
Gated and ''fussed" with others these
little disputes were easily settled in most
cases until after the brass band played its
farewell tune and started for Middletown
where it had another engagement for
the evening. About half an hour
afterwards and whilst dancing was
going on another quarrel began.
This seems to have arisen from jealousy
and caused a division in the crowd
Warwick against Cecilton. A man from
the latter place asked Warwick girl 10
dance with him, which she did as soon as
the first note was sounded on an old
violin with but three strings. The girls
beau went upon the platform and struck
at the Cecilton coon. which seems to have
been the signal for general riot. Abe
Wilson, one of the managers, tried to
quiet the enraged gang, but they at
Ia i'm 1Kfifh nlt1lN
pistols, blackjacks and razors. Abe
retreated under fire, but was soon
captured by two men who held him
while one Ben Coursey of Cecilton,
hacked his face with razor. During
the time shots were being fired in almost
every direction and several ran off with
bullets in their bodies. Lou Gooseberry
of Kirkwood, was shot in the thigh and a
negro man of Cecilton was shot in the
arm, as was several others whose names
are unknown. One negro man was seen
by several white persons to come
out of the woods on horseback, in q run,
and firing large army pistol in n reck-
less manner. Men and women ran pell-
nell over each other in trying to escape.
One woman was heard to say Eyes, you
s. b., you tried to shoot me, but us
soon as L get my eyes on you I'll cut
your heart out" She was then flourish
ing pair of razors in the air.
Abe Wilson, the most severely wounded,
was brought to Middletown, when DR..
G. G. Chamberlain dressed his wounds,
and did not think them of dangerous
character. There is cash on his left
| cheek about three inches long and q
smaller cut near by. II is evident thnt
the assailant hoped to cut his victims
throat. This, Abe says, he prevented by
holding his chin on his breast. The victim
is much bruised about the body. He
bears a bad name and has been the cause
of many fights among his race.
As murderous as the scene was it was
not without an amusing incident. About
| dozen men were chasing two others; the
pursued took refuge in a little hut close
at hand, and the others rushed in the
| yard at full speed, but they were met at
the door by heavy weight negress, who
| said she'd take hand in the riot, and in
less than minute she had knocked down
| eight men and scared the others off. As
the men got up she kicked them out of
the yard, and said she would go in the
woods and whip the whole gang for q
little. 1t is said that the two men who
thus escaped were quite severely cut.
A colored man told me last night that
there would not have been much trouble
if two men had not come in the woods
and began selling whisky. He says one
was colored man from this town, and
he was hid in the woods with two jugs.
| The other he said was white man living
in Cecil county. He refuses to give the
names of either. When asked whether
whisky could be bought in Warwick at
any time, he replied "Why boss, most
people blame! Mr.. Johny for selling us
the pisen in Warwick, but dar are three
places whar de stuff is sold in dat town.
don't drink none myself, but often when
| l go in Warwick heah de fellows talking
about it,"
The st. Augustine colored brass band
which furnished music for the above
mentioned picnic arrived in this town
shortly after 6 O'Clock last evening and
played for another festival at Hamtown,
where good order was maintained.
| 1t is said that a more dangerous riot
has never before threatened the vicinity
of Warwick than was the one of last Sat
urday. 1t is not known to what extent
the bullets have affected those who were
shot.