Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1885-11-26
nv AppA11INe 1funpER.


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John sharpIess struck with a
Hstchet nv "a Negro-A Reward
Offered.
CHESTER, Pa, Nov. o. John Sharp
Friends in Delaware county, was most
Providence township, about two miles
from this city last night.
His farm is part of the original tract
of the pioneer, John SharpIess, of whom
he is a lineal descendant It is located
strange colored man called at the house
while it was raining. He found Mr..
Sharpless sitting with his family, his wife
and two Indies and nurse. He induced
Mr.. Sharpless to go to the barn with him
for some straps under the pretext
that carriage in which were three
ladies had broken down in the
road. When in the stable the negro
struck Mr.. Sharpless in the back of the
| head with Ratchet crushing his skull
and killing him instantly. After taking
his watch the negro put out the lantern
and returned to the house for the pur-
pose, it is thought, of killing all therein,
4
| In reply to question he said he wanted
money and advanced toward one of the
women at the same time asking what had
become of young girl whom he missed
| from the company. Upon learning that
she had gone out and the colored servant
being sent for, the villain left. He went
across the fields in the direction of John
| Lindsay's farm adjoining and, it is sup
| posed, fired the barn to distract attention,
| for il was burned down a short time after
the murder with all the crops, farming
/ implements and four head of horses. The
loss on the barn will be about IS 1000.
The body of John Sharpless was found
in the stable where it had fallen. He
was a very plain, generous, honest man,
| u well to. do farmer without an enemy in
the world, and his murder is appalling
/ Money is supposed to have been the OBJ
/ iect of the murder, but Mr.. Sharpless,
while he was wealthy man, kept little
| about the house. The murdered man
was in his eth year and leaves a wife.
| He sat Mt the head of the meet
ing yesterday and was looked upon
| by everybody as the most conscientious
man in the county, whose word was as
| freely taken MS his bond. He was presi-
dent of the Sharpless Bicentennial Asso-
citation and took an active part in the
affairs of his community and his religious
| society.
No tidings of the whereabouts of the
wretch who killed him have been received
but the authorities think he will be APP
pretended before many days. The muir
derer was black man of medium high
with prominent nose and teeth, a peculiar
speech and dressed in black clothes, blacl
hut and handkerchief about his neck
The Sharpless family have offered re
ward of $500 for the arrest and convic
ton of the murderer.
The Sharpless murder is still the alb
sorbing topic in the vicinity of Chester
The delay in arresting the murderer an
the fact that such wretch is at larg
causes considerable uneasiness. TIL
Chester police IRE very vigilant, and ar
now working clues that may lead to til
arrest of the murderer. A colored ma
, named James Edward Page was arreste
at the farm of l. p. Thomas, in Thor
: bury Township, Tuesday, and lodged j
= the Media Jail on suspicion of being IL
n murderer. He was arrested on accouI
y of his suspicious conduct, as he had sal
! TINT he had been near the fire at Lin
says barn on Sunday night and knew IL
Sharpless family. He resembles the de
cription given of the murderer. Chief
Police Williamson, of Chester, failed
,r identify three men arrested in Philad,
% phia, and they were discharged. II
>, watch which it was thought the murder
!, took from the dead man has been foul
d in the house. The assassin, therefore, o
m tanned nothing by his brutal crime.
le The funeral of the murdered man W
IN take place to-day. Mrs. Sharpe
Is adheres to her first statement that t
g. ma was colored,a and says she would ha
NJ no trouble in identifying him. The c.
N, ontr's jury has adjourned its investil
ed ton to await further developments.
Oh There are strong reasons for suspect
on that the murderer is an escaped INN
m, from the insane asylum at Norristoy
- Pa, whose mania was homicidal and W
ny ny was incarcerated from Delaware coul
his about 10 years ago.