The Wilmingtonian., 1886-11-20
Officer peterson's Family.

Tie rumor is that the property of the wild
ow of the murdered officer Peterson is to bt
sold out within 3 few days by sheriff s war.
rant.
1t may be remembered that at the time
when that worthy official lost his life in the
exercise of the Office of protecting citizens
from the threatened fatal assaults of bru.
tai Young ruffian, poor Peterson was under.
stood to be slowly but by the utmost frugal
ty gradually releasing his little homestead
from the debt that overhung the property.
In very short time. that exemplary man
and wife expected to be happily free and to
| be in full possession of home Of their own.
But all Wilmington knows the terrible affl :
cation that intervened
The poor widow has since been unable to
ke p up her payments. Since the death Of
her husband trouble has been accommodating
around her and now the hard fate comes that
she must De sold out OF her home. What a
story for the citizens of Wilmington to sit
idly by and listen to. Why do we not arouse
to the emergency.
What dark melancholy Thanksgiving
this affi cted womau's must he 1t is prob
ably the blackest picture in Wilmington to-
| day-indeed it may well be doubted whether
such a sad, ptiful tale can be found through
out the length and breadth of the land!
And we are just ON the eve of national
Thanksgiving, when the Chief Magistrate
has suggested that the people with one accord
repair to their usual places of worship, there
to offer ~ joyous and unanimous thanks and
praise to a benign Providence for his bounti-
ful gifts n Faughl 1t is almost
notwithstanding to think of it.
How can there be any joy in the Peterson
household Have not the citizens of Will
mington moral debt due the bereaved fam
| lly. Why has there not been some general
comprehensive effort to make recognition of
this. Has not the terrible affi ction left us,
citizens Of Wilmington, the moral guardians
of the widow and fatherless Are they not
by all moral compulson our wards? Who
is 50 unmanly to deny it.
These feelings are aroused by an incident
that occurred i'll New York Monday last as
related by the New York Herald the story
is: Commissioner McCIave, treasurer of the
Police Board, received by mail yesterday
check calling for 81, 900, which was sent by
Leonard w. Jerome, treasurer of the Riot
Relief Fund, to be paid to Sergeant John
Delaney, OF the Broadway squad. The gift
revives thrilling episode in the life of a
brave officer. .,..----------s
1t was nearly four years ago that Delaney,
then roundsman attached to the Tombs
Police Conrt, was given warrant to serve
upon Patrick MCGOWAN, notorious charac-
Ter, who had his headquarters at Billy
McGlory's place in Hester street. McGowan
had swindled countryman, who made
known his grievances in court and secured
the warrant. When the swndler heard
about the warrant he laughed and declared
that the first policeman who tried to serve
the papers on him would be dead man.
Every one knew McGowau's desperate char
acter did not for moment doubt but that
lie would execute his threat A policeman
who was sent to MeGlury's heard the decla-
ration made by McGowan and thought that
the Tombs Court was far more safe than the
the warrant to court under some pretext,
aud there it lay until Roundsmau Delaney
heard of the circumstances.
81 will serve the paper" said Delaney
quietly, aud the court clerk placed the war
rant in his hands.
The roundsman went to McGlory's place
and waited for his man. He did not wait
long. A carriage drove up to the door, and
rom it alighttd McGowau and two women.
| When the swiudler entered the saloon he
was approached by Delaney aud handed the
warrant. Immediately McGowan drew his
,evolyer aud sent ball crashing through
one of Dslaney's eyes. AS he did so he
turned about coolly, and calling the two
women, jumped into the coach.
Delaney was staggered at first by the sud
den attack, but, recovering himself quick
", ran after his man. When d ,laney reach
ed the street the driver Of the vehicle started
lis horses. But this did not stop Delaney
Running after the coach the officer jumped
On behind, and through the little glass VIM
dow in tue back of the vehicle sent bullet
that cut short McGowan's career. This feat
| displayed the wonderful nerve Of the man.