The Delaware ledger. (Newark, Del.) 1879-19??, 1886-02-20
Wilmington Letter.
WILMINGTON, Del. Feb. 10.


to an end. For almost the whole Of last
week it was the absorbing topic of con-
versation. The comparatively high 80
cial position of the two families interest
ed, and the great number of relatives at
tached 10 each, furnished additional inn
petus TO public attention. During its
continuance, the courtroom was packed
to sufocation all the time, and after it
took the united efforts Of the crier, sher-
iffand police, to preserve order. A great
many ladies occupied seats in the room,
and it was quite the thing" to be seen
there. II was without doubt one of the
most interesting, exciting and dramatic
episodes in the annals of New Castle
county. Never was case handled more
mastery, or pleaded more eloquently,
and never did a case need so little.
Could evidence have been palmer, truer
or more straightforward and convincing
than that offered by Talley's counsel, and
could a jury in Delaware be found who
would not instantly acquit a man upon
such eveidence We say not and the
verdict Of the jury bears out the truth of
the assertion. Can we for an instant
suppose that the color of this man had
anything to do with the matter The
counsel for the defence, left no stone un-
turned and the universal opinion to, that
the pleas they delivered were the finest
ever heard in our county. Often were
auditors in tears, and in some of their
matchless bursts of eloquence the silence
of death itself seemed upon that crowd
ed courtroom. We would advise all of
our farmer friends to carefully read, and
study the charge Of Judge Comegy's. 1t
will awaken their attention to some
points in the laws of Delaware, to which
it behooves them to pay the strictest
heed. First that in case Of blockade of
any kind which renders the roads i'm
passable, the public has free right to
use their fields in order TO pass the OBJ
structions. Second, that he has no right
to use force of arms to repel trespasser
upon his premises, and If he arms him
self and goes to meet the invaders,
whom he has every reason to suspect is
armed, and who actually is possessed of
a deadly weapon, and if this invader as
sails him first, and violently, if he shoots
and kills the invader, he cannot set up
the plea Of self defense, but is guilty Of
homicide. The law is that he must use
oil III 90 % ..,ot1
such an invader, or in plain words to act
the coward part and run. The Judge in
his charge seemed to lean towards the
State. In fact the law was against the
prisoner, but Justice and right were with
him, and though law is not always JUS
tice, yet in a case like this, the interest
farmers Of mans mind tends to override
the law. After an observer of about
twenty minutes the jury rendered the
verdict which the people had long before
concured in, mot guilty" Such a Choir
us as rang through that crowded court
room must have sent the warm blood of
Isaac s. Tally, leaping through his al
most lifeless heart, and given him a new
leave of the existence he had 80 near
forfeited. He is now at his fathers
house, and is slowly recovering.
During the trial Senator Grey excused
and forcibly too, his condemnation, of
that law in Delaware which prevents a
wife testifying, when her husbands life
is at stake, and then he would use all his
endeavors TO have it purged from our
statute which opinion all Of our citizens
unanimously approve. Its a pity that
he did make some expression of his dis
approval of the course some of our press
pursues, in forcibly commenting upon
cases of this kind, before trial, and before
they have heard both sides of the ques-
ton. The press is great factor in the
formation of some mems opinions, and
an article in the paper, often strongly set
his prejudices in a certain direction.
Retribution has at length overtaken
one Of the gambling dens, which infest
our city, and the place is cleared, and
some Of the principals under arrest. One
of the victims, after hearing, broken up
up a once happy home ran hopelessly in
debt, last lucrative position, and al
most on the verge Of insanity and sui
eide, though his infatuation with the
gaming table, informed on them, and
had warrants issued for their arrest. He
says he cannot be silenced or bought of,
and has list of the frequenters Of thi
den in his possession. Mayor Rhoads
made some Of his officers feel very UNI
comfortable, until this man swore he had
not seen any Of them in the place.
The head humping match has come 10
an end, and the Knights of Labor have
proved the stronger. II was officially
announced last week that the boycott
was off. A more complete knock down
and knuckle under on the part of the
Republican you ever saw.
Next week there are several good at
fractions booked at both our theatres,
and the low rates of admission still con-
tinue.