Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1888-09-04
Shot By His Step-Son.
Eli T. Dickerson Wounded BY
Sterling P. Taylor.
wouLD-BE MURDERER CAUGHT.
A shocking Domestic Tragedy-DisKust-
ing Charges by a Young Man Against
His Mothers Second Husband-ProbA-
bly, q Fatal Wound.


Sterling P. Taylor shot and perhaps
fatally injured his step father Eli 7.
Dickerson, living at 9l3 Market street,
about 10 o'clock this morning Taylor
has been arrested and Dickerson has been
taken to the Homeopathic Hospital.
Sergeant Tucker, who arrested Taylor.
saw the shooting and his story 10 as fol
lows:
TAYLOR came to the hall this morning
and asked to see the chief He was not
in and ! asked Taylor II | could do
ANYTHING for him He replied: Il
want q warrant / directed him to Mr..
Hyland. clerk Of the court. and he left
He returned, and saying he had the war
rant went out After police court had
adjourned he came to me and said; "Can
YOU arrest a man who threatens to shoot
your There is such man and the wea-
pom is on him now" / replied Not
without warrant He got warrant
and as we started of he said / would bet
ter have another officer as his
man Dicherson might try to escape Officer
Swift was ordered to the assistance.
The warrant called for the
arrest Of Eli I. Dickerson, 913
Market street for carrying concealed
deadly weapons. The address is the
office Of DR.. G. o. Funk. While Officer
Swift guarded the Shipley street exit,
Taylor and myself entered from Market
street. We went down into the base
ment, where we found several persons
sitting at the table. At the end was Dr.
Funk and on either side of him was a
child further along the table towards
the door was Dickerson. As we were
crossing into the room Taylor pointed to
Dickerson, saying. That's tho man
/ went up to him, and tapping him on
the shoulder, said: II want you. | have
warrant for you "All right he
said; may finish this cup of coffeef"
allowed him to do so, Taylor meanwhile
objecting to my allowing him the liberty.
Dickerson then wanted to 90 up stairs 10
get coat and / went with him, thinking
if he had a weapon | might see IT, TAy-
Tor followed us up stairs and ordered
him down telling him that had charge
OF the case then He went down stairs
When Dickerson and went down he fol
lowed us as we started to 70 out the
Shipley street side Dickerson then said
that he had some tobacco in his coat IN
the kitchen and asked me II he could get
It, He went to his coat and taking an
empty tobacco bag out Of the pocket went
TO the mantel piece to fill the bag from Atin
box there full Of tobacco. | had him by
the left shoulders as he began hlling the
bag. Suddenly heard pistol shot, 1t
was SO close | at first thought | was
struck Before could turn another shot
was fired, striking Dickerson on the right
shoulder. DR. Funk grabbed Taylor, who
had done the shooting, until /
took hold of him. Officer Swift
then took charge of Dickerson who
did not seem So bad at first, and we went
down the street Dickerson became very
weak Swift took him to DR. Dravos
Office, while ! took Taylor to the hall
and locked him up. AS we were going
down Market street, ! said what did
you shoot him fory' Hereplied by asking
me: Did you ever have a sister,
| replied that | had. when he said
We'll, that man ruined my sister, whom
my mother is now nursing, and she had
a child ten days ago that man is the
fathery'
The wounded man was takon TO DR.. l..
II. Dravo's Office at Seventh and Shipley
streets, where he was attended to. 1t
was found that the first bullet had en-.
tered the back below the left shoulder
blade and come out two inches above the
left nipple and one-quarter Of an inch to
the left Of it, passing through the left
lung in its course.
DR. bravo removed the ball by cutting
il from the front of the injured man.
The second shot passed through the
heshy part Of the left shoulder and the
left hand. Dickerson put up his hand as
Taylor fired and the bullet passed clear
through it. Sergeant Tucker had
his hand on Dickerson's shoulder
when this shot was fired and his hand
was but few inches from the course Of
the bali A large crowd gathered about
the doctors office and Officer Emmons
was detailed to keep the door clear
Word was sent to the almshouse
and preparations were made to
remove the wounded man, but
the knights of St. John Of Malta,
OF which he was a member, took charge
Of the case and directed flat lie be taken
to the Homeopathic Hospital James f.
Pilbeam represented the order picker.
son is entitled to abor 1925 Ia the order
Dickerson thought that 81 600 was com
ing to him from the order and when
asked by the doctor If he he'd any DISPOSE
tion TO mako Of the sum he directed in
faltering voice that $500 should 60 to
Mt Calvary Encampment, No 10,
and the remainder TO his wife
He made the assignment with his
wounded hand amid much pain. He was
then taken in the almshouse ambulance
TO the hospital,
Dicbeis0n is an Englishman and came
to Wilmington from Baltimore about
five years ago and boarded with Police
man Moifitt at No. 406 Lombard street.
While in Baltimore he married Sarah A.
Dickerson. the mother Of Taylor,
Mrs. Dickerson has daughter, who
is the cause Of much Of this trouble.
While living at 406 Lombard street
quarrels between the husband and wife
We're frequent. She left him at one time
and went to her home in Baltimore.
After a short time she returned and they
moved to 9l3 Market street. Dickersor
lost an eye a few years ago by rivei
striking il. During the separation
of the husband and wife the
the visits of the step-daughter to the
step-father were so frequent as to aroust
suspicion. This alleged intimacy has con
tinued and ten days age the step-daugh-
ter had a child, of which Dickerson, whl
is about 5S years Of age, is saia to BE- ths
father. {.
Taylor is in the chiefs cfice ct tht
City Hall and is in very excitable con
dition. Chief Swiggett would not allow
any one to see him until after he haC
Gained down and seen counsel. He is 3:
years Of age and rather good-looking
The shooting was done with 32-ealibr,
five shot revolver Of cheap pattern
7 NO Of the chambers were empty anC
the other three had bullets in them. DR.
bravo said that the man had an even