Evening journal., 1888-09-22
THE FERNWooD GANG.


ssBIg Charlie" wilson, and Dutch GUS
Held to Await the Action of the Grand
yury-walton Discharged.
The preliminary hearing of the Fern
wood gang of thieves was concluded
aaafore Squire Preston in the Media, Pa,
Jail yesterday Latteriy suspicion. it is
alleged, has pointed to big Charlie
Wilson as the murderer of John Sharp
less, and the hearing was an attempt to
show that he was the assassin and that
Dutch GUS Chopaz was an accomplice
Brinton Walton, one Of the gang, was
discharged yesterday, and the others were
held to await the action Of the grand jury,
which viii consider the case next Mon
day. Throughout the examination yes
terday Big Charlie" bore himself well
He gazed unfinchingly at the witnesses.
An exciting episode occurred in the
morning when Samuel Jenner took the
stand Jenner' at length told what he
knew about Wilson and how he had met
him at Chester while working up job.
When the examination had nearly ended
lawyer V. Gilpin Robinson asked
Have you got a revolver about your
II decline to answer
"WhyY7
Il decline 10 anSWerl
Then came great confusion and legal
sparring.
This man has a revolver and ask
Justice Preston to bind him over on the
charge of carrying concealed deadly
weapons
''How do you know he's got a reyol
Fcrf" asked Mr.. Beasely excitedly
II know it, said Mr. Baker II shall
- I.. I.,l
.bearested.
Then Mr. Beasely got mad and swore
he would have the man arrested who laid
hands on Jenner After long argu
ment Squire Preston issued warrant
for the mans arrest. Jenner was taken
before Judge Clayton and held for fur
ther hearing. 1t was understood that
Jenner carried the revolver because his
life had been threatened.
Thomas O'Connor, a bright, good look
Ing lad, proved a smart witness. His
father kept the saloon at Penn and South
streets, where big Charlie, Dutch
Gus" and Sam Tate boarded at the time
of the Sharpless murder He heard
Charlie and Gus say one day iu Novem.
bar, 1885, that they were going into Della.
ware county to do Job They returned
Late on the Sunday night of the murder,
or on Monday morning O'eonnor identi-
fied the lead pipe used by Wilson, and
called collector
"Why collector"
f'Recause he always knocked his man
on tns bead with 1t, and went through
him"
when @id you hear of the sharploss
haurder2"
'.The Tuesday after Il was committed
O'Connor went on TO tell that Wilson
read Of the crime on that day, and re
marked that he supposed some d.
-'nigger" would be hanged for the job
Young O'Connor failed Go recognize Brin
ton Walton, who sat opposite him.
Detective James |. Donaghy identified
Wilson's pistol and overcoat, and statet
his connection with the case.
William Scott. one of the men wh'
associated with the gang, was called.
About two weeks before Thanksgiving
Day of 1855, Scott met Sam Tate an,
Charley and Gus at Pat O'Connor's plac
in Philadelphia, and Charlie urged him t.
take a hand IN a proposed ''job. The.
were talking about their plans when
boy came in and gave Wilson note. Tn
lob" was in Delaware county aud sew
eral weeks afterwards Scott asked Wilso
what success attended the expedition
Wilson replied in a dissatisfied tone tina
there was nothing down there.
In the December following Scott me
the prisoners again in 0'Connors playin
cards One Of them proposed a job i
New Jersey Scott said that he woul
net enter into any such expedition, bC
cause he would rather remain in Pennsyl
vania. Wilson when asked about Della
ware county, said: "I'm tired of Della
ware county There's nothing ther
anyway"
"Did Wilson have anything TO sa
after the murderg" asked Mr. Beasley.
Eyes, sir. When he read the accoun
OF the murder in the papers he said
Some d. nigger win get blamed for that
A little while after that Charlie went on
and had his whiskers taken Oft
"Where did Wilson usually get hi
wagonl'
''At McCleary's.a
q Did Wilson ever use a maskY
"Yes, sir One time he showed N
one, but said that he had no use for il
handkerchief was betterY
did you ever see this beforel" aske
Mr. Beasley, showing Scott a piece {
lead pipe wrapped in paper.
Il did sir; ! saw IL in the hands q
Wilson. have held it in my hands m,
self.
On cross-examination Scott said it wa
not unusual foro utlaws TO use disguises
masks. handkerchiefs, black cloth an
burnt cork
Sarah Williams, eolored, got confuse,
She said she recognized Wilson by h
forehead as the man she met near Il
Sharpless farm the evening Of the mu
der. Then she went on to say the mJ
she met had on a slouch hat well draw
over his --eyes. When asken how 81
could see his forehead when the hat WI
low on the head, she grew bewilder'
and could not answer.
SPORTING NOTES.