Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1889-11-28

add.ess to the jury yesterday week, msde |
o brief sketch of the Dobhinsville riot |
story. He considered that Mayor Hanson |
must have been deceived in his supposi- |
tiou as to the culpability of the Hun. |
gerians when he went at 1015 O'Clock or |
thereabouts to the fourth honse ia HUI |
garian row and arrested eight of the in- |
mates. Ths witnesses on both sides re- !
veal in their testimony state Of lawless- |
ness unequaled 10 any community. These |
men, the company OF riotsrs, among whom |
were the accused, were drawn MP armed. |
Mr.. SAuhsrt relates he heard regular |
military orders given. The story 10 plain,
easy and incontrovertibla. Il was q clear,
moonlight night. Mr.. Jones saw them
from his doorstep; say tho men march
up to Hungarian row, past him. Aud
then ne heard the word of command for
ste saoking Of the houses. he heard
the doors breaking and the shots fired.
He heard tho word OF command, Make
ready--prssent-fire."
Gentlemen, just think of it; here In
The State OF Delaware, only short dis
tance from this court room. Whether
the victims Of this dsstardly midnight
attack are Hnngarians or are not they
are entitled 10 the same guarantee for the
protection of their life and property as
you and are. Thns OF it. these men
in their homes, and az the time of the
oowardly attack asleep in their bsds; in
their homes, from watch they had not
stirred since leaving work at the mills, at
4,30 O'Clock the same evening; theii
houses broken into and doors and win
dows smashed. The very rooms where
the unsuspicious sleepers lay, sud .enly
9esounded with gun and pistol shots.
NIL, had
no idea OF what vas to occur, who slept
innooently in their beds, makes ones
blood boil with indignation.
The question arises who committed
the crime. Now, gentlemen, there can
be no mistake about that. Mr.. Biggd
then restated the salient points of the
testimony showing where the various de-
fsndGnts were implicated. Ha said he
did not think ii necessary to give Edward
F. Casey a separate trial. Casey has
thought it best to run away forfeitiDg bis
bail. But he is still ard now on trial
with the rest OF the accused because he
(the attorney .geperaD did not wish to
put the State to the heavy expense OF his
separate trial.
Mr.. Vandegrift desired, before making
his addresb to the jury, to bring one or
two points TO the attention of the court.
Every doubt should be in favor OF the ac-
cuaed. But the principal thing he re-
quired OF the court would be that they
say that persons may assemble with
friends and neighbors to defend them-
selves from violent assaults. Also that
there is no law of this State which pre-
vents men from carrying arms openly.
Counsel told the jury that he proposed
showing the condition of the town carly
in the evening from o'clock to the time
when Mayor Hsnson first came to the
scene Of the riot. He referred TO the
difficulty he had experienced during the
examination of witnesses, whom attempt
ing to demonstrate the condition of Dob
binsyille previous to the attack on the
houses in Hungarian row.
The first difficulty was the cutting of
Owen Cavanaugh in Martin Leonard's
saloon early in the evening.
Counsel could produce half the towna-
folk of DobbinsVille to chow that life
and property was not safe in the village
that oight. Hungarian row WAS hurGing
with angry threatening Poles and Hun
garians. Citizens were set upon early in
the evening. They were chased and
had huTiiedly taken refuge in ther
houses, entering thom by the back way
or whatever way they could. One citizen
IOunu LIE Hikc Ntth hNO p1aiNtSI
huddled together in Gbjert terror at the
top Of the houge. All this happened
before 10 O'Clock. At that time the town
was terrorized. Men were fearful ol
their lives cad of those of their family.
Citizens of Dobbinsville went to New
Castle tor polics aid and called on the
mayor for immediate aid.
Counsel did not wish to confuse the
Jury as to the contrasted times wher
Mayor Hanson went to Dobbinsville tba
uight. On the contrary counsel desired
the Jury to note closely those hours, L
place their fingers on the dates and not,
them. lie alluded to the fact that ont
OF the Witnesses had eight Hungarian
boarders, another four and SO on. Thi
alone would account for the surgini
black masses of Hungarians suddenly ap
pearing in the row. lis reminded the
jury that Mayer Hanson called upon tn
accused NJ posse to assist him in max
ing arrests. Among them were hlber
Barnes, Brstton, DoUsherty and others
went with the mayor to nssist him.
lie alluded TO tha attorney-generar
citing of the wi.nGga Rogers yesterday
"he should not, said COUNSEL referrint
4 10 MIR. Biggs, 'have opened that ace
and probod II again in n trial which hG
nothing to do with the present one"
The constitution OF the State entitle
everyone to the right Of defending hi
n life and liberty and property. That
what these men were dong when the
gathered at Leonard's stables. They wer
4 netting on the defensive. Men have
right tO carry guna under such oircum
stances and to proceed to the piac
where the mon lived who sought :
IN terrcrize the town. These men did no
conceal their weapons. Tho burtheh Q
the attorney generA's action is to the e1
tent that "Romebody must be ool
victed." There was riot and the at
cuasd must be sacrificed. The aggre'
sion was made by the Hungarians. Ha
the accused been rioters they would 0
account of the fact of the death {
one the victims been liable TO /
hanged. But the attorney general hf
tried that before. lie lad Rogers o
that string. Had that man been riott
he would have been hanged. You Sc
the same case haa been tried before en-
Rogers case is the key to this.
Had the State been desirous OF asae
tanning who caused the r'ot it won!
have obtained the services Of EunSaEia
interpreter and detective, and then IL
State would have easily discovered wi
"A melted and carried on this riot.
The attorney general says that il
has not clear case agaiuIt tho accuse
In the present trial he never had one
his life. But / was admitted to ths bi
in the same year Rs my learned frien
and year after yesr from his mouth