Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1890-11-20
SENTENCED TO JAN roR LIE.

OF the courts OF New Castle county opened
at the court house Monday morning Chief
Justice Comegys and Judges Houston and
Cullen were on the bench
Tht commission of Shcriil!elcct William
Simmons was read by Clerk of the Peace
Biggs, and the new sheriff formally entered
upon his official duties. His official oath,
taken before Parliamentary liorty, was also
read.
Isaac Davis, colored, was arraigned on n
charge Of stealing two iron posts and lot
OF scrap iron from John d. Davis of this
city and pleaded not guilty. He was indicted
at the last court, but dumped" his bail
bond and was subsequently arrested on
capias..
licenses, until 10 O'Clock, when the grand
jury returned Several indictments.
Among the indictments returned was
one charging felonious assault upon
Shakespeare Reed, alias Jacob Starkey,
colorcd, who so brutally outraged little
girl named Grace Clark, near New Castle,
on the 2Sth Of September.
Another capital indictment was against
Wilson Stafford colored, charging him
with murder in the first degree in shooting
and killing Kennard Chambers, colored,
near McDonough, on the night of Satur-
day; November list, during colored fes-
tival.
In both these capital cases the attorney
general made the usual request for their
certitication to the court Of oyer and ter
miner, which was granted.
Court took n recess until 2.30 o'clock,
r. M, when Starkey will be arraigned.
At the afternoons session OF court
George Epps young muatto man, was
arraigned for assault and battery on
Richard Johnson, with intent to kill, and
pleaded not guilty, -...
Wilson Stafford colored who shot and
killed Kennard Chambers, colored, on the
night of November list, during a colorcd
festival, near McDonough, was next ar
raigned. Stafford IL light-colored
mnlatto, Of a not unpleasant appearance,
and he listened attentively to the reading
of the indictment, He pleaded not guilty,
and at the suggestion Of his counsel
Henry G. Turner, Esq, who had been
assigned by the court to defend him, he
asked, in pursuance of the usual formal
query, to be tried "by God and my coun-
try
Mr.. Turner asked for some time to pre-
pare for this trial and the court requested
him to be ready by Wednesday morning
The next arraignment was that OF
Shakespeare Reeves, alias Jacob Starkey
the colored brute who so foully outraged
Grace Clark, little girl only 10 years of
age, near New Castle, on September 2Sth
The prisoner is burly mulatto,yery light
colored, with sensual brutal cast of
countenancc, and an evil, sinister express
sion in his eyes With Il look halfsullen,
half-inditlcrcnt, he awaited the reading of
the indictment. There was great difficulty
in getting counsel for him, several attor-
neys who We're requested to take the case
earnestly begging off, but finally Henry
&. Conrad, ESQ, at the courts request, ac-
cepted the unpleasant assignment.
After the arrangement Reeves pleaded
not guilty. The trial will probably begin
tomorrow.
Forteny Lynch, an Italian, was arraigned
on charge of assauting Policeman James
i. Hershock, with intent to kill, on Octo-
Der I'd. Being unable to understand Eng
fish, Nicholas llidans acted as interpreter
when the indictment was read lie pleaded
not guilty.
Charles Scott, colored, arraigned on a
charge of assauting Isaac Anderson,
colored, with intent to kill, pleaded not
guilty as indicted but guilty Of plain as,
tault. The encouragement said he would
look into the facts of the case before decid-
ing to accept or reject the plea.
Court adjourned until O'clock Tuesday
morning,
At Tuesday mornings court Isaac
Davis, colored boy, pleaded guilty to
the charge of stealing lot of scrap iron
from John w. Davis, The boys father
testified to his previous good character
and it being his first offence he was let of
WIN HCHtGllGG VI OIG lliulllil III liFlSOl-
ment.
During the morning there was a sudden
ending of one of the capital cases, that of
Wilson Stafford, colored, who shot and
killed another negro named kennard
Chambers, during u fight colored festival
near McDonougli, ST. Georges hundred, on
the night of Saturday, November 1st
The case was rather a desperate one for
the prisoner, and his counsel, Henry e.
Turner, Esq, after examining into all the
circumstances, offered to withdraw his eli
ent's plea Of not guilty as indicted and
enter one of guilty of murder of the second
degree. This plea the encouragement
accepted and the court expressed approval
of his decision.
The prisoner Stafford was then sem
fenced to imprisonment for life, as the law
provides for the crime of murder of the
second degree.
The prisoner accepted his sentence COM
placently, as though pleased at escaping
The gallows. As he was being escorted
back to the cells, he accidentally hit his
head a sharp crack against the corner Of
the witncss-boX, but he did not seem to
mind the bump in the least.
Charley SCOTS offer to plead guilty to
plain assault upon the indictment
charging him with assault upon Ike An
derson with intent to kill, was not accepted
by the State and Thomas llolcomb, Esq5
was assigned to defend Scott.
Then came the first jury trial, in the case
of Fortunate Lynch, an Italian, charged
with assault upon Police Officer james \.
HerShock, with intent to commit murder.
Officer Hershock stated that while ont
Fifth street nea. du Pont, on the night of
October I'd, searching for IA man for whom
lie had warrant, Lynch suddenly came
around the corner iii front of him and
fired pistol at him, the ball narrowly
missing his head.
attemptedto prove an alibi, the evidence
of several Italian witnesses called by him
being to the effect that Lynch was in
1iouse nearby AT the time the shooting
occurred.
Parker Smith, colored, was arraigned on
q charge of assault and battery, with intent
to kill, upon James Leach of Mill Creek
hundred and pleaded not guilty. smith
said he was ready for his trial, but Deputy
Attorney general Davis said that Leach
was lying in a very precarious condition,
with fractured skull, and would not be
able to appear at this term The aitray
occurred IT Brandywine Springs on No
vember 4th.
The case was earnestly argued by coun-
sci on both sides and the charge of the
court was delivered by Chief Justice
Comegys. At 1855 O'Clock the jury re-
tired, and were out when court took the
noon recess.
The trial of John d. Farra, who was in
dicted for manslaughter 1T the present term
for causing the death of James Devine Of
Hudson, n. y, by striking him with his
fist, will probably begin tomorrow. The
affair occurred al the Pennsylvania House,
in this city. Farras counsel are Levi G.
Bird and A. Il. Sanborn, Esqs. Devne's
widow has written letter to one of
Farras friends in this city, i'll which, while
deploring the unfortunate occurrence, she
exprpsses thp belief that Fnrra was moi re-