Evening journal., 1890-07-14
HARTLEY'S TRAGEDY.
FARMER CURLEIT DESCRIBES THE
BLOODY DEED.


DOVER, Del, July IA Yesterday
the JOURNAL representative drove over
to Hartley to investigate the Ford-Bed-
we'll tragedy a brief account Of which was
given exclusively in the EVENING
JOURNAL of Saturday. Arriving there
he was directed to the home of James
Curlett, about three miles northeast of
of Hartley near Shorts Corner and upon
whose farm the shooting took place.
Farmer Curlett was found at home and
glad to see a newspaper man, "for, said
he, this outrage must be shown up."
ut was right over there, said he,
'tthst Gale Ford was shot down by that
villain, and he pointed to strip Of corn
field, lying between peach orchard and
and heavy swamp. about 200 yards
from the house where we stood.
Proceeding to the field Mr. Curlett
pointed out the relative positions Of the
assassin and his victim The swamp
borders the corn field along one entire
side, and so securely is 1t loaded with
underground, that standing at it's
edge, one could not see man in hiding
were he but two PAGES away 1t was here,
amid this heavy underground, that the
assassin lay hid, while his victim slowly
approached him along the row, which he
was cultivating, his whole attention
riveted on his horse and culiivator
When Ford had approached TO within
about ten PAGES of the servant the shot
was fred, and with scream of pain the
wounded man dropped in his tracks
Farmer Curlett heard that scream Of
agony almost simultaneously with the re-
port of the gun and hastenoi from the
field whore he was working ia
the direction of the sound. Farmer
Pleasanton and his son who were work
ing In the field just beyond the woods
also heard 1t, as did Frank Grinnage and
Patrick Harkins their hired men. All
arrived at the spot about the same
time to find the horse standing
trembling beside the corn row and Ford
lying unconscious on the ground, welter-
ing In blood, and with one hand still
clutching the cultivator Hastily they
picked him up and took him to his own
humble home near by and summoned
medical aid
DR.. Wallis Of Kenton responded and
gave 1t as his opinion that the case was
critical Fully 200 shot had entered
Ford's face, breast and arms. his breast
receiving the bulk of the charge and one
shet passing clean through his neck close
to the jugular vein.
Where's Tom?' was the first ques
tion asked by the wounded man, when
he became conscious, and all around him
Immediately knew that he suspected
that his assassin was one Bedwell the
man whom he had befriended
for years "And we all suspected him, /"
said Farmer Curlett, because he's bad
lot, but still have to tell you the whole
story in order that you my understand
why"
Here is the story Ever since they
we're boys Caleb Ford and Tom. Bedweil
were ehums, They were both raised
right in this neighborhood ana
and were always much together. About
three years ago Badwell's mother left ht r
husband for some cause, and this broke
up his home He then induced Ford to
take him in, which the latter did. and
ever since he has been living at Ford's.
Fords family consisted Of his aged
mother, his sister and the the latter's
two children, Annie aged about IA and
Rose aged 2. Both these children were
illegltimate Susan, the mother, who Is
now about 35 years old never has been
married.
about year after Bedwell became a
member of the household another dauPh-
ter was born to Susan and the child is
now two years old and all the neighbors
credit Bedwell with being its father.
Caleb Ford strongly objected to Bed
wells intimacy with his sister and re-
peatedly urged them to marry. This the
woman was willing TO do. but Bedwell in
variably put 1t off Meanwhile Ia wear old
Annie had grown into a handsome lass OF
sixteen, with finely developed form,
wealth Of bronze golden hair and features
that make her really good looking
For some time it has been
rumored among the neighbors that
Bedwell thought more Of the daughter
than he did of the mother, and they were
seen much together
IL has also been strongly limited that
they were criminallY inUmate and when
few weeks agoBedwell was endeavoring to
procure medicine to produce an abor
tlon he told some intimate friends that
he wanted 1t for the daughter, Annie
When taken to task about his villiany
he remarked that he would marry Annie
and run the place If Gale" were out of
the way.
It has been we'll known among all the
neighbors that Caleb was devotedly
attached to his young neice, despite the
cloud that lowered over her birth, and
Bedwell has on several occasions, ex-
pressed the fear that Caleb
would discover his crime against
the young girl. II Is thought
that this fear coupled with his
desire to marry the girl impelled him to
the deed which, there Is no doubt now
that he committed
After hearing all these details the
JOURNAL correspondent accompanied l
Farmer Curlett to the Meadow Farm. az
the small place upon which Ford
lives This farm is located about
half mile from Curlett's house.
and well-worn path through a
corn field, strip OF wood land
and finally through an apple orchard
brought us up to the unpretentious little
farm house swhere the victim
Of Bedwells treachery Law
perhaps dying In rather airy room
Ford was found resting on chairs propoed
up with pillows, and around him sat two
or three farmers, his mother aud sister
Come in gentleman, said the old
gray-haird mother. Il told them to set
the table In the yard, but why don't they
call Caleb to dinner
She was sitting then beside the couch
on which the wounded son rested. but
she did not know him The sssassin's
shot had dethroned her reason and the
others told us ''She has been just this
way ever since they brought Caleb home
all bleeding " It was pathetic sight
The sister who sat in the room was
not Susan, the one with whom Bedwell
has been intimate, but Sarah. another
sister, who for years has lived up near