The Wilmington daily Republican., 1891-12-08
FOURTH edition
Trial of the Alleged parn burners.

houston una cullen on tne Dencn.
William ]. Gibbons, one of the alleged
barn burners was In court, and occu-
pied scat alongside OF his mother, In
front of the prise 6ner's dock, while his
sister sat alongside of his counsel,
Wm. s. Hilles Esq.
Alter the names OF the witnesses had
been called Gibbons was placed in the
dock and arraigned on all Indictment
charging him with being concerned In
the burning OF ono of the DUPONT
barns, on December 2B, 1889, to which
he pleaded not guilty.
The following jury was finally Sc
lected to try the case, the State being
represented by Attorney General Biggs
and Deputy Attorney General Davis,
while William $. Hilles appeared for
The defense:
John Lockerman, Samuel Dickinson,
James Darrell, Charles L. Simmons,
George w. Cooley, James t. Neasey,
Elwood Bigger, Jr., Howard h. Lodge,
Samuel L. Handy, All son Truitt.
The case was opened by Mr.. Davis,
who after reading the long Indictment
consisting OF four counts, stated to
the jury what he expected to be able
to prove. Mr.. Biggs then moved that
the witnesses on both sides be exclud-
ed from the room, and the motion was
granted,
The examination OF witnesses was
| then commenced.
Robert Fruztcr, upon being sworn,
testified that he Is surveyor and civil
! engineer. He made tho plot of what
was known as the new barn on Il. Du-
Points premises, and identified draw
| ing of the plan as having been made
| by him. The witness then left the
stand, and explained the drawing to
tho jury. 1t showed that the accused
lived In the vicinity, and that it was
but snort distance from his house to
the barn that was burned.
Eugene DUPONT testified that he is a
member of the firm of DUPONT de Ne
mours & Co., and has been since 1862.
He remembered the night the new
barn was burned; it was on December
26. 1850.
The barn which belonged to the firm
was totally destroyed. The evening
when the lire took place he was eating
his dinner, and was Informed that the
barn was on fire. Upon going to the
building, lie found 1t in flames.
The witness knows William J. Glib
bons tho accused, and has known him
oil his life. He never worked for any
one except his firm, and learned the
trade of q carpenter with them.
He, with seven others, was dlschar.
ged on October l5 1889, on account OF
the work being slack. The father OF
the accused worked for the firm fol
many years previous to 1.-THE time OF
his death in 1885. The barn that was
burned contained quantity OF hay
straw and farm produce, but no live
stock.
On cross examination, he said that
when he went to the burning barn, he
saw Gibbons and several others, somt
of whom were trying get the hos,
on but Gibbons did not seem to bt
doing anything. The witness wen
down to tho Hagely yard. and wheI
he returned found the engineer there
and Gibbons on the roof OF the dwell
Ing house, trying to keep the spark!
from sottiDg fire to the roof.
The iiirm offered reward OF S150
TO the conviction of inccndiary, bu
t4e witness had his suspicious al
along, which were confirmed by tn
burning of n second barn. on January
81. He had Pinkerton detectives EN-
ploye1 on the case for three or fou
: months, and then employed others.
Iii the latter part of October, 1896
the firm placed the matter in charge o
the Wilkinson agency, and they hav,
warked on 1t ever since.
On redirect examination by Mr.
Biggs the witness said that when thi
fire was burning the sparks were beini
carried over toward the HaRley Yard
and as there was u vast amount ther
the witness went over to look after tn
property. Fortunately the win
changed, and the sparks were carrie,
III another direction.
Although the firm have offered S3
. 600 reward for tho conviction of tn
person or persons who were concerne
in burning their property. thus far Ii
one Is entitled to claim 1t.
There iS no question of a reward a
far as the detectives are concerned, a
the firm have paid their bills wbeneve
they We're presented The only order
they had WIS to 20 ahead and cate
the criminals. Tho firm were induce
to employ tho Wilkinson detectives b
note they received In October, lSs
which stated that moro of their PROF
erty would DO destroyed.
. Francis q. DUPONT testified that o
the evening the barn was burned, h
was delayed at the office and was lat
\ getting home. Upon reaching h
house he Smelled smoked and disco
cred that the barn was on fire. Ii
) went to the burning building and the
to the yard to look after the powder
The witness went TO the yard for ii
purpose OF preventing AN explosion
possible, and saving life, but scarcel
expected that he would ever retuI
himself. At the time of the fire thel
We're 800 tons of hay, lot OF corr
wheat and other produce In tho barn.
On redirect examination by Nj
Blggs, Mr. DUPONT said that 1t woul
have been an possibility for the bar
n to have been set on fire from the ashe
taken from the green house. as the
u were deposited outside OF an 3 fe
wall, some distance from tho barn
John Baird testified that he was cr
}, ploycd by tho DuPontS, and had chaIp
of the new barn. On the day VIII
the fire occurred in the evening,
IL left the barn about o'clock and le
everything all right.
James Horty testified that he is
driver for Francis Dupont. He disco
cred the fire at the new barn and ca
ed Mr.. DUPONT. They tried to exit
qulsh the tire, but finding it inpos,
C BILE Mr.. DUPONT went to Hagl,
yard while the witness hurried to b
private stables and got the horses o
}, for fear tney might be burned.
He then went to Mr.. DuPont'S hous
aud assembled with another man To t.
" roof, to prevent II catching fire.
Edward Gallagher testified that
resides ut what Is known as "Fr
10 Park and is employed in the Hagl
Yard.
The witness knows Gibbons, and
&c tho day ot tho fire saw him and a
,c other man, whom he thinks was nam
~ Moore, crossing field about