Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1891-09-03
mo- Room roR susrrcIoM.
Some Talk Over Foolish Letter in
Connection With the Causcway Suicide
THE Doubts Fully Dissipated.


speculation as to whether the Chicago
man was really the brother of the de-
ceased, or the person he represented
himself to be. Many claimed that he
should have been made to establish his
identity beyond doubt before he was
allowed to take the body at all, and that
he should be made to give any informa-
ton asked concerning the deceased's
brother. The case being mysterious
one, commanded the fullest invcstiga-
ton.
Besides the existence Of letter which
the coroner received on Monday morn
ing week, the purport Of which was
printed on the following day in THE
GAZETTE d JOURNAL. and which was
alluded to as the evident work Of
crank, has succeeded in arousing sus-
picion In the minds of many who still
are inclined to believe that there is some
thing irregular about the mans death.
The letter in full reads as follows:
Two MILES EAST OF STANTON, Aug. 22d,
1870 The Coroner Of Mo City Of Whining.
ton-DEAR SIR: saw the shooting done.
was waiting behind the three men and
heard them discuss the merits and de-
merits Of bulldog that the tall man had
chain or strap on when the man that
was shot said the dog did not look well
bred. Then the tall man said what do
you know about dog, and the man said
he knew all about it. Then the tall man
called him s. of b.. They had some
words, when he, the tall man, said "a
will shoot you, you Yankee s. of b."
He acted with the word, shot the third
man. A low stout man ran across the
field and the man with the bulldog made
for the railroad as fast as he could From
the conversation / think they were going
to farm to meet some Chester men. 1t
was then ten minutes past o'clock. The
tall man is blacksmith on Front street
east of Tatnall and of Il sandy complexion.
i saw him work on Orange street some
years ago. He said the other men, about
| fifteen, were out at the barn before this.
j. II. WILSON.
r. S.-The man spoke of Jersey City, N.
J. | had to send by hand. Could get no
stamp here. Will return to Wilmington
| in two weeks. My home is in Baltimore
but call in Wilmington sometimes, where
was born. ]. 7. WILSON.
| Had this letter been given to the
newspapers as soon as it was received,
it is claimed that all the doubt and sus-
picion which has existed for the past
few days as to the cause of Will
liams' death would have been allayed,
and the publicity given to the letter
would have proved it to be fraud on
its face But through some mistake or
unreliable advice, as he now says, Coro-
ner Sparks held this letter from the
public and considered it private mis-
sive.
There is very little doubt that the man
who wrote the letter is fraud and
| nn1IlH have h0d mr. nthOr rnnttFn in
maligning the man spoken of in the
letter as committing the murder than
that Of malice or satisfying his own per-
sonal spite.
Owen j. Houghten, who says he ia
the blacksmith mentioned in the letter,
was seen by a representative of THE
GAZETTE on Thursday. He says that
he carried on blacksmithing on Front
street near Tatnall until August 1st, and
was now doing business at No. 101
Orange street. He said he had nothing
whatever to do with Williams death
and had never seen him in his life. He
says he has an idea who wrote the
letter, as there is only one person in
this city who would do him personal
injury and who is antagonistic to him.
He decided to offer reward of $50 fol
the arrest and conviction of the man
who wrote the letter.
Undertaken Palmer, who shipped the
remains of J. B. Williams to Washing.
ton, was asked on Thursday if he was
satisfied that H. It. Williams was q re.
sponslble person and the man he repre-
sented himself to be. Mr.. Palmer said
81 have every reason to believe thai
Mr.. Williams is all right and took care
to satisfy myself on this point before
either the remains of j. b. Williams or
II. f. Williams, himself, left Whining
ton. never met more gentlemanly
fellow in my life. found out Mr.. viii
liams was responsible in this way: lie
had told me that he left Chicago Oh
Sunday morning, out of banking hour:
of course, and consequently he did moi
have the money to pay the undertaken
expenses of his brother. He also said he
did not know his brother was dead
when he received the letter and he
made haste to get to Wilmington II
time to prevent the suicide and take his
brother back TO Chicago with him. Con
sequently, Mr.. Williams came off with.
out much money and when he found
his brother dead, knowing the under
takers expenses would have to be paid
he telegraphed to the National Bank OF
Illinois, which is located in Chicago
and asked them to wire back TO me and
inform me whether or not he was re-
sponsible. 1t was not long before re-
ceived this telegram which satisfied me
that everything was all right:
CHICAGO, ILL.,, Aug. 25.-TAc Ndtiona
Bank Of Illinois; We guarantee under.
takers expenses as ordered by ii. f. vii
liams. w. A. HAMMOND, CASHIER.
ITO strengthen my belief further thai
Mr.. Williams was all right, received
the following letter from r. w. Barker
a leading undertaken of Washington, D.
O., and a gentleman whom know per
sonally:
WASHINGTON, D. c., Aug 25-Receivet
remains of ]. b. Williams all right. Send
your bill to me at once. Do not send bill
to his mother,a as ordered by H.F. Williams
R. w. BARKER.
"Undertaker Barker buried the father
of j. B. Williams some years ago, and i.
well acquainted with the Williams
family. He is one of the leading under
takers Of Washington and is a reliable
man."
1t was learned that Mrs. N. o. Will
liams, the mother of the suicide, is living
at present at No. 1924 Massachusetts
avenue, Washington, d. g.
Coroner Sparks was next seen anG
said that there was no doubt in his MIND
that II. f. Williams was the man ht
represented himself to be, and that he
did not think there was anything
crooked about his transactions here
He was satisfied that he was all right.