Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1891-12-31

repleu that ne supposed he was down
home. Mr.. Beck said he feared that he
might have fallen in the canal, as his
money and clothes were at his hous,
still. On Thanksgiving night took 6
man in team for Mr.. Jester to Jamei
II. Clark; then drove to Polk Town
with another order; went for DIR. Pell
vile and took the doctor over TO Poll
Town, when the doctor told him to &c
home and he would find his way homt
the best he could; went home AND
rubbed two horses down and went tC
bed; was not in young Sarah Fields
house on Thanksgiving night. The
tirst time he knew Of Noah being miss
ing was when Mr.. Beck asked him fol
Noah.
William Benson, Jr., was called, and
could not recognize Williams, nevel
having seen him before.
Edward Williams was recalled; said
he had no quarrel with Benson. Being
questioned by Ella King, he denied thai
he was with Sarah Fields on Thanks.
giving night, but on the next night
Friday.
The Jury then adjourned until 1890
o'clock this morning.
The mystery becomes deeper and
more unbelievable. The idea still
gains grounds that the body is that Of
Noah Benson, who disappeared about
Thanksgiving day. The colored mem
beers of the community seem to DO quiet
on the subject. The State detectives
are quietly working on the case; and I'm
portant developments may be expected.
The canal Is being dragged to find tho
missing head and portions of the cloth
ing.
The body, which was buried about
200 yards above the bridge, was ex-
humed late yesterday afternoon, In
order that Noah Benson's son from
Odessa might view the remains for
Identification. Owing to an advanced
state Of decomposition he failed to
recognize ehe remains.
The colored man Ned Williams, ar
rested on suspicion yesterday by Detec-
tives McVey and Witsil, was released
for lack of evidence. Still the body has
not been identified beyond doubt as
that of Noah Benson.
DELAWARE Cry, Dec. 29.-The iden-
LITIGATION of the headless body found in
the canal here as that of Noah Benson,
colored, Is now established beyond a
doubt DR.. Jacobs, accompanied by
Deputy Coroner Giles, went out and
made another examination of the body
this morning, and found imbedded in
the left hand the bullet spoken of by
Benson's son as having been there for
several years. The unsolved mystery
now is how Benson came to his death.
When the jury reassembled this morn
ing N. G.. Wright was called. He testi-
fled that he saw Noah Benson Thanks
giving night, between s and 8 o'clock,
coming home from festival. Hearing
a racket in the alley beside his store, he
looked in and saw Benson there, very
drunk and leaning against his store
door. Benson called TO him for some
cigars. A crowd of negro boys sur
rounded Benson and endeavored to get
his bottle of whisky from him. The
last that witness saw Of Benson he was
running up the street past the post .ofIice
followed by the crowd.
DIR. Jacobs testified 10 examining the
body again and finding the bullet In the
left hand. II was located between the
third and little fingers where 1t had be-
come encysted. He produced the bullet
and II was examined by the Jury.
The jury was then polled and each
member expressed himself as satisfied
that the body found was that of Noah
Benson. After deliberation the following
verdict was rendered
Resoived, That the body found was that
of Noah Benson. who came to his death
between November 10Th and December
18th, 1891, at the hands Of some party or
parties 70 the jury unknown.
Thus far all efforts to unravel the
mystery of the murder have proved
There Is not, at present, tho
slightest clue which can be used as q
basis of investigation.