Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1891-12-31
DELAWARE CITY'S MYSTERY
The Headless Body Identified
as Noah Benson's.
BEEN MISSING FOR SOME TIME
No knowledge of Any Motive
for His Murder.

Working ON the Cause.-The Jury Rem.
ders Its Verdict.
pee alCorrespondence Gazette and Journal
DELAWARE CRY, Dec. 26.-This com.
munity was Mortified this morning by
what seems TO have been most afro
cious murder. The finding in the Della
ware d Chesapeake canal of the corpse
oil man evidently mulatto, headless
and covered with wounds, gives rise 10
the belief that terrible crime has been
committed.
Deputy Coroner Giles was telegraphed
70 at once and he responded speedily.
Immediately after his arrival he en-
panneled jury and began an investi-
Ra'ion. The jury, composed of seven
men, with j. Ii. Dilworth serving as
foreman, is sitting at Stout's Hotel,
"nere II went after examining the body.
William J. Wingate, Waterman at the
canal, testified that he saw an object in
the canal yesterday afternoon but did
not Know that II was corpse. He saw
IL again this morning, about z o'clock,
and assisted in bringing it ashore.
Wingates brother, who is lock
tender, gave similar testimony.
William Steel, also q lock tender.
stated that he saw the corpse yesterday
afternoon and supposed 1t to be the
body OF dog or some other animal.
lie saw it again this morning and going
out IN boat towed it ashore. He fur
ther testified that the vessel Three
brothers of the Pocomoke river, bound
Tor Chesapeake City and having col
ored crew, was docked in the canal YES
terday.
George Foard, inspector of the canal
banks, said he saw an object in the
canal In the vicinity of the mule stables
yesterday morning but did not know
what it was.
Dr. William j. Jacobs testified that he
examined the corpse in response to the
request OF the deputy coroner and found
the body very much decomposed.
lie was of the opinion that it
had been in the water three or
four days. There was a compound
fracture on the left leg below the knee
There also were two wounds under the
right arm and there was wound above
the breast bone. The head was severed
and the vertebrm crushed. 1t seemed
70 him that tho head was cut off with a
knife and that the vertebra was crushed
with blunt instrument.
AT u o'clock the jury took an hours
recess for dinner.
The headless and wounded corpse
Is believed by many to be the body of
Noah Benson, a young colored man,
who disappeared from Delaware CITY
on Thanksgiving night.
During quarrel Mt festival held at
Delaware City ON Thanksgiving night
by colored people John Il. Shorter Sc
yerely cut the Rev. Samuel Ambrose
with razor Benson was present and
Is said to have assisted in protecting
Ambrose. That night Benson disappeared
ana the theory now expressed is that he
was murdered and decapitated and his
body sunk in the canal. Those who
are confident the corpse is the
body of the missing man assert
that they recognize II by a sore
on leg and ring on finger. The
state detectives are ut work on the case.
Shorter, who is in jail at New Castle,
awaiting trial for murderously assault
ing Ambrose says Benson was not at the
festival. He has not been told of the
finding of the body.
When found the corpse was nude. A
mark around the waist indicates that
the body was dragged to the canal or
was weighted before being cast over
board. The head has not be found.
The body is that Of man about 3 feet
inches in height and weighing about
100 pounds. Deputy Coroner Giles is
OF the opinion that the body was in the
water three or four weeks. In addition
to the cuts, already described, there are
on the body what seems to be bullet
holes.
Samuel Beck, by whom Benson was
employed, considered him an exem-
plary man. Mr.. Beck has some money
which belonged TO Benson and some Of
the latter's clothing is in the possession
of man named Hickman.
ONE ARREST MADE SUNDAY.
DELAWARE CITY, Dec. 2S.-A great
deal of mystery surrounds the headless
body OF the colored man found in the
canal on Saturday last. The indications
point strongly to foul play. But one
colored person is missing from Polk
town, one Noah Benson, who mystcri-
ously disappeared about Thanksgiving
Day. Benson worked for Mr. William
Seck, who had sum of money belong
ng TO Benson, which has remained
unclaimed since he was last seen.
Another cause of suspicion is the fact
dat about the body is plainly visible the
mark Of rope, as of some weight at
.ached to keep the body anchored to the
bottom of the canal.
The only thing left on the nude body
which might lead to Identification was
plain gold ring on the small finger of
the left hand. Ned Williams, colored
hostler in testers livery stable, was ar
rested yesterday on suspicion of having
been cognizant of the matter. II Is said
Mat he identified the ring as the one last
worn by Noah Benson, having been
given him by colored woman who had
cast him off. Further developments
are expected before long, and it Is to be
hoped that no means will be left I'M
tried to bring the true facts of this mys-
terry to light.
DELAWARE CrTY, Dec. 2S.-The in
yestigation by coroner's jury of the
mystery surrounding the finding of the
leadless body in the Delaware & Chesa-
peake canal was resumed this morning.
Deputy Coroner Giles, Coroner's Physi-
clan Smith and Detective Witsil came
10 town by the morning train. DIR.
Jacobs made a post-mortem examina-
ton and when the jury reassembled he
resumed his testimony.
DIR. Jacobs said: al made an examina-
lion this morning and found the body
in bad state of decomposition. It
contained three wounds, which would
have caused death. The wound under
the right arm was inflicted with blunt
instrument. 1t might have been dealt
before or after death. 1t was 24 or 3
inches deep. am uncertain whether
the wound on the breast was