Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1891-08-21
MURDER OR SUICIDE.
SHOT THROUGH THE HEART ON
THE cAUs sWAY.

picious Character teen-1he Body Was
Not Robbed Motive of Crime Un-
known.
The body of white man about 25
years old supposed to be J. 3. Williams,
residence unknown, was found on the
csuseway between the New Castle cutoff
Of the Delaware railroad and w g. N.
road TO the pier at an early hour this
morning A large bullet hole was in his
left breast, and he was dead. The
revolver had been held SO closely to the
body that his white shirt had large
hole burned in it, and the heslr surround
ing the wound was slightly scorched
The body was first seen at 80 o'clock
this morning by James G. Gregg, who
lives on the Jefferson commons farm near
New Castle, aud who also has stall No %
in the Eighth street market, this city.
Gregg was coming to this city at that
early hour on a matter Of business When
on the Hare's Corner road, a manscting in
suspicious manner, approached his
wagon and asked him il that was the
road to New Castle Gregg told him that
he could 60 to New Castle that way, but
the direct road was the one to the
left, which he had Just passed. The
/
a small moustache and had the appear
ance of being tough
As soon as Gregg told him the route be
should take, the man muttered something
exeitedly aud made OF across the fields In
the direction OF the New Castle road as
rapidly as his legs would carry him.
Gregg did not pay much attention to the
man, and drove on. When about half
way between the w & NJ tracks and the
p, w & B cutoff on the csusewsy, he
saw a man lying in the path at the foot
OF one of the many small willows along
the east side of the road. The mans
head was toward New Castle, his feet
toward Wilmington, and, was
| lying on his right side, and as natural
consequence, his back was towards the
road.
Gregg was struck by the mans quiet
ness aud attitude, and yelled:
Get upl Are you asleep or drunkT
he did not receive an answer, nor did
the man stir. Gregg then left his
wagon and yelled again, after which he
went on his way.
A few feet up the road he met Elijah
Ferchus and Georg Shovel, two colored
men. They were on their way to the
farm of William White on the Hsre's
Corner road When they reached the
body they walked up to it and Ferchus
shook it aud turned the man over on his
back. Then they saw the wound and the
pool Of blood In the path Their eye;
popped and a mealy look spread ovel
their faces
Just then Johnny" Armstrong, :
white plasterer, walked up. He exam
ined the man and pronounced him dead lie
told Ferchus 10 notify Coroner Sparks.
1t was 5.45 o'clock when the coroner
received word. He Immediately notified
Undertaken Palmer they repaired "a
the scene Of the crime and found tbs
position of the body reversed the heac
being toward Wilmington. This chang,
is supposed TO have been made by SONS
1, pssserby, as Gregg is positive the bod,
! was lying with the head towards New
! Castle.
When Coroner Sparks examined th
Q body, it was quite cold aud life had az
parently been extinct for two or tbre
hours He WAS about 5 feet s incbe
tall, OF light build, had gray eyes darl
curly hair and prominent features. II
wore black coat, dark striped trousers
white shirt, black stockings, black sof
felt hat and laced shoes. On the watcl
pocket OF the pants is the following
I written in indelible ink -. B vii
: liams, L324 w 3O9." The date is so in
distinct that It cannot be made out.
On his person some cartridges wer
! found, a watch and gold plated chain,
r pocket knife, $208 in cash, finger ring
{ and bunch Of keys with a metal chez
/ upon it, bearing the name -. B. Wi
! liams.
No Revolver To Be Found.
Search was Immediately instituted 70
the revolver, but it could not be found
This fact was the only one which mad
the idea of suicide untenable. When
could not be found foul play was at ono
suspected.
The body was taken to the morgue
where it was viewed by hundreds O
morbidly curious persons Several sal
! the face was familiar, but they could no
. place it.
Searching for the Revolver.
Detective McVey and an EvENIN
2 JOURNAL reporter went out on the cause
1 way to search for the revolver. The
! were followed several minutes later b
d Coroner Sparks and another newspape
] man.
The search was fruitless Every busl
and bunch of grass was searched, but /
8 could not be found. The ditch wa
I poled but the hea " revolver could not b
{ felt
! Detective Mcvey says that after in
flcting such wound upon himself NJ
man could have thrown the revolve
away, as death was instantaneous HI
holds to the theory that the man wa
murdered or that he committed suicid,
and some passerby picked up the revol
yer for the sake Of stealing 1t.
If he was murdered it was for reveng'
and not for pelf, as everything abou
him showed that his pockets had no
; boon rffied, nor we're there any signs o.
q struggle.
D The city directory was called int,
requisition, but every ]. B Williams II
it is alive a. d happy in the conscious
ness that he is not to be used as seal
for the coroner.
: Several tailors have examined tn
clothing, but not one of them can Civ
! any clue of the tailor who made the gar
ments.
An Inquisitive Individual.
Undertaken Palmer has been quizze
almost to death The worst case was thii
morning. A man walked up to him an
asked:
Is that dead man hereT
Eyes, he is here
What is his manner
/ Il don't know"
Nobody knows himf"
tfNo -