Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1891-11-26
KILLED By A CRAZY MAN.
p. Frank Shields Fatally Assaulted
Amor H. Rurnett

Al, ,nuA phiciuo, - years VI age, uleu at
the Delaware Hospital Monday afternoon
from the. effects of blow with an axe
inflicted by Amor II, Burnett. aged As,
while suffering with fit of insanity.
Burnett had had several insane spells
| within the past three months and IL had
been decided to send him TO the Diamond
State Insane Asylum Monday for treat
| ment.
Sunday night, as had been his custom
ior the past week, young Shields went to
Burnetts home. No. 4i4i King street, to
stay with him, thus relieving bis wife and
permitting her TO get needed rest. Shields
had great influence with the patient and
was able to restrain him when in his wild
moods. Burnett was quite rational at
o'clock. when his wife retired and Shields
lay down on lounge to rest. Unfortu-
nately he fell asleep. While he slept Bur-
/ nett became crazy. He was seized with a
desire to kill some one and going from the
second story of his home to the cellar he
got an old axe.
Returning to where Shields still lay
sleeping he crushed his skull by power
Jul blow with the weapon. Then he rushed
from the house The alarm was quickly
given and he was captured, hatless, coat
less and barefooted, running like mad
man toward the river. He was locked up
ut the police station.
+. Il. Shields, the victim, was an exem-
plary young man, and was highly esteemed
by Burnett when rational. He was for
years employed at Fullmer's restaurant
and was well known. Strange to suy,
shields father met a violent death Mt the
hands of Lewis. Hayden, the sergeant of
the police patrol Of this city, IL years ago,
ana Burnetts father was shot and killed
by kilburne Dandy in the fall of 1864 on
French street in this city. Amor then q
years OF age. seized a shotgun and rushed
out OF his home, swearing he would kill
his father murderer but he was prevented
from executing his threat. Dandy escaped
punishment on the plea of insanity.
The deceased was buried from the resi-
dence OF Joseph Fullmer yesterday morn.
ing Services were held in st. Peters
Church. Interment was made in st.
Joseph's cemetery.
1t did not take coroners jury very long
tuesday evening to discover just how p.
FRANK Shields, the young athlete, met his
ueath; The Jury reached verdict in just
40 minutes after they had been called
together at the coroner's office. The verdict
was that p. Frank Shields came to his
death by blow from an axe in the hands
Of Amor II. Burnett on the morning of
Monday, November 23d, last, in the CITY of
wilmington" There was very little testi-
mony of Importance adduced at the hear
ing, consequently there was nothing left
Tor the Jury to do but render verdict in
substance as mentioned in the fore-oinr
ms done, the work was over, and the
murderer was in the custody of the attor-
ney-general, to make whatever disposition
Of the demented prisoner he may deem
best.
~, The witnesses called to give testimony in
the case Tuesday were. Special Officer
licnry III. Brown, who found Burnett
IA m uls a a.
morning of the murder and who locked
NE culprlt up; William Aiken, a brother
o. Mrs Burnett; House Sergeant Lemuel
MARI, who received the murderer from
Special officer Brown at the police station:
captain Francis, Sergeants Ingram and
n,,hambers, who visited the house where
the awfnl deed was perpetrated and found
lhe uying man. DR.. Joseph Il. Smith,
worth.
. Inc only new facts were those related by
Sergeant Wigglesworth, who stated that he
had been in Bnrnett's presence during the
greater part of Tuesday. The latter had
tod MIN that he dealt Shields the fatal
nlow, with the axe, but held that he did it
III seii-defence. Burnett said that he had
peeli pursued for the last 20 years by
mohs Of people, which as a matter of fact
EXISTED, only in the prisoners imagination.
ne declared that these mobs of people, on
Friday night, drove him to the roof for
safety While the officer sat with the
prisoner in the cell Burnett declared that
soft strains of sweetest melody were filling
the cell and he demanded to know who
was playing such beautiful music. II
seemed 10 fall in deep, rich tones in the
cell, Burnett declared. He wanted to
know where the music came from. The
sergeant assured him that the sounds were
only the meanings of the wind, but he
would not listen 10 this assurance. Bur
nett also commanded the sergeant to 20 to
his home, at No. Ili1 King street. and de-
stroy those wires which the unfortunate
man declared were running into the build
ing ON AL sides. lie stated that once the
wires talked to him, when he tried 10 get
out of the window. and catching him in d
trm grasp they refused to release him,
Burnett also said he realized that death
would soon claim him, and he was only
sorry, he said, that his life had not gone
out like the light of candle which he saw
extlnguished at his home.
The jury, after hearing the evidence
were satisfied that the prisoner was fast
becoming mental and physical wreck,
and after rendering a verdict they imme.
diately adjourned.