Middletown transcript., 1891-10-29
A du poNT CONSPIRACY.
DETECTIVES MAKE ARRESTS WHICH
MAY LEAD TO IMPORTANT
DEVELOPMENTS.


New Castle Jail. They were arrested
last Friday, specifically charged with
having set fire to three large barns OF
the du Pont corporation in 1889 and
1890.
Previous to the fearful explosion OF
the Upper Yards plant of the powder
mills on Oct. 7th, 1890, when thirteen
lives were lost, half-hundred dwell
ings destroyed and $15O,0OO damage
done, several dastardly attempts were
made to set off the works by scatter
! ing matches in places where they
would ignite by friction and thus hre
the powder. The attempts and the
barn burniugs, followed with COM
parative rapidly, and when the ex-
plosion occurred there were mutter-
ings of foul play. This could not be
proved for the coroner's jury decided
that William r. Green, trusted and
experienced employe, who was one of
the victims, caused the disaster by
| dropping hot solder into powder which
he was Theoretically sealing.
After the incendiary burning of
barn owned by William du Pont and
tenanted by Edward Seltzer near
Rockland last January, but with which
the Clarks are not charged, suspicious
Of conspiracy werea again rife and the du
Points offered $1,000 reward for the ar
rest and conviction of the barn burn
ers. Detectives without number
worked unsuccessfully on the case. In
March the Wilkinson force were Sc
cured and uponthedu Points suggestion
they shadowed the Clark family. On
September 1st, the intimacy between
detectives of assumed names, who
numbered half dozen including one
female, and the Clark family had be-
come so great that William Wilkinson
leased the Columbus Inn, on the
Kennett turnpike just beyond the
limits of Wilmington, and started
Edward Clark and Thomas Ell. Lynch
in the saloon business. They did a
thriving trade and nightly gatherings
of the detectives and the family were
the rule.
The climax was reached when
John Traynor one Of the detec-
tives was ostensibly drugged to death
at " family circle, y aid aid taken way
in the night. The detectives paid the
Clarks to keep quiet on the :" murder"
and, to show their confidence, it is
alleged, the suspicious family told all
they knew of the deviltry. Recently
when a suit against Lynch for some
trivial disturbance at the Inn was
about to be brought Mrs. Clark told |
State Detectives McVey and Witsil
that she knew of murder, but would |
tell no. one.
The Ciarks were arrested by surprise
and taken before Justice Sasse, where,
after an indirect hearing, and upon the
of. Attorney General
Bggs they were each held in $15, 600 |
bail on three charges. When Detec-
tive Traynor's name was called at the
trial he emerged from
rear room and the appearance of sup
posed dead man almost threw Mrs.
Clark into Mysteries. Vincent and
Samuel Clark, other sons, we're not
molested. The THO protest their in
nocence. As they were lodged in Jail
without having been given full trial,
it is reported that Attordeys Henry C.
Turner and William S. Hilles, will try
and secnre their release on a habeas
corpus.
The detectives strongly intimate
that the barn burnings and powder
mill explosion were the work of the self
same gang of conspirators and other ar
rests are daily expected, for ten Of the
Wilkinson men are now in Whining
ton. The detectives are each paid
from $40 to 500 per day. The reputed
cause of the conspiracy is the discharge
Of numerous useless workmen by the
duPonts when General Henry dupont,
the head of the firm, died two years
ago. The Wilkinson force worked so
quietly that not Wilmington or Della
ware official knew of their presence,
William Gibbons Of No. 1929 Lincoln
street, Wilmington, was arrested in
on Tuesday for compiled
ty in the conspiracy. He is % years old
and until recently lived in Christiana
hundred near Wilmington. He is de-
scribed as rather Wild" He was
as carpenter at the du
Pont works, but two years ago, it is
said, was discharged with others be-
cause of the scarcity of work. His
father previous to his death was boss
Of the Hagley yard. Several weeks
ago young Gibbons stole one of the
birds at cock fight at the Columbus
Inn, and warrant was sworn out for
him. He left Wilmington to escape ar
rest with man now supposed to have
been one of the Wilkinson detectives. T.
Attorney General Biggs says the
cases against the Clarks were regularly
afiidavits having been made
before Justice Richard Ferguson, Of
Eugene Burns, aged 30 years, who
who was also carpenter employed by
The duPonts and who was discharged
with Gibbons, was arrested yesterday
for completely. Both he and Gibbons
were held in $1,000 bail by Magistrate
Sasse and in default were committed
to Man fast 10 ;oil Taunac Moora <yauo