Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1891-10-22
LAST EDITION
WHALSAY YOU, PRISONER?
WALTER W. BLACKBURN HELD FOR
MURDER.

He VIII Have to Face the Judges and
Jury Lawrence mcKagney Knocks
the Bottom Out of the Dream
Theory-The Car Placed There on
Saturday NiEht-Conhicting Testimony.
The coroner's jury in the Gardiner
murder case reached verdict last night.
That verdict WAS as follows:
Resolved, That the jury empsneled In
the case OF Eddie II Gardiner, found
dead in baggage car, No. 4l5, at the foot
of Fifth street, on the night OF October
Is, 1891, say that said Eddie d. Gardiner
came to his death by being choked and
having his neck broken, and after hear
ing the evidence the jury feel justified in
holding Walter W Blackburn for trial
The most important witness of the
evening was Lawrence McKagney of No
7l5 East Fifth street. His evidence dis
PEELED Blackburn g dream assertions and
rendered II absolutely necessary for the
Jury to hold Blackburn for court. His
testimony was in substance as follows:
ION the day In question / was sitting
at the corner Of Lord and Church streets
Blackburn came up Church street. He
over town for Eddie Gardiner. He said
he had almost walked his soles of Prior
to that time did not know that the boy
was lost. Blackburn said he had given
Eddie a cent to buy some apples and that
was the last he saw Of him.
sHe asked me if / knew where it was
that Edward HAZEL had assaulted Eddie
Gardiner told him the place. He told
me that be had just come from home
and had had dream. He was not, he
said, in the habit of dreaming. This
dream, however, was fixed wildly in his
mind, as in il he saw blood on the track
1t was after he said this that he asked me
about the Hazel case, and the boy was
found deadinear the same spot. l am
positive that it was between and 8. 30
o'clock when this conversation occurred
base my conviction on the fact that
saw tne night men going to work at
O'clock, and we parted when the rolling
mill whistle blew at 80 o'clock The
reason did not tell before what | knew
was because I made 50 many enemies FOL
imparting my knowledge in the Haze
case. After considering the matter
thought that had better tell the detec
tives Blackburn struck me as 4
man who had been drinking some. h
looked as If he had had a drink or two
He seemed to be excited about some
thing At z. 30 o'clock that night | saw
him again He asked me IL | knew
where he could borrow q lantern. Halt
an hour afterWard l saw him going up
Church street with one in his hand. As
soon as / heard Of Eddie's death
thought Blackburn had a hand in it.
Had known that afternoon that the
boy was dead I would have followed
Blackburn
The important bearing of this man.
testimony is clearly potent when Black
hurn in his statement says that he hsS
his bloody dream at his home at 81
o'clock on that Thursday afternoon.
Very Tall LyIngEAII Around.
His sister swore that he was at hom
and asleep from until $40 o'clock
whileThomas HineselY swore that he say
Blackburn near the cars between 4. 3
and $50 o'clock. Frank Mckinley, Q
No. S22 Lord street, swore that he sa'
McKazney and blackburn at Lord an
Church streets between 8 aud 6ocloch
That night he passed Blackburn and hi
wife and Mrs. Blackburn asked him fol
lantern.
wnen the Car was Placed There.
Detective Hawkins told the jury thu
he had learDed that the car in which tn
body was found was put there at 11.3
o'clock on Sunday night, October IL.
James Merther, Katie Corcoran an
Hannah Cavansugh testified that the
had seen Blackburn at the ireman's ball
William Blackburn testified that hi
brother Walter tried TO borrow Goa
and vest from him to attend the ball
This ended the testimony.
After a short discussion the jur
adopted the verdict which really brand
Blackburn as the murderer of his littl
brother-in-law.
The case will not be likely to come u
for trial before the February term, as
continuance will doubtless be asked /
November.
Weuld-Be sullIvans,