Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1891-12-17
PROVING THE CONSPIRACY
Further Evidence Against the
Clark Family.
MATCHES IN A POWDER MILL
More Proof That Joe Clark
Wrote the Letter.
His Signature Identified and the writing
Proved to be the Same as That In the
Anonymous Threatening Missiye-- The
states Testimony Nearly All in.

j
Clark and William ]. Gibbons, for con-
spring to burn barn belonging to Il. |.
du Pont. de Nemours IL Company, was re-
sumed in general sessions court Monday
morning. Again the audience crowded the
courtroom in every part.
Last Monday was the date set for the
trial of James Carr, indicted for the muir
der Of Antonio Basso, but as it was impos-
rible to take 1t up it was fixed for Monday
next, at 10 O'clock to which time the wit
nesse5 and the special over and terminer
jury were discharged. The election cases
against Policemen Peterson, Stetser, Bur-
leigh and Hahn were also postponed until
next Monday
The first witness called by the State in
the conspiracy case was William A. Rey-
nolds, who said that as teacher and an
expert bookkeeper he had frequently ex-
nmined handwriting. He was shown the
three letters that figured so conspcuously
IN the trial Saturday-the two admitted
letters of Mrs. Clark's and the anonymous
letter-and said he was thoroughly salts
fled that three of the letters had been
written by one and the same person. He
detailed the points of similarity he had
noticed in his investigation, which CON
ilrmed him in the conclusion he had
reached,
J. Jackson PIERCE, who has had an ex-
perience OF 20 years as teacher of pen
manship, also testified that he was
satisfied after careful investigation chat
all three letters had been written by the
same hand. He had no doubt of it,
gr rurt he rd testimony to this point was
At the Farmers Bank; ii. i. Rnmford, Of
the. Central Bank Edward w. Smith,
paving teller at the Bank of Delaware.
and 7. L. y. Smith. of the First National
Bank. All We're satisfied that the letters
We're in the handwriting of the same
person.
MRS. BouGHToE" TEsrIFEs.
There was buzz Of expectance when
Mr.. Biggs called thename of Emily Noble,
She is the woman detective, who, under
the gllise OF Mrs. Boughton, wormed out
of the Clarks various confessions which
We're instrumental i'll securing the CON
spiracy indictments. Mrs. Noble was not
IN the court room when called, but she ap-
peared in n few minutes,
Mrs, Noble is Il small-szed, middle-aged
woman, with black hair and keen, spark
ing eyes. She wore a long cloak. with a
iglr boa around the neck, but removed ID
At the suggestion Of the attorney general.
Then she answered the questions put to
her, i'll low, but clear and musical tone,
She said she lived i'll New York.
What is your business ~ asked Mr..
Biggs.
u am lady detective"
!, How long have you been engaged in
the bnsiness?'
'Oif and on, all my life.n
Mrs. Noble said she has for three years
been connected with the Wilkinson
agency. The first started on the du Pont
case on October 9th, 1890, and stopped in
Philadelphia for two days, for the purpose
oil securing room to be used in the prose
cution of her business, and also to get some
circulars printed for the dressmaking
business she proposed to follow. Two or
Has lutn ell, I. A
tributed her circulars around the city. She
also distributed them along the Brandy
wine, with the object of learning all she
could about the burned barns. She spent
Awo or three months in this business She
Jailed ut various houses, explained her
system Of cutting and fitting and asked
for pupils in learning the system she
represented. From all who agreed to take
instructions she secured signatures to a
contract to this effect.
Mrs. Noble said she knew Edward, Mary
md Joseph Clark and William j. Gibbons.
She first met Mrs. Clark Saturday after
noon, November I'D, 1890, when she called
at her house, No. 3i4 East Seventh street.
She introduced her dress-cutting system
Mr.. Biggs began an inquiry as to the re-
suit Of her first visit to Mrs Clark, when
Mr., llilles interrupted with the remark to
the witness, Don't say what she said to
you"
II should like to know why not,n said
Mr.. Biggs, in some surprise.
Mr.. Ililles said the defence would insist
Chat II is a well-settled principle that the
declarations of one conspirator cannot be
introduced in evidence to bind the other
:onspiraors. until the connection of the
,roved.
The point thus raised was argued at
ength.
Thecourt held that the declarations would
20 only against the party making it, and
could not be held to apply to the others
lntil the conspiracy was proved
Mr.. Biggs said he proposed to prove GER
tain declarations going to show that there
was u conspiracy, and that these four de-
PENDANTS were members of that conspiracy.
Counsel were disposed to continue the
contention, but the court directed the at
torney--general to proceed with the ex-
animation.
Mrs. Noble then stated that up to the
time She first saw Mrs. Clark she had not
seen Edward Clark, but had seen Joseph
Clark and had some conversation with
him. This was at their house. and in the
presence Of his mother. When she first
called on Mrs. Clark the latter came to the
door, and on being asked if she was Mrs.
Clark at first evaded an answer. The dress
fitting circular was then produced and
Mrs Clark said she did not care for it,
Then she asked Mrs. Clark about her hus-
bands milk route. and after some talk
about a milk bill owed by Mrs. Hughes,
Mrs CLARK asked her in. She went in, ex-
planned the dress system and departed.
KNEW ABOUT THE EXPLOSION.
Mrs. Noble said her first conversation
with Edward Clark was on December 9th
Ibid you ever have talk with him
about the purpose to burn the old barnT
"When was it?"
zone evening when he was seeing me
from his house to my room, at No. East
Third street,
"What did he say?'
I'VE had been speaking of the du Pont
fires and explosions, and he said i know
all about the explosion and the fires, and
know the very men who did it. More than
that know the men who set the dii Fonts
places on fire, Not long ago we tried the
old barn, but they had watchmen there
day and night and we were interrupted
They are going to get them down soon, and
the old barn will be the next to go, That's
where their property is and it wont be
long till we get at 1t somehow"
Mrs. Noble said this conversation oc-
Cured on the evening of January 10th,
1891. She next detailed a remark made
by Edwark Clark, on January 18th, about
two men making n visit to the old barn,
for the purpose of setting it on fire, but
being prevented by the presence Of the
Waterman, whereupon they took drink
of water and went away.
POWDER FOR THE wATcHMEN.
"February 26th,' the witness continued,
nat Mrs Clark's house, the following CON
tersation took place Mrs Clark said, If
i don't rain tomorrow, il will be good
day to go out in the country and see what
things look like. 1t seems to me we have
big Job to get at the old barn Mr.. Clark
said, i see no other way than to get some
gun powder for those watchmen, il they