The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1891-10-16
FIFTH EDITION.
MURDER MOST FOUL.

Other men Arrested and Locked Up
on Suspicion.
| About $50 o'clock last night the stlff
llfeless corpse Of little nine-ycar
Eddie Gardner, was found In an Adams
Express car, No. AIS, standing on a
strset with the r. u. 1 B. Railroad H dun
| The body was found by Walter J.
Blackburn, brotherin-law OF the muir.
dered boy and Harry Seamen, No. S07
East Seventh street, and both these
men with Thomas Hinesely residing
next door to the Gardner family %
locked up on suspicion OF being In
some manner connected with the crime
Corner Sparks has summoned jury
to meet tonight at the Coroner's Of
foe to Investigate the case.
The ooroner's physician DR.. Smith,
this forenoon held an autopsy upon
the body of the boy and will make q
report to The coroner's jury this even-
ing.
OF the murdered, boy reside at No. SOB
East Fifth street. With them resides
married daughter, wife Of Walter J.
Blackburn and son, Martin Gardner,
aged about IA years.
Eddie the murdered 10y, left home
on Wednesday evening to see the fire.
men OF the Reliance Engine House.
At 10. 80 o'clock he had not returned
and his mother became so anxious
about him that she went to the police
station to make some inquiry about
him but heard nothing. She then came
to the conclusion that he had got some
distance from home and was afraid to
come home and woald return in the
morning; still the whole family was
very much worried about him.
1 Mnrntt,fY anI
terday, still nothing was heard OF Ed
die. During the day the search was
kept up and the distress of the family
increased. Night came and still no
tidings OF the missing boy. At $50
O'Clock last night Blackburn and Sea-
men carried the dead body OF the boy
into the house. The family was al
most crazed with grief, and seeing
marks of violence about the dead
boys throat, they asked Blackburn
where he found him. and what he
knew about the case.
Blackburn said that after go rching
yesterday morning In va Tor the hoy
he went home to his fathers residence
and being tired lay down and fl I
asleep, not awakening until o o'cloun
last evening. during which time he
dreamed that he saw blood on the rail-
road track near the foot of Fifth street.
I1O bilCh pOtlONCu u ami Win
Seanen went to the place no dreamed
that he SAW the blood.
After looking in several cars he
pushed back the sliding door OF an
Adams Express Car standing on the
siding, and there In the corner OF the
car they found the body of the boy.
1t Is said that blackburn told Patrick
. Gardner, ths father, that the last ho
saw OF Eddie was going down Lord
l.,N.,
burn and Seamen then went and stood
ut tho corner of Fifth and Church
streets. In the meantime the grief ct
the Gardners drew large crowd OF
neighbOrS, which attracted the atten-
ton of David II. Wingate, night watch
man at the morocco works, of Join G..
) Baker L Co. Mr.. Wingate, ascertain
ing the cause, telephoned to polics
station, whom Captain Kersey respond
, ed and soon arrived.
Coroner Sparks having been notified
was also promptly at the place. On
GERS Lucas ind Finn putting In an ap-
pearanee arrested Blackburn and Sea-
, mon. The prisoners were taken to the
residence OF the Gardeners, where Mrs.
Gardner fatty accused Blackburn OF
, the murder OF hnr son, declaring the
boy left homo with Blackburn on We'd
nesdayevening This Blackburn denied
anu biid Blu ptEstuoo
they were not good friends.
. The police took tho prisoners TO the
police station and locked them up and
I then returned To make an examination
OF tho premises where the body was
/ found. Entering tho car they could
l discover no evidence of struggle hay
ing taken place, but in corner of the
car there was little stain o. blood as
IL it had ran from the corner of the
boys mouth. probably after death
When Coroner Sparks arrived he
: brought with him his physician, Joseph
Il. Smith, who with Captain Rrsay
made superficial examination and
came to the conclusion that the boy
had been murdered. On his throat
v wero DARK deep bruises evidently
made by II hand clutching the throat.
The most popular theory was that the
boy had been murdered and his body
placed in the car.
In view OF what Blackburn. Said
Hinesley was also arrested, but lbs de-
MED knowing anything about tho mat.
ter He said he would never kill any.
body much less u boy,
Patrick Gardner saye that when
Blackburn told him of sselng his son
J. with Hinesley he told him that lie
wanted the matter kept quiet. Gard.
ner further sayg that he recently or.
told him lie would have him arrested
IL he returned.
The blood ON tho iloor of the car
wis clotted, showing that tho boy was
there several hours before he was
found. Charles II. Cuntwall, yard
master of tho p, w. x Il. railroad. was
seen this morning by representative
Of the REPUBLICAN. and he said the car
in which the body was found, was put
on tho siding last Sunday evening.
Young Gardner was seon at the lte-
lance Engine House on Wednesday
night by lad named Kennedy a play
mate.
Walter S. Blackburn, who figures SO
largely in this case, is II young man
% years Of age, is as already stated a
son-in-law OF Patrick Gardner and Ii
the father of one child.
Dr. Smith's autopsy this forenoon
resulted in the discovery that young
Gardeners neck was broken and he
will SO report to the corners jury.
This still farther mystiies the case
A theory has been advanced that
tramps dscoyed tho boy into the cur
for lewd purposes and there either ao.
cidentally or purposely killed him per
4 haps to cover up their own tracks.
Il The boy and another named Thomp.
1 son wore the victims OF tramps out,
4 rage In April, 1859. They were then
1 deceived irto box car about the same
\ place and most shamefully abused.
The man guilty of the offense was
named Edward Hazel. An oysterman
named Conoway was first arrested for
the offence, but was dismissed, and af-