Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1891-02-12

combustion at any moment, and that
this fact was so well known by the firm
with which he is employed that they
have built sheet iron rooms in which all
the cotton waste is kept.
Chief Justice Comegys interrupted the
witness, and said to Mr. Emmons that it
was not necessary to bring witnesses to
establish this fact, as it was something
that he supposed every one knew.
William IL. Lee testified that some
time ago he was in the employ of the
railroad company, and that fires were
frequently started in the vicinity Of
Bush u Sons place by sparks from the
locomotives.
Mr.. Emmons then called William II.
Brinlley, Samuel Moore, Benjamin +.
Shepherd, James M. Smith, William
Haley, Edward Serig, the pastor of
Greenhill Presbyterian Church, and
Police Officer Sherer, all of whom testi-
fled that they had known the accused
for years, and that he has always borne
an excellent character in every respect.
None Of these witnesses had ever heard
any one say anything against him.
The court without hearing any more
testimony discharged the jury until Sat
urday morning.
William S. Hilles, Esq, counsel for
Spencer Greenwood, colored, indicted
for the larceny of a pair of clipping
shears, withdrew the plea of not guilty
and entered one of guilty He asked,
on account of previous good character,
that the lashes should be remitted, and
called upon Judge Ball, who testified
that this was the first time the prisoner
had ever been charged with larceny.
The court sentenced him to pay the
costs Of prosecution, SO restitution
money, and be imprisoned one month.
An adjournment was then had until Q
O'Clock Saturday morning.
Saturdays session of court opened
at o'clock, and Mr.. Emmons resumed
the defence in the case of William
MCPHERSON, charged with arson. He
had one more witness, but, as he was
not present, he said he would rest.
Deputy Encouragement Davis re-
called young Dillin for the purpose of
contradicting the testimony given by
Emanuel Gooding, who said that he was
working on a wagon with Mcpherson
when one of the fires took place. Good
ing also testified that as he was with
Mcpherson all the time it would have
been impossible for him to have started
the fire that day This was contradicted
by Dillin, who said that he was watch
ing Mcpherson, and that he was alone
for some time before the fire was
noticed.
Argument was then commenced, and
Mr.. Emmons spoke until 1850 o'clock.
His argument was remarkable, from
the fact of his abuse of Detective Jones,
whom he designated as being as bad as
Judas, the first detective, who received
30 pieces Of silver for dirty piece of
work,
The closing argument was made by
Deputy Attorney General Davis, who
spoke in logical and eloquent manner.
tended to show that the accused was the
man that had started the fires, and that
under no circumstances could they have
been accidental.
Mr. Davis closed at 11.35 o'clock, and
the jury was discharged until Monday
morning. After disposing of some mi
nor business court adjourned until 10
O'Clock Monday morning.
The corporal punishment in the case
of Patrick Stanton was RENTED.
Courtreconvened at 10oclock Monday
morning, with all the judges present.
Immediately after the opening, the jury
in the Mcpherson case were charged by
Chief Justice Comegys who administered
a rebuke to Harry Emmons, Esq, the
prisoners counsel for his denunciation
of Detective Jones. He said that detec-
tives were very useful members of
society and as necessary as lawyers.
They were liable to make mistakes and
sometimes took cases that they should
not have anything to do with, the same
as is done by lawyers.
The jury retired at 1910 o'clock, and
returned at 11.35 with verdict of not
guilty, and the accused was discharged.
A jury was then drawn and the case
of the State vs.. Harry w. Spoerl, in
dicted for lewdly and laciviously toying
with female child under IL years of
age, was taken up for trial, with Deputy
Attorney general Davis and Nathaniel
Davis, ESQ.,, for the State, and II. G.
Turner and Frank d. Carpenter, Esqs.,
for the defence.
Mary A. Wilcox, who is not much
more than a baby, testified that she is
7 years of age, and that about noon on
January 18th she went to the car shops
with her brother Daniel and Mary Moss,
to get some rules to use in school, She
saw Mr.. Spoerl and Mr.. Vernon, both
of whom she knew, and after he had
given rules TO Daniel and Mary he told
them to go out, and took the witness on
his lap. The witness then proceeded to
tell about the offence with which Spoerl
is charged.
Mary Moss, eight years old, and
Daniel Wilcox, nearly 10, also told
about the visit to the car shop.
Dr. Howard Ogle testified to the
child's condition after the assault.
Emil Loves, a Hungarian, testified to
seeing Spoerl in the shop with the girl,
Court adjourned until $50 o'clock.
AS soon as court resumed proceedings
Monday afternoon the Spoerl case was
again taken up. Emil Loves, the Hun
garian, who was on the stand when the
noon recess was taken, was again re-
called and subjected to a long cross ex-
by Messrs. Turner and Car
penter. He was also subjected to long
and tedious redirect examination by Mr.
Davis, and when at last it was finished
the State announced that it would rest.
The defence then opened and called
Daniel Dohl who contradicted several
statements made by Loves. The witness
also said that Loves had told him that
he did not believe in an oath, or God, |
or heaven or hell. He has known the
witness for two years and
knows he has bad reputation; so bad
that he would not believe him under
oath. He was asked by Mr. Carpenter
in reference to number of things stated
by Loves, all of which he contradicted
in the most positive manner.
A long and searching cross-eyamina- |