Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1891-12-10

made that remarkY'
"They all turned and looked at him, the
same as did,"
Were they surprised"
"They seemed so. / know / was"
Lowther said he had a conversation with
Gibbons about year ago. He met him in
company with William Moore and Eugene
Burns, Mt Humphrey Lynch's saloon at
Rising Sun. He saw them going there and
followed them, as he suspected their in
tentions. He talked with them in the
road right in front of the saloon. 1t was
about II o'clock at night.
ENCORE said to me, Jack, did Mr.. Willie
ever say anything to you about the fires p
said no. Moore said, we know who
they blame for itl' said, We'll. don't
Moore said, There was clerk discharged,
and he swore vengeance and had a gang
to do this work. l said, We'll, I'd as lieve
they'd burn my stock, as to burn Mr..
Willie's stock with me in charge of it,
Then Moore said:
"iYou needn't be a id bit afraid;
they'll never touch you"
"Have they 2" asked Mr.. Biggs.
mo, sir; not yet"
Mr.. Hilles began his cross-examination
Lowther said he saw Gibbons a second
time during the fire, working to prevent
the spread of the flames. He saw him
later SO full" that he could not do
iuucii ot dilytniiB. UlDuoils nuu tne
whisky and started to drink about
10 o'clock. He said that all the CONVERSE
ton in front of Lynch's saloon was con-
Quoted by Gibbons, Moore and Burns not
saying word. When Gibbons said, ~
done this" at the fire, he was perfectly
sober. The witness said he is employed
by Mr.. Willie du Point.
Court here took recess until 2.30
o'clock. The court warned the jury not to
tolk ahAtrf thn u.itl, an and fold
them, in the event that anybody at
tempted to talk with them about it, to re-
port their names to the court.
With undiminished attendance and I'M
tagging interest, the trial of William j.
Gibbons, charged with burning the barn
of +. |. du Pont de Nemours IL Company,
was resumed at Tuesday afternoons ses-
sion Of the general sessions, court. Gibbons
came in smiling and looked quite cheerful
rs he took his seat in the dock. His
mother and sister were on hand to cheer
him by their presence and aid his counsel
by suggestions from time to time as the
witnesses were heard.
Before the case was resumed William f.
Smalley was permitted to enter plea of
guilty for his client, William Morris,
colored, who was indicted for carrying,
concealed, a deadly weapon. Sentence
was deferred.
hEhisH "a DUNE
John Dennison was first called in the
Gibbons case. He is now night warden at
the New Castle Jail. He was at the burning
of the 'new barn." December 18th, 1889,
and got the fire hose from the shed at the
refinery, and also helped to get the hose in
service. He did not see William J. Glib
bons at the fire until some time after lie
arrived. When he did see him Gibbons
was on top of Francis G. du Points house,
lA1.. tutSt
fire lie next saw Gibbons down in the
yard, standing with a number of others,
talking about the fire.
did you hear him." inquired Mr..
Biggs, SAY anything about having. fired
the barn?'
"Well. heard him remark. 4 done it,
or Il fired it. don't know which"
Dennison said he afterwards walked up
towards the tavern with Gibbons, who had
been given some money with which to buy
liquor. He waited short distance from
the tavern until Gibbons came out again,
and on the way back Gibbons again made
the remark, 81 done it," 'But | don't
know continued the witness. whether
he meant cutting the cornice off the barn,
when trying to keep the fire from spread
ing, or firing the barn. when he said, 81
done it." He said that Gibbons was some
what under the influence of liquor, when
they returned from the hotel, but when he
first made the remark, 81 done it, he was
sober.
Mr.. Dennison. on his cross-examination,
said that ut the time of the fire he was in
the employ OF the du Pont Company.
When Gibbons first made the remark, q
done it" he was speaking to no one in
particular. Edward Vaughn, William
Kitchener, Robert Blakeley and John
Lowther were among those standing
around.
POSITIVE PROOF OF CONFESSION.
Edward Vaue the next witness, SAID
&c was present ne burning of the Elem
ing barn, on M night Of January DIST
1880, and saw William j. Gibbons there
They met out in the road. This is the
startling manner in which the witnes.
detailed the interview:
"Gibbons says to me, Come here, I've
something to tell YOU ! told him didn't
want to hear Nothing from him.
Gimme your hand, says he.
II don't know whether | give him my
hand or not but, anyway, he says to me
"'I BuRHrTHE NEW BARN AND BURNS BURNT
THIS ONE.
"Why did you tell him you didn't want
to hear anything from him2" inquired
Mr.. Biggs.
"Well, knowed there was suspicion
on MN slilce the ilrst Darn was burned
ana II was thought ne was implicated III
lt'
Did you ever, inquired the attorney
general, near MN make any threats
against the ~ Points 2,
Here Mr.; Hilles objected. that this evi
dence could not be brought in. as il tended
to prove another offence, in addition to tho
one the prisoner was being tried for.
| Argument At considerable length fol
loMeu; NJ, nSss eialIilgi .ne Ilgnt, ~
! he rrisoner as nlleSed in tho ;ndict ,nsnt
10 show that he made threats both before
a,,a Mn Tx h,,rm;,,r, ~ ~ ..no,,, her,, !,
II was ' nraof of tbe nrsoners intent ii
| -. 10 r 49, ~ a. p. s0et '"'Si'i'i