Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1891-07-30
MILFORD,

drowning" yesterday afternoon.
On Tuesday morning Deputy Coroner
Hill, OF Kent county, empaneled Jury
and went to the scene of the accident to
hold an inquest. But one witness was
heard ond that was Daniel Watson, who
found the body on Monday. According
to his evidence he was the last person to
soc the body alive as he was at the pier on
Sunday and saw the unfortunate boy In
boat short distance from shore, anchored
and bailing water out of the craft. As he
was leaving the beach he met three young
men, Harry Heavalow, John Allen and
,,leorge Salmons, going toward the shore.
ms latter statement caused the Jury TO
withhold their verdict until these wit
nesses could be heard and they were sum-
moned to appear yesterday afternoon at
the Office of Squire Cullen.
The examination of these witnesses was
held behind locked doors. The GAZETTE
correspondent attempted to gain admit
tnnce, but was refused, This, however,
ana not prevent his securing copy of the
evidence given by each of the witnesses
This action of locking the doors and
excluding the public causes this question
to arise; What business has an investiga-
tion OF public character, one that the
public is interested in. and especially SO in
tins case as the jury and deputy coroner
even acknowledged before the hearing
that the case did not look as clear as it
ought too, causing the people to think that
ioul play was suspected, being conducted
in private?
This impression does not now exist, at
least is not publicly expressed, since the
verdict has been rendered The first wit
ness examined yesterday was John Allen.
who testified that he in company with
Heavalow and Salmons arrived at the pier
between and 10 o'clock on Sunday morn
ing. As soon as the shore was reached
they noticed the boat anchored in the bay
and at once secured a small skiff and went
out to i only to find it empty, half full of
water, the foot board and spreet gone
They towed 1t ashore and in doing SO the
oar struck something but no attention was
paid 10 that fact further than the mention
Of it, He also spoke of meeting Mr..
Watson, thereby corroborating that gentle
mans statement Of the day before in that
particular. The two companions of Allen
corroborated his evidence in every par
ticular.
Now the question that seemed to battle
the Jury was how the boy could fall over
board and drown in the short time from
when Watson saw him alive and well until
these three men reached the shore only to
md an empty boat The intervening time
Is estimated, by them to be not over 90
minutes and some thought one half that
time would July cover it, We are not
prepared positively to answer the cues
tlon, but the jury, after investigating the
matter thoroughly, have rendered n YER
dict OF accidental drowning and that
VIII have TO satisfy all doubtful minds.
Al the best it can only be supposition, and
as no marks of violence could be found
upon the body 10 verify the least suspicion
Of foul play, it must be accepted as fact
that the boy got in the water some way,
and being unable to swim, succumbed to
the waves.
William Purnell colored, was arraiened
before Alderman Graham last evening
charged by David Reynolds of Slaughter
Neck with the larceny of $50 Purnell
acknowledged that he entered the house
OF Reynolds and secured Sl3, but denied
that he got 500. When arrested he had
$3.50 on his person, having spent the
balance; The larceny took place on Tles-
day night. Purnell was held under soon
bail, III default of which he was put in the
town Jail for the night. lie will probably
be taken to board with Sheriff Robinson
at Georgetown to-day.
The Episcopal Sunday-school picnicked
at Slaughter Beach Yesterday and the Ban.
lists took days outing at Cedar.
Two large arc lights were pnt on Walnut
street by /. l. Dawson, a representative of
the Universal Arc Light Company of Few
York, for the purpose Of letting the town
council see IT in operation. They were of
the Loo candle power or 10000 potential,
and were very fayorably commented upon
izens. There il some fall If n, a .,iu ~, ~
To light tbe streets Of o,,r ,o',n PIe,,h ~ ~
many ara moi M II i, y , KY Z Ky, w.
Walnut street incIndins Ia hvs;rnss INA, ,an
tion Of Milford will he tiah,ed VII h a1.
lamps.
Quite number of the lovers of trotting
racing M Nathan e,ool,is ,raol, "''.iess .ile
tho f'ss,a,, ls,.... i. -, @'nnS "
there Frank Reedv's Vic the wirmar ~
several races in the past few weeks. IS
entered.
MILFORD, July G.-Mrs., HaiAe Davis,
h NH VI eiie inSe Naihanlel Da~s died at
mnrninr e a. :" ~ n"i,n FROM 70 street FRIDAY
Davis Silent the greater nort ~ eI HI ,ta I'm Il;
Milford and was well. known and n,n ~,
highly respected in the community. She
was the oldest member of the Methodist
Episcopal Church, having Joined it about
n years w." Bo nne leaves three daughters,
Thomas George H "a ",,oreip oh MS,
MoIiie Davis. of tbis town ue "'T f, a.s1
took place yesterday. 20
A large party of Afilfords socio,v ladios
and gentleman went to Pennington
rrlday evening, TO attend a progressive
cue party gwen BY Miss Jessie llarring-
daughters of Sayernor nj Fla,S, icl ~ HWg
Virsinia rhn ,er,,, ,,,a., ,Iitiiiiine % west
and greatly enioyed S"e ~ a. Ely a.se'iuea
auto Z snc;sl oyaSgt'i,, al anu was
Sbcriif R@hnsan ~ ~ s s,ias toMI WIZ
estate If b 1;r;iinaer rui ~ s SUN inc real
Dorsey uouse Iast Vel, ~ LIN In os 'ne
Ga,,se, i nua ~ ~ ,iss VIII, 10 BOP ", f.
80 = - 'ieu''ors' iof s-'ooo.
M,, ~ 49,
MILFORD, July 27.-On Saturday