Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1891-10-22
a CHILD's BRUTAL MURDER.
Little Eddie Gardiner Discovered Dead IL
an Adams Express Car.

Little Eddie Gardiner Discovered Dead In
an Adams Express Cor.
The dead body of little Eddie Gardiner.
years of age, was discovered between 8
and o'clock last night lying in the dark
recesses of car No. AS on the p. w. & b.
railroad track at the foot of East Fifth
street. Everything gives evidence of most
SHOCKING and brutal murder.
The car where the child's body was
found is hardly q stones throw from the
parents home, No. 1903 East Fifth street.
Who committed the foul crime or even
any definite facts surrounding the perpe-
tration Of it is at this moment profound
mystery.
The first intimation the parents had Of
Eddie's death was at $50 o'clock Thursday
night, when the dead boys elder brother,
Michael. carried the body into the house
the child's mother has been frantic with
| grief and refuses to be comforted.
Eddie Gardiner had been missing from
his home since Wednesday at 1.30 o'clock.
He went out with his mother to view the
nremen's parade. and was seen later that
afternoon by a little play-fellow named
Kennedy. He claims co have seen him
near the Reliance engine house. This is
the last authentic date of any one having
| seen him. Since that time all the mem.
bers Of the family have been out on the
search.
THE BRoTHER-IY-LAw's DREAM.
| William J. Blackburn, the husband OF
the dead child's sister, came to the house
Thursday afternoon and told the family of
q dream he had had about seeding blood on
the railroad track stones throw from the
house. This was early in the evening.
Later, he borrowed lantern, and, accom-
panied by ancighbor, Harry Seaman, went
out on the railroad track and commenced
peering into the cars. Several were cx-
amined, when, In looking into an Adams
Express car, the child was found stiff and
dead. His neck was broken, some Of the
front teeth smashed and numerous wounds
are seen about the face, which il
swollen with black and blue bruises.
A series of marks, taken to be finger
fluctuations, on either side of The
throat, suggest the idea that the brute who
committed the dastardly deed choked the
child to death. There is another mark on
one of the upper shoulders. The sensation
caused by the strange verification of Black.
burns dream is the most mysterious fact
connected with the whole story. Its first
result was his immediate arrest and also
that of his companion Seaman. The lad
Kennedy is also locked up. Blackburn
made the statement that he last saw Eddie
going along Lord street with Thomas
Hinesley. The latter has also been arrested
: The murdered boys mother has charged
her .son.in-law Blackburn with the death
of her child. For several months there
have been continued difficulties and IN
, pleasantness in the family.
Mrs. Gardiner is emhittered toward,
, Blackburn. Her charges Of murder agains
. her sQn-in-law are not credited otherwise
J. thanias the frantic feelings 81 mother
almost ont OF her mind with grief
Patrick Gardiner, the father of Eddie
son-in-law, but he will moi allow himself Il
be caught expressing opinions that would
criminate Blackburn. He condemns him
for idleness and does not deny the un
pleasantness existing in'thc family on tina
account.
At 10 o'clock Friday morning DR.. smitl
, accompaniedsby DIR. I. b. Bradford made ,
post-mortem examination of the remain
at No. SOB East Fifth street. The corone
was present.
DR.. Smith was of the opinion that deatl
may have TRANSFERRED "A hours previous Il
, the moment of the post-mortem.
/ POSSIBLE CLUE.
: An incident occurred Friday mornin,
e which, although it does not receive mucl
cotntenance in certain circles, is consid
cred worth reporting.
= The representative of The GAzETTl
was standing gazing at the dead body Il
: the bedchamber on Friday listening /,
a the sorrowful1story told by the friends Ii
the room, when the boys name and hi
q peculiar habit as related BY the speaker
c Of straying around the cars stddenl,
broughtto mind a'police station inciden
ip which the dead boy Eddie was closet,
Connected.
n HORRIBLE STORY RECALLED.
Only TIL. outlines Of the INCIDENT aros
!, IN the feporterss mind but he readily veri
! couEtesy CLERK Hyiand Of the muiiicipa
!. court. In September, 1889, this same lad
|, Eddie Gardiner, through his father, Wa
/ complainant against Edward Hazel
small, dark man withjeFoss eyes, who wa
!. CHARGE, with . bestpai crime against tn
vlcted Of the offence, ifped 800 and cost
G Jail, "
Q As little Eddie lay on the bier, his prett,
CRUSH face, flaXen eufls and ipnocen
features suggested a ,llnkof, IDEAS in con
neetion with the police court case wh.cl
a with his subsequent habit Of still loafin
I about the cars where tramps continual
+ are--.these facts sprung The idea tina
2 another similar incident may have oc
y CURED, the child being victim again. bn
I that this time the crime was accompanied
!; by choking and murder for fear Ii
7 brute's deeds might be discovered.
9 The reporter related his discoveries Il
9 the coroner and to the coroncr's physician
e DR.. Smith, however, discovered no eyI
rs dence at Friday mornings post-mortem /
L verify the story. There is this fact how
ever, that many wounds are on his fac
!, aud some Of them may have been cause
J, by the child's head being violently presse
y and thuinped face duwnwards.
h thursdays tragedy occurred in exactl
y the same place as the one Of September
70 1859. At that time another little boy
named George Thompson was in compat
with the Gardiner boy. The crime wa
committed by tramps, who still abound i
Of this same vicinity.
lg The dead child's pocket contained thre
q boxes OF cigarettes and other articles.
Y, Inc infamous murder of pretty Swear.
d old Eddie Gardiner of No SOB East Eff
+, street; the remarkable vision which wa
d. ter w Blackburn claims disturbed Ii
Y, slumbers on Thursday evening al ii
III fathers house, revealing to him the wher
ID abouts Of his murdered brother; The subs,
IS quent finding Of the lads body, cold IN
I'd limn IN q baggage car on the PHILADELPHIA
n Wilmington " Baltimore railroad sidin,
q loot Of Fifth street, and other highly sci
N sational details, puzzled coroncrs Jury /
ir never before last Friday evening. III
"a jury viewed the remains Of the murderc
boy az the home Of his parents, No. 81
East Fifth street, and then convened iii ii
MUNICIPAL court room, at the city hall,
~ hear testimony bearing on the case
n l'atrck Gardiner, the murdered boy
/. father was unable to attend the inQlle
q owing 70 grief for his son death, whic
y confines him to his sick bed while IL
7 mother lies upon couch in the humb
is cottage raying madly over the boys tleatl
ri Her mind Is unbalanced from the gre
a. shock and q intervals SHE shrieks az ii
h awful murdcr IL was deemed best to he,
~ these Witnesses at u future time
"A Ihe llrst witness summoned before Il