Evening journal., 1892-12-22
REARDON'S PAIN ENDS.
Death Of the Man Who Was
Taken for a Burglar.
SUFFERED GREATLY BEFOREDEATH

story of the Remarkable Occurrence
Which Resulted In His Death Entered
Another Mans House, lIistaIsing II FOR
His own. and Was Supposed TO be a
burglar and summariiy Dealt with
Special Correspondence Evening Journal.
NEW CASTLE Dec 22 Daniel Reardon.
middle-aged man Of Irish descent, died
at the county almshouse hospital early
this morning after three. weeks of great
suffering. His death, 10 is believed. re-
suited from injuries received on the
night of November 90 in Dobbinsville,
when he entered the house and bed
chamber Of Peter Moran, mistaking u
for his own home. Moran took
him for a burglar and thrashed
him ont Of the house. The
bruises and kicks. which the unfortunate
fellow had received soon proved to be Of
a serious nature and, when he was re-
moved 60 the county almshouse, two
physicians at once took charge Of his
case. One of his eyes, which had been
Injured became totally blind, and the
man gradually grew worse until death
came and relieved his suffering An.
other serious injury was In the groin,
and this caused him great suffering
Eeardon Tells His Story.
Reardon came to New Castle from VII.
mington only few months ago and
secured a good position in the Delaware
Iron Works. He is a native Of Ireland
but has been in this country about thirty
years. He has relatives in Wilmington
Peter Moran has a large family and has
always been a peaceable citizen. There
is little bitter feeling against him.
Before his death Reardon told the fol.
lowing story.
1T was very dark on the night Of
November 90, and as / was walking
along the street where my boarding
house was situated ! stopped in front of
one that / was positive was mine. rhe
houses for two squares are exactly alike.
/ entered the house and, feeling very
tired, went directly to bed. While
| was undressing man whom recog-
nized as Moran (whom only know by
sight) burst into the room with cane
in his hand. A crash on my head fol-
lowed and lay prone upon the floor. /
was conscious by frequent ringing
noises that he was beating me, but /
could not speak. Then he hauled me
down stairs aud kicked me out of the
door. The next day when / was able to
sit up l tried TO have him prosecuted.
but was told that had no grounds upon
which to arrest him.
Moran's Statement Of the BeIaboring.
Peter Moran Is a day watehman at the
Delaware Iron Works which position he
I..1I h. ]. 4
the works ten years ago when his left
leg was amputated. He has since used a
cork leg and only occasionally carries a
cane, his artificial leg performing all the
i functions Of real limb He has been
greatly worried since the unfortunate
occurrence which cost Reardon his life
and admits that he acted hastily on that
eventful night
Did Not Use Cane.
Moran states positively that he used
neither cane nor club in driving the sup
posed burglar from his house, but did all
the pounding with his fist. He says.
when the man came into my house
/ did not hear him, but sometime after.
ward, Judge. heard a strange success.
sion OF noises in my bedroom Ny fam
lily became frightened and I started uT
there. To my horror / saw strange
man sitting on my bed with a vest q
| supposed 1t TO be mine) i'm his hand
as if going through my pockets Many
men would have shot him. / seized
him with a jerk and stunned him
until 1 could get him out of the house
LAS soon as found out that the supposed
burglar was neghbor / realized that
had acted upon the impulse Of the
moment and had done something which
l could never undo. have been very
sorry ever since, yet l do not see that
did anything inhuman or that any othel
husband and father would not have
done.
When It was learned how badly Rear.
don was injured physician was sum
moned and at once ordered the man TO be
sent TO the almshouse hospital III,
seemed perfectly conscious Of all tha
was going on, but expressed the opinion
that the beating had fatally injured him
and that he might as well give up.
brought TO Wilmington.
Undertaken Dougherty arrived at tn,
Almshouse this morning and took chargl
Of the remains. The body was taken Z,
the home Of Reardon's sister from whicl
place the funeral will take place. Hi
sister was in constant attendance at hi
bedside toward the last.