Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1892-04-28

L.
W. Il, Collins.
The inquest lasted from II o'clock in
the morning to $50 o'clock in the evening,
with an hours intermission for dinner.
Juryman Kelley. who is town bailiff of
Chestertown, had summoned as witnesses
all who were supposed to know anything
about the affair, and they all testified But
beyond the fact of the doctors departure
and of his discovery by his wife early
Sunday morning, there was not fact de-
veloped that had any relation to the
manner in which the fatal injuries had
been inflicted upon him. There was some
contradiction in the testimony of the
negroes who said they saw DR.. Hill drive
over Ford's hill. Fletcher Williams, who
started home with this crowd, said he did
not go into Steve Cooper's house, where
the party was in progress, but Perry Brad
shaw, Nose Vaughn, Henry Hurt, Philip
Mander and Frisby Comegys, said they
went in and that Williams went in also.
But this apparent contradiction was only
an incident. 1t threw no light upon the
mystery.
THE THEORY or ACCIDENT.
The testimony of DR.. J. X. II. Jacobs of
kennedyville, DR.. Todd and DIR, Latimer
was very conclusive and went far towards
establishing the fact that the unfortunate
| affair was an accident and not the result
of u crime. They had made an autopsy,
and told the jury the result of their investi
| cations, Death had resulted from concus-
sion Of the brain, caused by q heavy blow.
| This blow might have been inaiLted by
| other parties, of course, but it might also
have been caused by the doctor falling
| against the wheel or to the ground. The
| physicians were positive, however, that if
| the deceased struck his head against the
| wheel or shaft he must have been stand
| ing up at the time, or just getting into the
| dUg-cart from the stirrups, which are
affixed to the rear Of the axle A fall
| against the wheel OF shaft while sitting
down could not have been sufficiently
| violent to produce the concussion
| DIR. Hill was not large man,
and weighed only about lao pounds. If
he fell over while sitting down, the doc
! tors are positive he must have fallen to the
ground. There is no room for this pre-
sumption, however, as q sober man could
scarcely fall ont in this manner, and DR..
| Hill was a man not addicted in the
| slightest degree to the use of intoxicating
liquors. II a fall produced the sad result.
it is believed the doctor had occasion to get
out of the cart and was just getting back,
| when o sudden movement of the horse
caused him to lose his balance and fall
heavily against the shaft or wheel. The
peculiar position in which his body was
liked gives weight to the belief in foul
play, but it is not improbable that after
falling and being rendered helpless by the
shock, his head could have been pushed in
between the shaft and the brace by the
jolting of the vehicle as the horse moved
rapidly along the road.
The cut along the lower side of the jaw
is not knife wound. OF this the physi-
clans are positive. They said ii was UNI
doibtedly produced in the fall, by the i'm.
pact of the jaw bone against some hard
substance-evidently the shaft-as some
spots of blood were found there. This
wound had nothing to do with his death,
as it was only an ordinary cut aud affected
10 arteries. Nor was there any fracture of
the skull. Conclusion of he brain was the
cause of death. The jury adjourned to
meet Thursday morning.
III IT DOES NOT RAIN.
After the order of adjournment a Jury
man inquired, What ii it should rain "
The coroner, after celebrating, replied, III
it rains Thursday then we'll meet the next
clear day. And with this unique agree.
ment the jury separated.
WHY MURDER IS SUSPECTED.
1 While there is not the slightest proof Of
murder there are circumstances which tc
many minds amply justify the suspicious
l entertained. II is accredited to desire fol
revenge upon the part of the drunken. dis
t orderly negroes with which Millington
like most of the Peninsula towns, is in
tested. Last Christmas eve Il gang Of
negroes, led by Joe and Jack Potts, at
e tempted to clean out John McWhorter'
G restaurant, across from the railroad sta
r ton, but were repulsed. During the mele,
i a negro named Thomas Campbell received
e a blow on the head and died soon after
e wards.
0 No one was arrested for this offence, Blu
g it was made the subject of investigation b,
r the grand jury of the Kent county cour
It now in session at Chestertown. DR.. Hill
e had made ali autopsy of Campbelrs bod,
G and found that the blow ON the head wa
e not sufficient to cause death, but that tn
d man had died of heart disease The gran,
G jury, therefore, found no indictment
y against any parties, as II was uncertain
= who struck the blow anyway, and N
e arrests had been made. The negroes wer
II much incensed at the failure to punisl
IS some one for Campbelrs death, and it
/, said they freely INDUCED in threats tina
Is some white man would have TO die il
K order to avenge the death of their con,
IS rade. IT is believed by many that ID
Hill was made the victim of this revenge
full spirit.
. Toe Potts. the leader of the gang thf
h tried to raid the restaurant went I
II Chester, Pa, soon after the Christmas ey
d episode. He is described as violent di
:. orderly character, Last Saturday evenin
a brother Jack was also in town Joe Pott
or il is said, was seen TO get On the Delawal
q railroad train at Clayton yesterday morl
~ ing, and it is regarded as suspicious tn:
n. he should have gone to Clayton instead ,
H. taking the train here, rs he might hay
ar done.
RI WHAT pEEPENs THE MYSTERY.
ig A most mysterious feature of the case
that from the time Walter Rowe. ii
| npurD hoy thp tl1r rurf yvitb ~, "a y, =,
:, lying down III it, on the road to Massey
70 shortly before Il o'clock Saturday nigh
10 until Mrs. Hill discovered the dog.cart
le the yard at 1 O'Clock, Sunday norain
y not a soul, so far as is known laid ewes .
3. the doctor or his team. Where his hor
~ could have wandered is a mystery. Willia1
" Darrell who lives this side of Massey
nl left Milliugton a half.hour after DR.. Hi
hle to drive home, and did not see any sigi
~ Of his team. Neither did Watson Spca
nc clerk in Dr. Hills drug store who vii
n his brother started an hour after the do
u. tors departure to drive to his home beyor
" Massey's. The team might have been b
" hind Ad IIuett's Warehouse at Massey
'aI during this time. but this feature of Il
Vi case gives rise TO the belief that the tea
NJ was in charge Of the doctors murderer
~ and that they kept il off the road until
" travel had ceased and then carefully dro
", the horse back to Millington. Others b
IL 9Atta DalIssi anu spear uroFc over u
~ road late Saturday night but they did II
US come up with DR.. lIill's team II is sa
r. THAI wheel marks were found in the laI
nc leading from the road to Edgar Prc,
ne farm, Just beyond the tenant house whe
~ the negro partg was held and it is argli
,ho that the team might have been conceal
MS there. The horse the doctor was drivi
III was one belonging to his father who liz
~ near Locust Grove and The latter fe
w confident that if left to is own will t
~ horse would have come to his place, wi
eSr which it IS more familiar, instead Of goi
OF ! hucl- IN Milltno.,,,