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


staff Correspondence CT Gazette and journal.
MILLINGToS, Nd, April 26.-Was Dr. |
James Highe Hill murdered last Saturday
night or did he meet his death through
the agency of an untimely accident
This is the question the people of this
little town are struggling with, and which
Is under investigation by jury Of picked
citizens of Kent county. In Millington,
where the doctor was we'll known and we'll
loved, the drift of opinion largely inclines
to the murder theory. And yet It must be
admitted that the natural inclination of q
disinterested, unprecedented mind, after
careful investigation of all the known
facts in the case, is in the direction of the
theory of death by accident.
PROFOUND MYSTERY.
Still, there is mystery connected with
the affair that would puzzle the most
astute detective to unravel, 1t looks like a
most brutal murder, but the absence OF
motive, and the testimony of the ply
sicians who examined the body are against
this awful conclusion. II the theory OF
murder is accepted, there is not a soul in
the community against whom q suspicion
can justly be directed. And vet it is
doubtful if the belief in the crime element
OF the affair can ever be dissipated.
THE pocroR's DRIVE TO DEATH.
It was about 1890 o'clock Saturday night
when DR.. Hill started on the drive that
ended in his death. He had been attend
ing u meeting for the organization of a
Cleveland Club in Millington, held in n
building just across the street from his
drug store and office His residence is but
few doors distant from the place where
the meeting was held.
The gathering was about to dispense
when the doctor received summons to
drive to the house of James Shaw, u farmer
living near Massey's X Roads, about -
miles from Millington, to attend a sick
child. A boy named John Geist brought
the message. The doctor started, but he
never reached James Shaw's house.
half mile from Millington is u rise in
the road, called Ford's hill. Just this side
of the hill was crowd of Negro men, and
they say they saw the doctor drive past.
These negroes afterwards went on to u
little red tenant house, further along the
road, on the Hendrickson farm, where
Steve Cooper was having a party. There
are those who think there is some connec-
ton between these negroes and the doc
tors DEATH but there is not the slightest
evidence, thus far, to warrant such i stis
picion. Further on Walter Rowe, q culored
boy, driving slowly home on horseback
was passed by team, evidently DR.. Hil's.
II was dogcart, answering the deserip-
ton of the one driven BY the doctor, and
the boy says there was a man in it, lying
face down across the seat, with his arm
hanging outside. He thought the man
was drunk and was afraid TO saw ANYTHING
to him.
THE wIFE's AWFUL DISCOVERY.
Admitting that this was Dir. Hill, of
which there seems to be no doubt, this was
the last seen OF him until his wife, at !
O'Clock the next morning, found him in
the yard of their residence, lying uncon-
scious and bleeding in the cart. She heard
the horse enter the yard and waited for
her husband to come into the house, but
minutes passed by and she heard no move
ment. Then she went down into the yard
and the terrible truth was revealed TO her.
Mrs. Hills alarm soon brought Squire
William NJ. johnson and others to the
scene. The body was in very peculiar
position. It lay right across the bottom
of the dog-cart face downward, with the
head wedged in between the curve Of the
shaft and the straight brace that helps tt
hold the shaft to the axle. The legs were
extended, the left foot being raised ovei
the shaft, while the right foot was thrus
between the brace and the curve of tn,
shaft on the other side of the vehicle Tht
heel was forced against the spokes of tn,
. wheel, which, in their revolutions, haC
torn off first the heel of the shoe, then thu
shoe itself, next the stocking and final,
had worn away the skin of the heel, leav
ing the raw flesh exposed. There wer
abrasions on his throat and tile back o
the neck the right side of the head wa
swollen from the eve to past the crown
and OH the lower edge of the right Jaw wa
cut, about one and Il half-inches lon
and reaching to the bone. His throat wa
not cut, as was at first reported. lie was
ALIVE, But UNCONSCIOUS,
and presented such a CHASTITY sight, in tn
strange and unnatural position in whicl
the body lay, that those who saw him d
once came to the conclusion that he ha
been made the victim Of Il brutal and vic
lent assault.
DR.. j. T. Todd of Nlillington, wa
quickly summoned, and later Dr. Latino
of Galena, and Dr. Kelley Of Locust Grove
were called in. They did all in thei
power. but DR. Hill did not recover cor
seriousness. He lay in comatose cond
ton, breathing with difficulty and nege
unclosing his eyes. lie died about 81
O'Clock in the afternoon, without utterin
asyllable.
SEARCHING FOR CLUES.
The belief that murderous crime ha
been committed aroused the community
an intense state of excitement, and I'll
road from Millington to Massey's was car
fully gone over by probably 80 person
Just on the other side of Ford hill the
were marks in the road as though the ca
riage had been stopped and turned fro
side to side and then run suddenly lip Il
hill at the side of the road. This WAS onl
a short distance from the place where Il
black boy said he was overtaken by Il
dog-cart in which a man was lying dow
Further on the heel of the shoe W
found. and a-haf mile beyond this h
shoe was picked up. 1t was learned til
the night before Perry Bradshaw one
the crowd Of negroes who said they 81
the doctor drive past them near Ford
hill, picked up one of his lace shot
Fletcher Williams another of the part
found black Derby hat in the road
front of Charles Ralphs wheat field, viii,
he thought was Joe Colbourn'g. II W
speedily recognized ms the hat worn by /
Hill. Williams also found Il cuff in L
road, which was also recognized rs t
Doctors. The other cuff was found
another negro named Charles BROOKS, VI
took ont the button and pnt il into
pocket. He surrendered il TO the cor0li
after giving his evidence to the Jury II
afternoon. Bradshaw and Henry Ill
found stocking. Tine discovery OF ii
evidence, as the result Of successive inv
legations, kept the town in a fermcut
excitement all day
BLOOD ALONG THE ROAD.
The first trace of blood was found in t
road ii hale-mile from Masseys X Roa
just beyond the gate leading To Jan
Shaw's house, where DR.. Hill was to ma
his professional call. The red marks tn
made a trail along the road to Massey
Here they were followed around
Huett's granary, right among q lot
plows and other agricultural implemen
where quite pool was found, AS thou
the horse had become cntaneled amo
the distractions and stood still for awhi
Then the red trail continued around
the railroad station and across the lot
which the old hotel used to stand.
this portion Of the route the wheel MAJ