Evening journal., 1893-08-09
MAN BURNED TO ASHES
He Was Undoubtedly Muir
dered at Greenville.
EVERY EVIDENCE OF FOUL PLAY,

Eouho among the huinh-he was
Murdered and the Barn Fired TO Cover
Up the-Deed, the Prevailing Theory.
A man, supposed to be tramp, was
surely burned to ashes Friday morning
last in the barn Of John B. Fisher, which
is situated five and half miles from
this city, or the eyes Of Charles Hamil
ton and Peter Peirce have deceived them.
The circumstances surrounding the
burning Of the man show evidences Of
foul play.
John c. Hamilton, who is the tenant Of
the place, was awakened between and
o'clock on Friday morning by the sound
of what he supposed was something
cracking He then noticed a reflection
on the wall Of his room, the house being
situated on the left hand side Of the
Kennett Pike and the barn directly op
posite on the other side Mr. Hamilton
jumped out of bed Immediately and
looked out the window He saw the
barn completely enveloped in flames
He dressed and ran to the doors of the
barn to see IL the orses and cattle had
gotten oct. Luckily the COWS had been
put In the field and the horses were not
tied and the doors were left open. Mr.
Hamilton was so excited that he ran into
the flames and had 60 be rescued by sew
eral neighbors at one time.
A Man Lying In the Flames.
About an hour after the fire was first
discovered, Charles Hamilton, boy,
thought he saw the form Of a man lying
on the upper floor in the midst Of the
flames He called the attention Of Peter
Peirce, who is the sexton Of the Lower
Brandywiue Presbyterian Church, to the
! object. The latter says that when he
6rst saw the form, he (Peirce) was stand.
ing about thil ty feet from the building
/ The mans face was turned toward the
Kennel pike and he was on the south
side of the barn. Fire was all about the
mans head and the skull seemed to be
burning then. The joists underneath
him even we're on fire and soon he saw
the mans coat fall of. When the joists
we're burned the body fell down among
the debris and was lost to sight
Believed to BE Tramp.
Who this man was, Is the question
that is troubling the citizens OF that
part of Christiana hundred. Some think
that he was tramp, and In company with
companions went into the barn and was
probably foully dealt with or else was
drunk and could not get out after the
FIRE started. The theory that he was
probably murdered and the barn burned
to cover up the deed seems to be the
general opinion.
Mrs. Annie Peirce, the wife Of the sex
ton, saw four tramps lying on the side Of
the road about 100 yards from her house
ON Wednesday. In the same place on
Thursday, she saw three On Friday
morning about 0 o'clock one Of the
tramps whom she had seen the day be-
fore came through the churchyard from
the pike to her house and asked for 4
drink Of water.
She gave him the drink and then re-
marked that there was a big fire last
night. He asked where Il was, aud wher
told said That's too bad" Mrs. Peirc'
says his face flushed and he became ex
cited when she mentioned the fire III
walkeu away rapidly, in the same direc-
tion In which he came
Shortly afterward he was seen goini
past the burned building by son OF Mr.
hamilton, but he did not even lift hi
head to notice the smoldering remain
Of the building.
Was Tramp No. Concerneds
To an EVENING JOURNAL reporter b
was described as FIVE feet FIVE inches Il
height, Of slight build, red unshave
face He looked as though he had beel
drinking He wore a suit Of dark cloth
ing. The lining OF the coat was tor
and hanging. His hair was long an
dark, and he had on a black derby ha
!. which seemed TO have been badl
used.
Before this man went to get drink {
water. Ellsworth and Morris Brow
colored boys. saw him lying on the gras
in the churchysrd. Benjamin Brow
4. father Of the boys, saw him at tn
church door.
Only this one tramp has been seen
the neighborhood since the FIRE
William Wilson, a farmer living net
, Greenville, had been to Centreville Q
Thursday night and returned about
o'clock. When between the church an
Mr.. Hamilton's barn his horse shie'
Looking around him he saw man 81
ting on the bank on one side OF th
pike. Approaching the barn he notic
door open which Mr.. Hamilton hal
closed before retiring. There was
,e light IN the barn then.
Undoubtedly the Remains Of Man.
~ Mrs. Hamilton was awakened by {
, barking Of big Newfoundland dog
u Rev. James T. Marshall, pastor Of {
us Lower Brandywine Church. The mar
ne is about 100 yards above the bar
sn which was burned. and was vacaI
on Mr.. Marshall and family having gone
en Atlantic City. Mrs. Hamilton looked {
Of the window, but could see no one
le When the morning dawned and
All fire was quenched where the body Of
.el man was supposed to have fallen, 81
zee eral persons began raking the debris
ngR the hope Of discovering some Of
III bones Of the dead man. The skull v
seen, but in an attempt to get IL, II I
q. into ashes. Shortly afterward jol
rlP was found with several other pieces
Use bones The bone on which the 10
- was, was the largest that could be fou
.ns 1t was about Eve inches In length /
'ea when shown to Dr. Negendank be p
~' nounced it the joint Of the right arm
a man.
With the other bones 1t was placed
aban A man, who said he lived
Ian Kennett Square, came along In wae
ks picked and wrapped UP the joint in pa
.act AID took it with HIM. He said he VIC