Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-01-13
Detectives searched in vain for clues and DIR.
Hills father offered $500 reward for the arrest
of the assassins

Detectives searched in vain for clues and Dr.
Hills father offered $500 reward for the arrest
of the assassins.
CLUE FOUND.
1t was not until Thursday, April 90. that a
clue was discovered Then Howard Simpson
colored. told the officers he had seen Henry
HURT acting in nervous, excited manner. and
had asked him what was the matter.
The latter replied: If vcu had seen what
nave seen you would be nervous, too" HURT
told simpson no more, except that Charles
Brooks Fletcher Williams, Moses Brown and
Frisby Comegys were along when he saw that
which caused his nervousness. That infor-
nation resulted in the discovery of the fact
that Joseph Potts, colored man who
lett Arlington some months previously for
Chester. Pa. returned to Millingtou on the s
pm train Saturday. They took the early morn
ing train for Clayton. Del. on Monday. April 25
Potts and his brother Jack were the leaders
In the trouble between the whites and colored
people on the previous Christmas Eve when
Thomas Camwell, colored. lost his life, which
at the time greatly incensed the negro popula-
ton.
MOTIVE roE THE MURDER.
DR.. Hill was tho examining physician and
| as the grand jury failed TO bring in an indict-
ment against any one some of the negroes swore
vengeance. Potts was arrested and later tho
others were taken into custody.
AOSEs BROWN CONFESSED.
Then it Was that Nose Brown weakened and
confessed the crime. Potts turned states evil
dence and by doing saved his neck and re-
gained his liberty. When it became known
that the negroes had confessed and the brutal
details OF their crime was learned the town went
Wild with excitement and lynching party WAS
made up Mt once
Sheriff Plummer saved his prisoners for the
vengeance Of the law by taking them secretly
aboard tug and bringing them to Baltimore,
where thew we're lodged in Jail After the ex-
element subsidized they taken back to
Chestertown. tried. convicted OF wilful muir
der and sentenced by Judge Wickes to be
hanged. Henry HURT, Joshua Baynard, Louis
Benson and Charles Emory had their sentences
committed to life imprisonment.
The court room was thronged.
THE JUDGES DENUNcIArIoS.
In sentencing the negroes the judge took &C.
casion to say never before in the history Of the
state had such scene as that over which he
presided been witnessed. There was no doubt
he thought, that some time prior to April %
Cha.. Brooks, Fletcher Williams and probably
Moses Brown had formed conspiracy to com
nit that fearful crime. for which the gang met
at Millington that evening to carry out. 1t WAS
then that Bradshaw. Comegys and the others
Joined in the purpose of murder OF the nine
who surrounded DIR. Hill on the road that night
not one protested against the bloody deed
about to be enacted; not one made an effort to
save the life Of the ''who had been your
friend and benefactor.'
at was then" continued the judge, that
you. Charles Brooks with savage cruelty. struck
DR.. Hill. defenseless and pleading for his life.
the fatal blow with the heavy stone which
knocked him senseless. You, Fletcher Will
laIns. not to be oUtdono in that work OF blood,
with the ferocity OF tiger, sprang upon the
PROSTATE body Of your victim and plunged into
his throat the knife You had for that purpose.
You, Moses Brown and Louis Benson, to op
peaso in part your thirst for blood, seized the
dying man. and. with fendish glee, cut and
hacked with your knives his body as it lay
bleeding before you.
The motive which induced you to murder
DIR. Hill is no longer mystery. Who that
heard the testimony and is acquainted with the
passions of the human heart or the indications
Of human feeling can for moment hesitate to
believe that for some time revenge had lurked
in your hearts and that you only waited for a
favorable and, as you believed, safe opportunity
to crafty it. 1t was not to rob. or for any per-
sonal grievance, that you killed him. He had
been kind to you and had given professional aid
TO several OF you when sick.
but there is little doubt that he had in
CURED your displeasure and hatred by giving
testimony at the coroners inquest held
the body Of Thomas Campbell, in the discharge
OF a sworn public duty, contrary to your wishes.
For that you killed him.
"A more atrocious and cruel murder has
never been committed. With unrelenting fe-
rocity you attacked and killed man who had
never injured you and whose only offense
was that he had performed a sworn duty.
By that cruel act You have deprived the
community of useful citizen; you
have blasted the life Of a young wife.
whose happiness depended upon the love
Of the man you murdered; you have rob-
bed her infant child of the father, upon whose
support and guidance she would have depended;
you have crushed the heart of the aged parent
who. with Just pride, had watched over the son
Of his old age, and had seen him enter upon
career Of honor and usefulness. As with the
patriarch of old. all rise up to comfort him, but
he will not be comforted, and well may he
exclaim: Il will go down to the grave. unto my
son. mourning"
The sentence was then pronounced and the
prisoners were marched back to their prison
cells.