Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1893-10-26
MoRDERERs AND RoBBEns.

The stanton and Iron Hill Mysteries Sun.
posed to be tho Work OF Gang Organ
ized to Murder and Plumber Unsuspect-
ing People.
The Maryland and Delaware authori.
ties have set themselves to thinking
since the two strange supposed murder
cases found between this city and Elk
ton. The conclusion arrived at is that
both bodies were those of two men muir.
dered by the same gang and the fact
that both were Invested of clothing
leads them TO believe that the sole pur.
pose of the fiendish crimes was robbery,
and in order TO escape detection the vic.
tins were first killed and then every.
thing, including clothing, on their per-
son, was taken.
Detective Jones has been working on
the case and in day or two will hold
conference with the Maryland authori.
ties, when notes will be compared and
plan of action mapped out.
Tho supposition is that the fiendIsh
crimes were the work either of some
parties who have started out with the
intention Of working the territory be-
tween this city and Elkton or Italians
who live in the neighborhood of where
the bodies were found. 1t is known
that there are several clans Of these peo-
pie who live along the railroad aud in
the immediate vicinity and since the
finding of the bodies their actions have
been closely watched. II they are the
guilty parties they have been ON their
guard and have done nothing since that
would warrant putting them under
arrest.
The condition of both bodies when
found leads the officials to believe that
whoever committed the crimes was in
abject want from the fact that the
clothing was taken. This hcightens the
suspicion that it must have been the
work of people In the vicinity. The
fear is that whenever there is an oppor-
tunity a wayfarer will be set upon, muir
dered and robbed Of everything, then
the body will be made way with in any
shape, so as to avoid detection. So far
the murderers have succeeded in cover.
ing up their tracks, but If tho theory of
the officers should prove correct they
will undoubtedly be apprehended and
If the crimes can be traced 10 them will
be- dealt with accordingly.
1t will be remembered that the body
had no clothing on except an under
garment and blue jumper, and that
the one found at Iron Hill, eight miles
away, had nothing at all on. The
garments in both cases had evidently
been removed after tho men were dead,
and the locations In which the bodies
were proves conclusively that there had
been an attemptto conceal them. The one
found at Stanton was concealed close to
the railroad and as it had been hidden
In the bushes in an unsuspected spot on
place that is very seldom traversed at
all, the chances are that IL would hlve re-
manned there until the last vestage of
human form had disappeared had mot
some railroad men happened TO be 70.
pairing fence and detected its presence
by the odor.
The Iron Hill case was also conclu-
siyely the work of tiends who had tried
To cover up their tracks. The body had
been put out of the way and il was only
through an unusual circumstance that
1t was found.
1t will require considerable work OH
the part of the officials TO work the
matter up, but they have about come to
the conclusion that 1t Is the most
plausible clue and they have decided to
run it ont.
There is little likelihood of anybody
but Italians or brutal negroes participate
lug IN such work, therefore the officials
OF the two States will give their atten-
ton to that class of people who arc
known to rendezvous In the vicinity Of
the railroads between Newport ank Elk
ton.