The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1893-01-13
FIFTH EDITION.



tanned.
The four coIored men convicted of
the murder of Dr.. j. Ii. Hill were hung
at Chestertown, Nd. to-day.
The four prisoners spent the greater
part OF last night In praying and their
voices were heard all over the Jail.
Two ministers. the Kevs. Il. II. Miller
and Augustus nj. Murray were with
them the greater part OF the night.
They all affirmed their innocence and
seemed calm and resigned to their
fate There was no demonstration at
the execution and everything passed
off quietly.
THE STORY oE THE MURDER.
The crime for which these men paid
tho penalty with their lives, was ono Of
the most brutal and premeditated In
the annals OF crime and the story OF
the murder Is one Of the most remark
able in this country The prisoners had
nothing personal against Dr. Hill. for
he had always been their friend and
benefactor. attending some OF their
| families and furnishing medicine free
| OF charge The immediate Cause OF
| the murder was something that DIR.
Hill had nothing to do with, and was
| as follows:
John and Joseph Potts had house
Just before it was completed they got
Into IL discussion In II saloon In that
place, with tho builder, Il man named
,Iones, i'll reference to paying Tor the
work. lie said that he would not turn
the house over to them until he was
paid in full, or he would put mechan-
les lien on 1t. The argument became
heated and the lilo was passed when
the contractor struck ono OF the Potts
brothers. The keeper OF the place
then interfered, and put the brothers
out when they left saying they would
raise o crowd and clean the place out
They secured the services OF big
colored man named Tom Campbell.
native of Virginia, and after plying
him with liquor he returned to the ga
loon. and declared with an outh that
he could whip any white man In the
place. Tho white men who were in
the saloon had evidently prepared
themselves for the attack. and In less
than three minutes he was badly beat
en- and pitched out, where he fell on
the sidewalk stons dead.
The greatest excitement prevailed
among the colored people, which was
only allayed by the announcement
that coroner's Inquest would be held,
and the matter fully Investigated. DIR.
James Ii. Hill was called upon by the
coroner to conduct the post-mortem
examination. and after carefully In
vestigating tho matter, testified that
SO fur as lie could discover, there were
no wounds on tho person of Campbell
to cause death, .and In his opinion.
hls death was caused by alcoholism
aud Il holrt trouble. No one was ar
rested for the murder, but as tho col
ored people declared they would
, havo revenge. some OF the citizens OF
Milllugton had the body disenterred
for the purpose OF having more
searching Investigation.
, Dr. Hill was again called upon to
make another examination. In which
he was assisted by Dr. Todd. After u
most searching examination both
physicians testified that none OF the
, wounds received in the fight were suf-
iicent to have caused death. The in
iuries, and the dllect cause of death,
+ alcoholism, were described In detail,
and tho report signed by both physi-
/ clans, This, with the fact that no one
! had been arrested for Cam pbePs muir.
der, angercd the co!ored people. and
. from that hour Drs. Hill and Todd
? were marked men.
Tho latter very wisely left the place.
= although his drug store Is still open.
but DR.. Hill remained at his post OF
duty. On tho night Of April 23, he
, was callod to Visit patlont at dis
lance, and Oh that night John Potts
waa seen IN consultation With Fletcher
, Williams, ono OF the principals in the
crime.
+. After DR.. Hill left his home on that
night, i4o was noU seen until Sunday
( morning, tho 18th of April; his young
- wife discovered the horse standing at
I the gate while i'll tho dog cart to which
L lie was attached, lay tho her husband
= Aith his throat cut from ear to ear.
> k.,N FAt 1,ttt a
= or was conscious again. His foot.
I which had rested against one OF tue
L wheels. was ground by it into the
bone while the marks Oh him showed
+ that he lad been terribly beaten.
Al first the people We're disposed 10
look upon the affair as Il sad accident
L but as Prosecutor Harrison w. Nickrrs
maintained that u brutal murder had
been committed, hs was empower
ed to undertake tie invest CATION. lie
engaged Pinkerton detective, WHO
WIS loined at Ml!iinEton by Ii reporter
OF q Philadelphia noTApapers.
These men woraoi together, and nj
last II olew was discovered which LED
to the arrest of seventeen colored mel
and boys. On Sunday morning, MaA
LIST, Moses BROWN, ono OF the accused
made full confession 10 tho reporter
Ia n the presence of Mr.. NicieFs Shcrii
l. Plummer and States Attorney Slav.
Tho next day Louis Benson, anothe
!, of the accused male confession, ant
after each OF the eight told his stor,
which In the main facts corroboratet
the others. these confessions showed
that three mon and 1.-Two boys were in
plicntcd in the terrible crime.
After these confessions Charles
Brooks, Fletcher Williams, Nose
Brown, Joshua Baynard, Louis Benson
Henry Hultt. Erisby COmegys, Charlie!
Il. Emory and John Potts wore hel,
for murder and the others were dis
charged.
n After an impartial hearing, in whla
y tho defense offered no testimony, the
n were, on the confessions they hnl
III made, and the cireamstuntial eyidene
produced, all with the exception o
Il Potts, pronounced guilty OF IN ulder 0
u the first degree,
one of the men who figured az wi.
8 ness, was negro named Perry BRAD
- shaw, and 1t is the general opinion Il
Il Wilmington, that he and Potts were d
IL rcctly Responsible for the murder
bradshaw was arrested, but MS h
a turned State'S evidence, he saved hi
own neck, but II the people OF til
i, Il vicinity had got t4eir hands on nlt
Ill and Potts, they would no doubt hay
made short work OF them. They were
however, kept In jail unit, Wednesday,
=4NONtHiItI NuSu titIli1A
1 spirited them away OH II steamer I
N baltimore, fruin which place liradsha
came TO this city.
On Mondny afternoon, October 81
the death sentence was imposed b
Judge Wielle5 an tho eight men col
virtcd OF the 2rine. from that tim
they manifested total indifference
i, to their fat" 'leciinnd the eon.olatlo
u oI roligioil, although tEoy We're vislLe
by several minister's.
"a From tho tllle OF their santepe
Governor iiroTu has aan uver-rl
I with pniitiOns a3liing h.ni - commit
IL the sentence Dt iuGs5 llutti Charles
Emory. 1otl.5 3elson al ! Joshua Bas
nard to imprisonment. iDr life, on M
count oil thcir youth, On tho otht
hand llcrecn.val nutnaeg OF pe.,tiot
asking that the Ii" % allowed to tai
It's course. On i0Si s"tGIday Goyerna
brown Visited tn1 jail agI nterviuwe
each OF tho cOnaaiaral. 1aG did nc
RiNe tho slightest .uGg OF whit he 4
tended 10 do.
About o'clock on Wednesday M Cd
iag the police boat. T. c. Eatrobo, WI
I'd armed m.ItttaiBen and 10 police of
osrs on boari arrived at Ghssterton
and march i TO the jail where TIL
reused the -hGrii from sound slice
Inc commander delivered II MESA.
from the trOYernor ordering The sher
1 .Is.I4 4