Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1894-03-15
BURNED AT THE STAKE.
Fiendish Torture Inflicted Upon a
Boy in Camden, NJ. j.

His Brutal Young Piaymates, White and
CoIored, rio Him TO Stake and Buida
Fire About Him.-His Injuries Probably
Fatal.
CAMDEN, N. j., March 12.-Littie
Charley Benny, who is II years old,was
tied to o stake this morning by his play
mates and subjected TO the horrors OF
Indian torture by fire.
He is now lying in critical condition
in the Homeopathic Hospital, while the
three leaders i'll the alleged fun are
locked up at the city hall. The boys adj
nit their connection with the affair, and
their stories offer only in detail.
The scone of tho torturing was q large
open lot back of John Lees place ut
Broadway and Mechanic street. There
are some posts and ropes in the lot on
which Lee hangs bags and other articles
to dry.
The boys were III the habit of swing
| ing OH the ropes, and Frank EldridSe, a
colored boy - years old, was swinging
there when John Deegan, c. white boy
| IA years old, and Thomas Brown,
| another 13-ycars.oid colored boy, GANG
up this morning.
Deegan had some little mice which he
showed to the boys. Eldridge acct
dentally stepped on one killing ii.
Thereupon Deegan kicked him, and
catching him, tied him up, threat
ening in fun to hang him. Eldridgc
managed to get loose, and he in turn
tied up boy known as "Cross-eycd
Johnnie"
The little follow showed fight, but
his captor told him he could get loose
Just as easily as the other boys did.
Benny was then tied to o post and
paper and rubbish were piled about
him. Eldridge began dancing about him
saying he was going TO have a war
dance. He asked the other boys for q
match, saying he wanted to set Benny
on fire.
Deegan had match, but he refused
to give il up. Instead he himself lit a
piece of paper. He says he threw it
down and stamped on it, but that
Eldridge lit another piece of paper at
the flame before it was extinSuished
and threw it at Benny's feet.
Deegan says that Carlton Smith, an
other boy, then spread the fire over
Benny's body. Eldridge's story differs
; slightly. He claims that while he
threatened to set fire to Benny, the
deed was actually done by Deegan.
Seeing the little fellow in flames
scared Deegan, and he began to smother
the fire with his coat. He had nearly
succeeded in putting it out when a
! colored man rushed up and pulled the
burning clothes off.
The boys then took their injured play
Q mate to his mothers house at LIE
Y Broadway, where his wounds Were
dressed by DR.. Eaton, after which III
II was taken to the hospital.
d Realizing what they had done, Dee
gan, Brown, and Eldridge started to es
v cape. They had reached Gloucester
y when they decided that they would b.
arrested anyhow, and set out to TRAMP
= back to Camden.
y Policeman Whalen captured Doegai
4 and Brown In the swamp below Cam
den, and several hours later secured
Eldridge near the same place. Their
1t were about dozen other boys presen
IS during the burning, and the police ar
G, on the lookout for them.
Al the hospital, DR.. Middleton wa
s. unable to say whether the injured bo
y, would recover or not. The boy is yer
ID badly burned on the arms, legs, an
other portions of the body, and if he re
IN covers will be badly SCARED an
n manned. It may be necessary to am
10 putate his arms.