Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1894-07-18
M COLLOM DISCHARGED
Not Guilty of Numbering John
Willis, of Port Penn.
HBINTzLBMAE GOES FREE


The Testimony Produced by tho state In
sumcicnt for Commitment for Trial IN
the Court OF OYER aud Termlnor-The
State Took the Initiative.
John McColom, who was charged
with felonioualy killing John Willis.
near Port Penn, on June 20. was ar
raigned before Magistrate McWhorter
this morning, and dismissed The evil
denoe which was produced by tho state
was not sufficient 70 hold him for trial,
and Deputy Attorney General Giles moved
for his discharge. IL. S. England repre-
sented the prisoner
Simeon T.. Lord, the hotel keeper no
Augustine Park. stated that he sold
three pints Of whisksy 20 Willis on the
day of the drowning, juno 30 Nc
COLON and William Heintzleman were
with him. Willis took the LIQUOR TO tho
boat. which was at the wharf McCol.
lom was intoxicated. Heinizleman was
not.
Samuel Yearsley. OF Port Penn. helped
TO get McOollom to the boat. Willis
also helped McColom was heiplesslv
drunk. Heinizleman was holding the
boat. McColom fs'l out Of the two
, mems hands into the boat on his face
Willis tried to life him up when
McCollcm cursed him and told him
| ho could whip him if they were
on shore Willis showed the boat from
shore, while he and McCollom were stiu
/ talking There we're three dogs Ia the
boat. When learsley saw the hoat last
| Hentzleman was In the fcraward part
and McCollom and Willis were seated
side by side In the stern. Ia the scuhls
before leaving the wharf Wnliss shirt
was torn by MeCollom
Nearsley found the body Of Willis on July
I about 80 o'clock In the morning, lying
nn the bank near Port Penn he idonti.
fed 10 by the tear In the shirt. lt was
black aud swelled The tongue was
swelled and protfuded from the mouth.
The water at the place where the body
was found is only two or three feet deen
On cross-exemination by Mr. England
Yesrsley said that he had not examined
the body under the clothing The neck
and face were black. while the legs and
hands we're the natural color
The body WAS found 400 yards below
the house Of Joseph Vandegrift and be
was with AIR. Yearsley at the time Of the
discovery. He saw no marks that would
indicate violence having been used. The
tongue was swollen and protrudinr Had
be fallen overheard opposite the shore
where found, Mr. Vandegrifb said he
could easily have waded ashore The
water Is shallow and the mud Is hard.
ihe whiskey which Willis bought was
for Charles Shubart The latter went 20
the cabin OF Willis, McCollom and
Heintzleman. which was on bis property.
sbout o'clock in the evening oi june
90 McCollom was IN a drunken condi-
tlon and was staggering about
Heinizleman was sober and gave him
the whiskey He said owe lost Willis.
He's drowned shubert said chat they
should have searched for him. To this
Heintzleman did not reply
MIR. Lord presented the statement
which MoCollom made at the coroners
inquest. In it the defendant said that
he did not know when OF where Willis
fell overheard
Walter Bender stated that McCollom
came into his store at Port Penn on the
morning after the drowning and said be
wanted a pair of shoes He referred Co
the drowning and said; IL will need q
good pair because I expect this will be a
New Castle job He said he knew we'll
that Willis was drowned len interr0.
gated by Bender.
DR. NJ J. Hughes explained that ho
went TO Hickory Grove Cemetery, on
Wednesday last, aud examined the ex-
humed body Of Willis. The scalp was
removed and the skull was carefully ex-
amined, but no indications Of violence
were detected The throat was opened,
but because of the decomposition
Of the tissue nothing could be detected
The lungs were also deoompOsad There
was a considerable amount Of water in
the chest cavity. 10 was not possible %
say that he was drowned or killed and
thro wn overheard. Decomposition was
the possible cause of the tongue pro-
truding
Dr. James Walker, who assisted Dr.
Hughes at the examination, made state
q ment similar to that Of the preceding
witness He could not say that violence
; had caused Williss DEATH
Detectives McVey and Witsil, who
made the arrest, recited statements
which had been made to them by the de-.
/ fendant. They were similar to that
adduoed at the coroner's inquest.
William Heinizleman, who was ar
rested In Philadelphia last week on the
: hsame charge as that of McCollom, viii
probably be released without being
brought to this states