Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1894-04-12
SERIOUS RESULT OF A SAVAGE DRUNK

A.raiEnmeut OF Henry BOaTgleH' toioreu'
ia Municipal Courf-.He Beat an Old
CoIn.rc Woman With whom He
hosrl-I. Acted Like Wild han, and
Thea Set Fire TO the Housc--Arrested
ast,r a Struggle and Committed With
rat San TO Await the Action Of the
Grand jerry.
iIsary Boardiey a 23.years-old colored
man, vas prisoner in municipal court
on No edsy, charged with arson, and
In view OF the circumstances suTr3und-
ing tlc Gre the crime is 3 capital offence
il Delaware The law covering such
cAns Is found ia section l., chapter l2o,
Laws of Delaware. Is follows: III any
person shall wi!fully and maliclously
burn or set on fire any dwelling house
Of another, or any store or other build
ing adjoining to, or parcel Of dwell.
ing house of another, such person shall
be deemed guilty of arson and felony,
and shall suffer death.
The prisoner had been boarding with
Mrs. Rosanna Anderson. whose house is
at No. s Lord street, for a period of
about four years Saturday night be
came home intoxicated and at once pro-
ceeded 10 make things lively about the
boarding house. There were present at
the time Mrs. Anderson, known as
grandmother Rose Morrison, Cor
della Lockman and Reba Wilson, all
coluled. Rose Morrison describes what
took place after Boardlcy came home,
about O'Clock, as follows:
"Well, BOariley was drunk when he
entered the house, and he says TO Reba
Wilson, you stuck your finger in my
eye and I'm goiug to fix you for it,
No, didn't, says Reba, | haven't seen
you tonight With that, Boardley
walked up TO where she was sitting,
grabbed the chair from under her and
threw Reba on the floor. She ran out
in the yard and Henry after her. She
halloed 'murderl Nobody came and
she ran back in the house and said to
Della Lockman: Della, save me. Il
can't save you,' Delis replied. Grand
mother then said to Boardley: You
got money to buy whisky, but you can't
pay me my boar;.'
Henry said he would 90 upstairs and
get his book. He wanted to see how
much money he owed for board. He first
grabbed lamp with no chimney on it
and lighted it. He started upstairs, but
fell and put the light out. He threw it
down on the floor. Then he goes up to
grandmother and strikes her in the eye
and kicks her in the side. She started
up to get her cane and Boardley knocked
her down. Then he tried to throw the
settee on top of her.
A THREAT TO BURN THE HOUSE.
ale next took another lamp, which
was sitting on the table, and again
started up the stairs with il. He stood
on the first step an instant and then
turning around he exclaimed, III burn
this house down tonight With this
he threw the lighted lamp on the floor.
The fire caught the woodwork near the
stairs and set the house on fire. Then
| ran out of the house for help. When
| came back Boardley was lying OH the
floor near the fire. He got up and ran
into the front room, where he seized
the sofa and tried to throw it out the
window. Then | ran out of the house
again. l hallooed fire this time and
some one sent in an alarm. A whole
lot Of people soon collected about the
house and the tiremen put the flames
out.
When the house caught fire the other
inmates fled. Mrs. Anderson, or grand.
mother" as she is Familiarity known
took her cane and started to hobble out
but during the excitement she tainted
when she came to the doorway and fell
headlong into the yard. Some one
picked her up and carried her to a place
CT safety.
Cordelia Lockman, who witnessed
Boardley's drunken assault on the ole
womGn, corroborated the former wit
| ness.
Here is the way Rebs Wilson tell
the story: "Boardley came in and sail
had dun stuck my finger in his eve
He hit me and started to choke me.
ran out in de yard. He came out, HI
did, and grabbed hold of me by de hair
| ran in de house and him after me.
watched my chance and run home an(
there's where stayed.n
Officer Carmen Di Mare was attracted
to the scene of the disturbance by tn,
alarm OF fire. He found Boardley rush
ing about in front of the house and act
ing like crazy man. He took hold O
him and the frenzied negro grabbed hin
by the neck. Then the officer knocked
him down with his club. He afterward
took him 10 tue patrol box. Boardle,
was taken to the police station in III,
patrol wagon.
BoARDLEY's WEAK DEFENCE.
Josiah Wilmer, colored, was called b.
Boardley to prove his whereabouts Sat
urday evening. The witness said h,
treated Boardley to two glasses of beer
He took him to his boarding place anC
left him, Richard Moore, also colored
testified that he was with Boardley Sat
urday night and took two glasses OF bee
with him. He did not see him TAX
whisky. The other witnesses swor
that Boardley was drunk when he cam
home Saturday night
Boardley had no explanation to max
for his conduct and evidently did no
appreciate the fact that he was charge,
with crime the punishment for which
is death. He was held without bail TO
the action of the grand jury at the Ma,
! term of court, AS far as known this i
the only capital case which will reouir
the calling OF an oyer and termine
court at the coming term.