The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1895-09-17
A SWEDE MURDERED.
His Body Found Along the P, w.
& B. Near the Creek.
A SUSPECT UNDER ARREST.
Coupling Pins Were Fanud Near by VIII ,eh
Illus Led tho Authorities 90 BELIEVE
They Wore the Weapons Used

Thirty year old Augustus Erickson. a
Swede. was murdered last night aud his
body thrown In pool OF water at point
on the r., w. ii Is. Railroad between Pull
man man Row and the Brandywine bridge.
There Ii ono man under arrest, John
Dougherty. and suspicion is very strong
aRalnet him. The motive for the horrible
crime is supposed to have been robbery.
John Tucker OF No. $3.50 Spruce street
discovered the body of the murdered man.
He was walking along the railroad about
80 O'Clock when his attention was at.
tracted by 70 oans coming from the pool
below The road bed. lie went down tn
Investigate finding tho still body of a
man while over tho PROSTATE form leaned
a second man. At the sight OF Tucker the
second man ran from the spot aud when
Tucker arrived at the form OF the prog
trate man he found evidence of murder.
Ihe man was dead, his heud balnn
crushed and his body being covered with
blood. Near by were two coupling pins
with which the man had been beaten.
These fncts convinced him upon the
moment that the man who was fast max.
Ing his escape knew something of the
crime. SO ne pursued and caught him,
with the assistance Of Frank jennings
and Jerry Insolvency., In an alley near
the Pullman works. He was Dougherty.
aud Policemen Massey and Kelley took
him to the station house. OR his clothes
he explained wac due TO a fight In which
he had boon a few nlghts ago. The ooup.
ling pins showed blood c1ots and tangled
hair.
As before stated the object OF the orIme
undoubtedly was robbery. But Erickson
carried nothing OK any great value OK
oepting his watch. which has led the police
to believe that the man or men who held
him up and murdered him dld.so for hls
clothes. the hat coat and vest having
been removed from the body.
whether che assault took place where
the body was found will probably never
be known, but II it had. Erickson must
have been on his way across the ratlroud
bridge. He was quiet. easy z olng, sober
and industrious man,
He lived at No. 1880 Heald street. aud
until about two weeks ago wns employed
at the Pullman car works. He went out
yesterday afternoon and did not return
for supper. The family with whom he
boarded did not feel anxious over his alb
senoe but when they heard that q man
had been murdered In the neighborhood
him.
About two weeks ago he was attacked,
while going home by two men. who tried
TO steal his watch. Hle father, Samuel III.
Erickson, ard two sisters reside at No
$50 Wright street.
Dougherty is given a bad name by tho
police. Laet June he completed a three
yeare' sentence for horse stealing. While
ha was confined IN New Castle jail he
escaped with Sugar Awful" but was re.
captured. Beside the blood ON his coat
one OF his trousers lsgs was wet. He is
- years old ana lately has been working
Tor tho Delaware Iron Works.
Deputy Coroner Chandler has charge of
the body and will hold an inquest at 7.80
O'Clock this evening.
While the police were looking for other
suspects they arrested gang OF Ave
tramps near Edge Moor and Brought
them here. They were released. however,
as also was man arrested at Gray's
Ferry.