Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1895-05-09
BALFouR wErr BITTERLY.
A FArHER's CRIME.
James Williams Of Milford Charged with

feiOnlously Assuming HIS daughter.
Special Correspondence OF Gazette aud Journal
MILFORD, May 4.-Constable Pettyjohn
yesterday had u State warrant issued for
the arrest of james Williams, on the
charge of committing criminal assault
upon his youngest daughter, Bessie.
Late on Thursday afternoon, Miss Bessie
Williams, accompanied by her mother,
went before Squire Graham and made
deposition charging her father with Grimm
ally assaultng her on April 18th.
Squire Graham at once issued warrant
for his arrest and placed it in the hands of
Constable u. Pettyiohn for execution.
Mrs. Williams that night called the officer
from bed and asked him not to arrest her
husband before IL o'clock the next day.
He complied, and Mr.. Williams employed
his spare time in escaping to some UNI
known parts.
Williams is shiftless fellow who fol-
lowed buying old iron, rags, &C., for
livelihood, and early on Friday he left
home in his dearborn, with his two boys
and his gun, starting on the road for Mil
ton. He was tracked as far as Cedar Creek
and then all traces of him disappeared. He
is of medium height, spare built and some.
what ruundshouldered, He has resided
in this town for about % years. He
married Miss Johnson, and they have
five children.
1t is generally thought that Williams is
hidden somewhere this side of Cedar Creek,
as he has friends near there with whom he
spends considerable time in cunning and
trapping.
Il was learned to-day that Williams
spent last night with his father, four miles
from town, and that after exchanging
teams had started for the Maryland line
Detective Witsil is after the fugitive.
His eldest daughter. Ida, has made a
utN hg,F F,,tI tol
similar assault upon her, three years ago
but failed. The mother and daughters
wept bitterly to-day while telling of the
brutal actions OF the father.
The action OF Constable pettyjohn in
not arresting Williams before he left town
is severely criticized by the people here.
MILFORD, May Estate Detective Witsil
arrived here on the 1895 a. IN. train on
| saturday, and started to work imme-
tliatey. He was taken to where James II.
| Williams, who is charged with criminally
assaulting his daughter, was last SEEM and
| traced him to his fathers house, south
west of town and near RAGS mill,
Williams was secrGted i'll Il thick forest
on the back OF the farm. Ono Of the girls
| ut the house went along to show the de-
| teetiye where his hiding place was, and he
| came out and was considerably surprised
| at finding the detective awaiting for him.
! He begged hard to be allowed u chance for
escape, but Detective Witsil was firm and
| brought him to Milford.
| The news of his arrest spread like Wild
| fire and soon there was crowd of several
| hundred men around the office of Justice
| Graham. where the prisoner WAS taken.
| Mrs. Williams and the daughter Bessie
were summoned and after Il medical cx-
animation by Drs. u. W. Marshall and
| Robert e. Frame, the trial was called.
The prisoner did not make any state
Inent. but declared that lie was being made
| To suffer for Il personal grievance held
against him by his wife.
! Miss Bessie NllIIams made no statement,
| but on being questioned said that the as
s;iIlt was committed on April 10Th last,
| between the hours OF 10 and II o'clock in
the morning. She was i'll the sitting-rooul
when her father came i'll and made I'M
proper advances to her. She was sitting
| in large chair and was alone i'll the
house, as the other children had gone to
| school. He father had taken the pre-,
caution to shut the blinds, but did not lock
| or bolt the door.
Mrs. Williams was next called, and her
testimony showed that she was ut work in
theshirtf factory at the time and knew moth
ing OF the affair, butwhat She had been told
She had noticed that Bessie was, gloomy,
| and upon questioning her could not get
any information as the girl would start
| crying and BECOME historical. She once
said III you knew what do, you would
not Question me-"
Bessie told one OF her neighbors that She
"knew something on her father which
would hang him. and that they would
soon know it,"
Williams was committed to jail without
bail and was taken to Georgetown on the
GAL =. m. train by Constable PettyIohn.