Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1895-08-01
SUPPOSED 70 Be WALTER SQUIRREL.

negro Arrested Here who May ne
Wanted In New Jersey for Serious
omenec.
A colored man, who gave tho name
OF Preston Jones, was arrested al Union
street and Lancaster avenue by Police
Captain Chambers, who sent him In to
the police station and had him locked
up. The captain was accompanied by
Franklin j. Lore of Bridge,on, N. j.,
who is constable and detective in that
town. The negro was locked up on
suspicion of being Walter Squirrel,
alias Brown" who Is wanted in Vine
land, N. j., for committing felonious
assault on a 6-years.old girl on June
18th.
AS soon as the assault became known
the authorities started to hunt for
Squirrel. When he left Vineland he
went in the direction Of the Delaware
buy. He was chased across the marshes
aud tracked to the bayshore, but there
they lost sight OF him, and it was sup.
posed that he crossed by some means
into Delaware.
Wednesday Detective Lore came to
Delaware and went To New Castle,
where, he had been informed, sus.
picious negro was seen on Saturday.
He failed to find him and Lore came to
Wilmington, and the police were in.
formed Of his mission.
About two weeks ago a strange
mulatto came TO this city and obtained
employment from Cornelius Mundy, at
the Park Hotel, Union street and Lam
caster avenue. He gave tho name of
Jones and said he came from town in
North Carolina. He said he left there
because he had gotten in trouble, and
ne was afraid to go back until the police
force OF the town was changed.
When the New Jersey officer came
here Thursday Captain Chambers went
to Mundy's place and arrested the
strange negro, as the description fur.
ntshed tailed with the appearance of
the man who was wanted. He protested
MS innocence, but was caughtin false
hood, for, though he told his employer
That he left North Carolina on account
OF trouble, he told the officer that he
left on account Of being unable to get
work there.
Detective Lore thought they might
have the right person, but he could not
say positively, as he did not know
Squirrel. However, the detective tele-
graphed to Vineland on Thursday for
somebody to come here to identify the
man.
Constable Weldon II. Nickerson of
vineland came over Friday, and when
Squirrel was arraigned before Judge
Ball, Nickerson stated positively that
the prisoner was not the man wanted.
Jones was at once given his liberty, and
he went to the Park Hotel, where he
has been employed.
Constable Nickerson said that Jones
bore striking resemblance to Squirrel,
and he does not wonder at all that the
arrest was made. He says be has known
Jones since he was quite young, and he
had to scrutinize the prisoner to make
sure that there was mistake. Nicker.
son arrested Squirrel about three years
ago for crime committed in New
Jersey, and he was convicted and served
two years in the State Penitentiary at
Trenton.
BELIEF THAT SQUIRREL Is IN DELAWARE
Detective Lore and Constable Nicker-
son will not give up tho chase, for thew
firmly believe that the man they are
after is in Delaware. They are Of the
opinion that he is in the lower part Of
the State.
When Squirrel was chased to the bay
shore he was rowed across to Delaware
by man named Ross, who was not
aware that he was fugitive from JUS
tice. It is alleged that he was afterward
seen at Bombay Hook. The officers
VIII take trip down the State In search
of their man.