Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1895-07-04
TIE AccpsER Anous Ed.
Arrest OF the Witness Howard OH
Charge of Immoral Conduct.


fore noon Friday charged with using a
16.years-old girl for immoral purposes.
Howard is one of the men who has been
going the rounds Of the disorderly
houses and obtaining information to be
used against the proprietofs in the liquor
law violation cases.
Mary Hill Is tho name of the girl who
accuses Howard. She is native of
Norris,own, Pa, but for some time has
been living at tue house Of Alice
D'Coma, 20J Orange street, The girls
aye has been looked up. 1t was learned
that Mary was ID on the 18th of last
December.
Information was lodged with the
chief of police ON Wednesday, but the
girl had left town and could not be
found. She returned Thursday, how.
ever, and was arrested by Detectives
McVey and Witsil, the officers who APP
pretended Howard Friday
1t is alleged that the offence was com
nitted in the D'Coma woman's house.
This woman left the city hurriedly on
the morning of the raid, before any
body, even the officers, knew that it was
going to take place.
The warrant for the arrest of the
alleged offender was sworn out at about
ll.3O O'Clock Friday morning and placed
IN the hands OF Detectives Witsil and
McVey, who Immediately served it.
They found Howard at the residence of
his brother, the pastor of Asbury Church.
The prisoner was accompanied to the
police station by Pastors Howard and
Watt, who appeared to be very much
annoyed over the affair.
After Richard Howard had been
locked up Pastor Howard accosssd
Detective McVey and accused him OF
being the cause Of the trouble, McVey
explained that he was under the direc.
ton of the chief of police of the city
and that he was acting according to the
instructions that had been given him
and Witsi.
"You people," Rev. DR.. Howard said
to the detectives, ''have the power to
stop all this If you wantto." Pastor Watt
corrected him, saying, "0h, no, they
can't do that"
HOWARD HAS A FAMILY.
1t is said that Howard is a married
man, with wife and family living at
Portsmouth, Va. He is about 40 years
OF age
THE CASE DISMISSED.
Richard G. Howard, brother of the
Rev. John H. Howard, and one of the
witnesses in the liquor law violation
cases, was arraigned in municipal court
on Tuesday on q charge Of using
Mary Heald, a gill not yet Is years Of
age, for immoral purposes. The exact
date of the alleged occurrence was not
proved by any of the witnesses, but the
only two who claimed to know any
thing about the affair seemed to think it
was on June 18th, and MS it was proved
that Howard was in Portsmouth, Va,
on that date, the case was dismissed.
The prosecuting witnesses were very |
positive, however, as to the circum.
stances, but their failure to name the |
time took the strength from the charge.
Lewis G. Vandegrift and William S. |
PTickett defended the accused man. |
Ex-City Solicitor Elliott conducted the
prosecution.
Mary Head, the girl who accused
Howard, was the first witness called. |
She testified as 70 the facts, telling the |
circumstances in detail, but was unable |
TO give the date, although she knew that |
it was between Tuesday, June 18th, and |
Thursday, the Goth, She gave the loca-
ton OF the place where the alleged of
fence was committed as 205 Orange
street, in this city.
Attorney Vandegrift tried to shake
her evidence, but he failed to accomplish
anything in that direction. She stated
that she would be is years of age on the
31st of next December. She said she
hoA mn nlAiapt in ii itt, h.,
aud she did not know on what charge
she was arrested when the officers went
after her
The witness admitted that she had
previously made false statements con
corning her age, but she excused herself |
by saying that she thought she would
get into trouble if she gave the age cor
rectly. She said she told Howard that
she was 20 years old,
Ida Clayton was put on the stand.
Sne corroborated the story told by the
witness, but she, too, was un-
able to give the date, She said tho affair
occurred IN the evening" of one OF the
three days following Monday, june
18th, and when pressed SAID that she
believed that 1t was Tuesday night, June
18th. She said it was the day after the
circus was here, which would nave
made the date Tuesday, June 18th.
When she was asked to describe tile
appearance of the two men who were
in the house on the night in question,
she said that Howard had on light gray
pantaloons and black coat and vest, and
that he wore light Fedora hat. Far
rier, she said, had on light suit and
derby hat.
She said that Howard had been TO the
house before that night She identified
him very readily, and also Farrer.
Witnesses were then called to prove
The age of the girl. Her father, Ishmael
Heald, Theresa Head, her aunt; her
mother, Grace Heald, and Mary i.
Horner, a resident of Conshohocken,
Pa, all gave evidence, and it was
proved beyond doubt that the girl was
born in Conshohocken on December
31st, 1880.
After the matter of age had been def
nitely settled Attorney Priekett stated
that the defence would prove that the
commission of the offence was impossi.
Dle, and that he would ask that the case
be dismissed.
Richard G. Howard was called to the
stand and testified IN his own behalf.
lie stated that on June 10Th, 18th, 18th
and 18th he was in Portsmouth, Va,
and that he was not again in Whining
on until the morning of June 10th.
His statements were corroborated by his
brother, the Rev. John II. Howard, who
was with him, and the Rev. John T.
Bozman and Prof, Charles Sturtevant
of Portsmouth, both of whom testified
hat they had seen Richard Howard in
Portsmouth. on the days stated. The
Portsmouth witnesses also testified that
Howard had a good character in the
'ity in which they resided, and where he
lad luad FIR gonna Iifna