Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1895-10-17


Literally covered with blood, with
his clothing and body badly burned,
and with his face almost unrecogniza-
BILE, George Wakenhut, who is over GO
years Of age, crawled out of his watch
box at the Maryland avenue crossing
OF the Baltimore & Ohio and Winning
ton & Northern railroads few min
utes before o'clock Wednesday, Just
in time TO hail the crew of Baltimore
Il Ohio shifter, which was going from
Elsmere to the west yard. The rail
road men seeing the old mans condi-
ton, stopped the locomotive and, jump
ing off, made inquiry, when they found
that Mr.. Wakenhut, who is the cross
ing Waterman, was really alive. He
informed the railroad men that man
had beat him up and stolen his watch
but few minutes before.
The men on the engine were Horace
Merrill, engineer; William Thompson,
fireman; Charles Kane, conductor, and
Yardmaster Deisen of the H. II o. rail-
road. They scarcely waited for the
facts in the case, when the engine was
run back toward the woods. in which
1t is known number of tramps have
been making rendezvous Two of the
men jumped off the engine, and they
had scarcely entered the wood when
they saw man evidently trying 60
hide himself They captured him and
took him back to the watch box, where
one Of the railroaders was caring for
the old watchmans The Waterman was
conscious, and as soon as he saw the
man who was in captivity he recognized
him as the person who had attempted
10 4
searched and Mr.. Wakenhut's watch
was found on him. The captors took
charge Of the timepiece and putting
their prisoner aboard the engine,
brought him into the city, where they
handed him over to the police.
The main Office Of the Wilmington &
Northern railroad Go. had been not-
fled and the company sent cab and a
clerk out to bring the Waterman into
the city. lie was in almost helpless
condition, but was conscious. He was
taken to his home, No. 3l2 South
Adams street, and DIR. Smith Cooper
was summoned. AS far as the physi-
clan could tell Thursday there were
no bones broken, except possibly in the
nose, but there are bad cuts all over
the face, and the head, neck and left
arm are badly burned, while the back
is injured and there are bruises all over
the body. 1t is thought that the in
juries will not result serious.
The would-be' murderer and robber
was taken by the police to the station
house, where he was locked up.
He was arraigned before Magistrate
Daley Saturday night and held in the
sum of $500 on the charge of robbery
and $500 on the charge of murClerous
assault to answer ut the next term of
court.
The prisoner has had little to say
since he has been locked up, but he is
identified by the police as Thomas
Devine, alias " Kelley,n alias Gala
han, with also several other aliases.
He is we'll known to the police and is
considered dangerous character. lIo
is apparently about % years Of age
and has the appearance of being a
brute. He looks very tough, -
A reporter of "The Gazette
called on Mr.. Wakenhut at his home
on Thursday. The old gentleman was
found to be resting comfortably, and he
spoke TO the reporter as if he was glad
he was alive. He related the occur
renee follows: This man THE
would-be murtlererl has been in the
vicinity IF the t.rossino all summon
know Iittia abo,,t lin, ~ - hai;o,.1
he balongs ~ ,,ann ~ +.s,,, D'i, ,,.L
have been living in the woods between
the crossing and illsmere. Nearly all
summer ] saw him every day an,
parently leaving his habitation in the
woods and either going toward the west
yard or toward the city In passing ht
usually spoke to me, and l naturally
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