Evening journal., 1896-02-07
ONE YEAR FOR BONES.
A Townsend Negro Made
Happy This Morning.
FRANK BRoWE ON THBsTATE RACK

Vengeance aud the Court and Grand
jury Had y Busy Tims-Fons Woods
Gang Convicted, But Mt Sentenced.
William Thomao, Charles Hood and
Joseph Walsh were voluntary victims OF
the Court Of General Sessions yesterday
afternoon The accusation against them
was that Of running a sweat game at
Elsmere. Edwin @ chran Jr. their
attorney, entered In their behalf plea of
guilty. and the court sentenced each to
pay q fine Of 800. or, in default of pay
ment, suffer an imprisonment Of four
months.
Folly Woods Gang Guilty.
John South, Thomas Walsh and
Thomas Gibbons were put on trial for
robbing the store OF Walter f. Smalley,
In Chrlstlsna hundred, on November 10.
The prosecution WAS conducted by
Deputy Attorney General Peter L
Cooper, Jr., while William NJ Byrne and
Josiah Marvel represented the accused
9"I wasi.wstching Mr SmSlley's store
on the night of November TO-" said
Willis Johnson, colored, first witness for
the state Shortly before o'clock
heard a noise out front. but did not see
anything About midnight / saw some
men break the warehouse door open.
They were all armed. and one pointed
revolver in my face. l think it was
Walsh"
Next morning after the robbery
missed knives, gloves, shirts and knit
sckets, " testified Mr. Smalley bag
and knife found in Folly wood5. the
place were the prisoners where captured,
we're identified ns belonging to him.
L know Gibbons by the name Of
Cleveland; Smith as Chester and Welsh
as Brooklyn" said Philip Riley. Il saw
all three OF them in Folly woods where
they had their booty in bag. IL in
cluded stockings aud gloves heard
these men talking about breaking into
store aud Smith and Gibbons accused
Welsh OF showing the white feather
With ess identified The knife and bag
as those he had seen In the possession Of
the men. Ia conclusion he said that
Smith gave him pair or gloves to sell.
He did 10 ard turned over the money.
Detective McVey closed the states
case by detailing facts concerning the
arrest Of ths men.
Smith WAS placed on the stand in his
own behalf He declared that be was
not in Selawars at the time the robbery
was committed
Lewis Spaltz swore that, when he
bought the gloves from Riley, Smith was
in the store buying pair of shoes
Gibbons took oath that he was on the
Chesapeake bay at the time OF the rob
barry, while Walsh went him one better
by asserting that ne was In Baltimore
''If 10 please your honors," said Mr
II rlr ~ fra atrr, a.
the Jury to acquis Gibbons. on the ground
that the state has produced no evidence
to connect him with the crime
THAT Is a matter for the jury to de
termine," replied the court.
Both sides agreed to submit the case
without argument, and In a short time
& verdict OF guilty was rendered
Then Gibbons was arraigned for rob.
bing Joseph O Browns store in Brandy
wine hundred on December 3, aud pleaded
not guilty
Enoeh Norton, colored, charged with
stealing horse and wagon, pleaded not
guilty ed dRard Myera, charged with
breaking into'the store Of Ellie j ChGyss
man. entered a similar plea. Charles
Mcclure pleaded guilty to stealing some
milk and fish from R w. Springer
Benz amin w Somers, colored, indeed
for stealing 75 cent? worth OF bones
from A d. Vandever, pleaded not guilty
William Mitchell. colored, charged with
stealing 3 ssw. pleaded guilty as though
he were proud OF his truthfuiDess John
@. Duvsl entered plea OF not guilty to
an indictment for the fraudulent con
version Of money as bailee.
This morning the state entered plea
Of nolle prosequi in the case against
Henry Cunningham, charged with carry
ing concealed q deadly weapon
jury WAS drawn to try Benz amin w.
Sumner, colored an offender TO whom
the prisoner's dock was not strange The
charge sgsinst him was stealing 100
pounds Of bones, valued at ST 90, from
Alfred d Vandever. whose bone yard is
IN Christiana hundred.
Vandever told how he had surprised
Sumner and another negro with the
bones In their po. session and took the
bones from them
Sumner took the stand and swore that
he found the bones In the woods while
out looking for fre-wood
There was neither argument nor
charge. The jury retired and, in q few
minutes returned with a verdict of guilty.
K The court told him he was an old
offender. 1t regretted that 1t could not
put him some place where he woHld have
to work, and trusted that the county
would soon have q place In swhich
prisoners would be compelled 60 work.
The court intended to bresk up petty
larceny. The sentences was twenty
lashes, one years imprisonment and pay
msnt OF 81 90 restitution money.
Enoch Norton, colored. was put on
trial for stealing on January 81 = bay
mare, York wagon, harness aud blanket
belonging to Fletcher Caulk Of Sassafras,
Md Csulk drove to Townsend hitched IN
front Of q store and Norton jumped ia
and drove it off He Afterwards found It In
/ Mr. Goldsborough's stable. Mr. Caulk
testified that he valued the outfit at
1926. When he found it the
mare was in bad shape, the
wagon broken, blanket torn aud
bride broken He said that Norton
confessed to him that he stole the team
from its hitching place In Townsend.
Chief Justice Lore asked him II he used
any threats or promises before the con
fession was made. he replied that be
told Norton that it would be easier on
him II he confessed. The court immedi