Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1897-12-16

George D. Farra. aged s. years, who
for the past two years hau bad charge
Of and been living on Mrs. Nolie K.
Bradford's farm, near tho junction al
the Hare's Corner and New Castle
roads, at the emil Of tho Market street
causeway, was brutally murdered during
Tuesday night in the Kitchen Of his rest
donce, and an unsuccessful attempt was
made by tbs murderer to burn the
house, fire having been started in two
places Robbery was the object, as a
pOcKethoOa containing about So, which
Mr.. Farra was known to have in his
possession, was missed when the body
was found.
A burly negro known by the name
Of Charles Thorn, who recently came
from Baltimore, and who had hesn
working for Mr.. Farra for ahuut two
weeks, and who was with Mr.. Farra in
the kitchen Tuesday evening, when Mr..
Farra'a children retired, was missing
yesterday morning. Everything points
toward Thorn as being the murderer,
The authorities all over Delaware and
in adjoining States are looking tor
him. 1t ia supposed that he went either
TO Maryland or Pennsylvania.
At about 3 o'clock Tuesday after.
moon while 10 the harm Mr. Farra
handed his son Willard pockethoulS
containing 81, 10, with which tho lail
was to come to Wilmington ami do
some shopping, willard came to tim
city and returned to the house in
short time. lie had spent only a small
portion OF the money and rpturred to
poeketbook 10 his futher. AT about the
same time Edward Murphy, who lives
in house nearby, went to Mr.. Farra
and paid him something over 81 for
hay, corn, &c., which had been pur.
chased. Mr.. Farra placed the money
10 the pocketbook.
Living in the house with Mr.. Farra
were two children, Willard, aged l6
years, and Mabel, uged H. After cup
per Tuesday evening father and children
and the negro sat in tho kitchen to,
gsther for short time. AT about $50
o'clock the children retired, leaving
the father asleep on lounge in tho
kitchen md the negro sitting on the
opposite side of the stove reading a
book.
When the children left the kitchen
they went to their room which is in
the front part of the house, and some
distance from tho Kitchen. willard
started fire 10 ths stove 10 tho room
and staten yesterday that he waa
awake until nearly midnight watching
tine fire. "a
Mother of the children heard anything
during the night to create any sus
picion and they did not know what had
happened until they descended the
stairs this morning.
Mr.. Farrn' a room was over the kitchen,
and there was no reason why the chill
oren should have remained awake until
the father had retired, as they might
not have been able to hear him. there
being a room between theirs and his.
Shortly after 7 o'clock Mabel went
down aiairs yesterday, RH had beer
her custom. Az there wac no light iu
the kitchen, it was rather dark at that
early hour. Mabel started to go hack
OF the stove TO get her shoes, when She
noticed her father lying on the fluol
near tue stove. with his head toward
It, She knew he had been asleep or
the lounge the night before and heI
frat impression was that he had faller
of the lounge, and, being sleepy, b,
might have conclued TO sleep there al
night.
But a second look convinced her tina
something was wrong. His face wa
covered with coat, the one which hat
been worn by the negro Thorn. Sh
quickly removed the coat and also he
fathers hand, which was across hi
face.
Tho daughter was Mortified upon re-
moving the hand to sec blood. Sh
then realized that her father had beei
murdered anu threw herself full length
upon the PROSTATE form. Her brotha
heard her screams and ran to wher
father and daughter were and he too
was overcome. The neighborH wer
notified and "a message was sent to tn
police and Deputy Coroner Chandler.
This police at once notified tn
authorities in the adjoining cities an
towns, and Officers Maloney and Kan
were sent to the house. Deputy Corone
Chandler also went there and bega
an investigation. Relatives living l
Wilmington we're notified and 500
we're at y o house.
The scene was terrible. The bod
was not disturbed until after tn
arrival of the deputy coroner. The dea
man was lying 90 the floor, with th
feet toward the door at the front var
ami the head near the stove. The fac
and head were literally covered wit
blood and there was large pool {
blood surrounding the head. From th
appearance OF things the crime ha
heen committed several hours befoI
the lody was found.
In front of tine stove were two chair
one of which had been partially cor
sumed Ivy fire. Alongside the chime
and nearly back OF the stove, on II
sids away from the road. were tho ASH
Of box which the night befure ha
contained corn eobs. Under the part
ally burned chair were also the ashes
corn cohs and in the debris about Il
chair. 10 front of the stove, were Il
fragments of the lamp. which had bee
broken and scattered about
There was no fire in the stove, I'll
fire having gune out some time durir
the night, The stove was very mut
discouraged, the hearth especiall
The hearth covering had been partial
removed and lying 90 the ashes und
il was a four.pound iron weight, whit
the night before had hseD on wind0y
sill some distance from the stove.
the debris about the partially hurns
chair was portion of large cudgel.
An examination Of the body reveal,
the fact that the head was crushed {
the left sida and the right jaw W
broken. The presumption is that Il
murderer struck Mr.. Farra while he "
sleeping on the lounge with the ir'
weight. Mr.. Farra was probably fiji
struck on the left side of the head, al
after he rolled off the lounge he "
again assaulted and bad his jaw broke
Either of the wounds might ha