Delaware gazette and state journal., 1897-06-17


that there would be car load of furniture
arrive at the station for him in day or two.
He stated that he had struck bargain in
New York and had purchased the goods
cheap from an old man whose wife had
died. lie told Messick to be on the lookout
for the furniture and make ARRANGEMENTS to
have it taken to the house Immediately
upon its arrival.
On Thursday evening March 11tb
William Mctiee and John Robinson, two
fishermen residing in Milton, who had been
fishing, while rowing back to Milton on the
with an uninviting growth of brush on
either side, found the body of woman
floating in the water, with the feet fast in the
mud, i'll one of the coves. a short distance
below Milton. They towed the body to a
wharf, where it was turned over to Under
taker Wilson, who looked after it until the
arrival of Coroner johnson. Nobody in
Milton recognized the body, and it became
known at once that the dead woman was an
absolute stranger.
Most of the clothing ON the body was
intact, except that there was a glove on the
right hand and none on the left hand. A
search was made for the missing glove. but
it could not be found. The whole affair
was surrounded in mystery. An investiga-
tion revealed the fact that on the previous
night boat had been taken from Vaughns
Landing, near Milton. and, as it was after
ward found drifting in the stream, the nat
ural conclusion was that the woman had
been murdered and carried up the stream ia
the boat and thrown overheard. This belief
was strengthened py the finding of hair
pin at vaughn's Landing, the pin afterward
being identified as the property of the dead
woman.
By order of Coroner Johnson the body
was kept at Undertaken Wilson's establish
ment in Milton until the following Thurs
l,nf inc so6f ,ttag ,aiI old
school building IN that town.
AS soon as Coroner Johnson was cognizant
OF the finding of the body he notified Attor-
ney-General White. and the latter in turn
informed State Detectives Witsil and McVey
and MIR. White and the two detectives at
once went to work on the case. On the day
aiter the body was found facts were learned
which threw suspicion on Gordv, and the
officers at once decided to arrest him. He
evidently suspected their intention and for
time eluded them. He was captured ON the
following day by Detective Wftsil and Con-
stable Lynch in the vicinity of his mothers
residence. He saw the officers approaching
the house and ran out in the opposite direc.
tion, evidently intending to escape If posi-
pie. But the officers whipped up their
horse, and as soon as Gordy saw that they
were armed surrendered, without solcta-
ton, he exclaiming, II did not hurt the
woman J" He was taken to Georgetown Jail
and locked up.
The people were very much incensed over
the affair, and the circumstances were so
strong against Gordy that soon after it was
learned that he had been arrested there
were threats of lynchng, and only cool
heads prevented a summary climax to the
tragedy of few days before.
With Gordy safe behind prison bars, the
officers weht to work looking up evidence,
which they found i'll every direction. Both
Attorney-General White and the detectives
deserve great credit for the rapidity with
which they worked up the case. The detec-
tives found number of people who had
seen Gordv and the woman on their way
from New York on the fatal night, and Mr.. |
White, on the Saturday night after the
tragedy, found the missing glove hidden
between two mattresses in a bed at Gordy's |
house, where it is supposed Gordy placed |
1t, thinking it would never be found. The |
supposition was that he had pulled the glove |
on the left hand in order to appropriate |
ring on the woman's finger. which was |
afterwards found In Gordy's possession. |
Several other articles which had belonged to |
the woman were also found in the bed and |
the claw hammer, which Messick had found |
hidded iE the back porch, was also appro- |
priated that night. A close examination |
showed that there was a hair ON it which |
with the hair OH the dead |
s head, and this led to the belief that |
she had been struck in the head with the |
hammer, probably while she was in the car |
riage, and had been carried to the boat either |
after she was dead or while she was dying. |
The glove was compared with the one which
had been found on the woman's right hand,
and it proved to be the mate. Similar bits |
3f evidence were gathered together by the
detectives.
The car load of furniture, of which Gordy
mad spoken to Messlck. arrived at George
.own on time, but il was taken in charge by
White, who, upon investi-
CATION, found that it had been the property |
Of the murdered woman, and bad been taken
from her residence in New York City,
just one week after the finding of the
body Coroner johnson held an inquest at
Milton. Several witnesses were heard. the
investigation being conducted by Attorney
General White. After the testimony was
al i'll the jury deliberated for about IL min
ties. and without dissenting voice rendered
verdict to the effect that the woman had
oeen murdered by Gordy.
u was generally thought by the people IN
Wilton that Gordy would be present at the
inquest ana preparatlon had been made to
ynch him. While the inquest was in
progress one of the jurymen asked the
If the jury had not the
light to order Gordy to appear, but Mr..
y hite replied in the negative, and those
Who had hoped to be able to take hand in
he execution of Gordy, while they were
10 let tne law take its course.
Gordy was tried before the April term OF
he court of oyer and terminer for Sussex
ounty, and while the trial was in progress
here was great excitement in Georgetown.
The court met ON April 5th, and without
much ceremony the grand Jury returned n
rue bill against Gordy. He was arragned
N the charge of murder on the 18th. At
White conducted the prose-
ution and presented volume of evidence
which, while it was circunlstantial, was
offended by Charles L. Richards Charles
V. Cullen and John NJ. Richardson, but
hey could not shake the jury, so strong
ias the proof, and Gil April 18Th, the jury
eturned verdict of murder in the first
egree. Two days later he was sentenced
y Chief Justice Lore to be hanged to-day.
Before the trial the prisoner appeared
etiant, but since he had been under sem
ence of death he was penitent and moody,
nd many think he endeavored to convey
he impression that he was insane. He was
isited on several occasions by relatives, but
lch time was apparently less concerned ,
bout himself than they were. His aged
lother called to see him several times and
er heart was broken, but he was unmoyed.
he same condition prevailed when he was
sited by his little children, who climbed
non his knee and fondly embraced him.
Throughout his incarceration Sheriff !
Ihnson took the greatest precaution lest he
lould escape from the prison, as others !
ad done. I
Great Run on a weIt-KDown Institution.
The famous Patent Medicine Warehouse !
Charles n. Crittenton, New York, has
gently been subjected to an extraordinary
'eSsure-the pressure of crowds of suffer- | 4