The Monitor-register., 1897-09-03
GINNING for wilson Murder Suspects

Woodstown has been under military
surveillance for the past week, go to
speak, or, perhaps, more correctly, under
shotgun discipline, and all because it was
thought that the murderers of Major
William G. Wilson, who was killed SO
mysteriously in Philadelphia on the even
ing of Aug. 10Th, were In hiding in the
suburbs of the town.
1t appears that for some days previous
to last Saturday three men were located
along the pond in Edward Robinson Is
oornfield, and that daring the day they
kept themselves secluded, only emerging
from their hiding place to purchase such
necessities as nature demanded, though
they also regularly visited the railroad
station each morning on the arrival of
the mail train to purchase morning
paper, as if they wanted to keep pace
with the news of the day.
Or Friday last it began to be noised
about that perhaps these men might be
implicated in the Wilson murder, and the
more the rumor spread the more certain
some persons became of the fact. The
rumor coming to the ears of Mayor Rioh-
man, he made inquiries from those who
had seen these strange characters
opA0Aeo bCoodcO ohOJ WOlo bOu bIo"po
and made no move to beg, but bought
careful to maintain a discreet silence,
using only sufficient conversation to
transact their purchases.
From what the Mayor could learn he
was satisfied that they might be con-
oerned in the Wilson murder, and if not,
that they were evidently ''crooks" of
|, ind nd 20
least call them to account tor their
strange behavior.
Accordingly he telegraphed to Mayor
Warwick, of Philadelphia, on Friday, to
send two detectives here to arrest the
men. The detectives came down on Sat
urday morning, and in company with
Mayor Richman they went to the rem
devious along the pond, but to their snr
prise the birds had f1own, but they left
unmistakabie traces of their presence.
Further search was made, but without
avail, and the detectives returned to
Philadelphia without their men.
By this time the town was pretty we'll
aroused, and every strange person was
watched closely. The murder was all
talked over again and the actions of these
three strangers was detailed as the
information of their doings was gathered
little by little from those who now re.
membered to have seen them, but, of
course, thought nothing of it at the time.
On Sunday evening strange man was
seen in South Woodstown, apparently a
tramp, where he inquired for some place
of lodging, and if there was station
below that be could sleep 10 during the
night, and on being told there was such
a station at Fenwick, departed in that
direction. Later in the evening 1t began
o be rumored about that perhaps this
might be one OF the men wanted, and
Mayor Richman was called out of church
and informed of the strange character,
whereupon he sent Officer Randolph to
hunt for the man and arrest him if found
He was easily located at Fen wick station
and taken into custody aud brought to
Woodstown and locked up. He was
white man of the genus homo tramp.
and evidently simply following their
wandering life. He was questioned on
Monday by the Mayor and also by Con-
stable Coles and others, to all of whom
he told the same story of wandering
around the country after the tramp fash
ion, with no knowledge of the Wilson
murder. Mayor Rchman, being con
WINGED that the man was innocent of any
completely in the horrible crime, released
him. though some still think he ought to
have been held and compelled to more
fully identify himself and account for
his whereabouts at the time of the muir
der.
Thinking that perhaps the suspects
might return to their rendezvous, on
Monday night Mayor Richman, accom-
panied by posse. including Councilm an
Moore, Officers Randolph aud Seagraves,
H H, Stepler, Daniel Wright, Joseph R.
Wentzell and others. some of whom
we're armed with shotguns, searched the
vicinity of their former hiding place in
Mscaltioner's meadow, and made a care
fnl search about the old lime kiln, when
the Mayor deployed his posse and sur
rounded the kiln, and then reoonnoitered
its dismal precincts, but no form or voice
appeared out of the shadowy darkness to
terIifY the anxious watchers or test their
bravery and skill. Being convinced that
the game WAS not there, the posse then
went to the hiding place in Robinson's
corn field, and after careful hunt about
the place the party gave up the search
and retired, convinced that the "sus
poets" had sought shelter in some more
secluded spot.
Reports have been circulated that
these three men were seen at different
times by several persons, but the identi
fieation is not very reliable.