The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-03-18
THE MILTON
MURDER.
Fears are Being Entertained That
Gordy May be Lynched.


torhey- General H. c. White, who has beer
in charge of the collection of evidence
| against James NJ. Gordy, accused of the
murder of his bride, Mrs Mary Gordy, said
tonight;
II look upon this crime as one of tht
! most atrocious Of which 1 havs ever heard
| 1t resembles the remarkable crime of II
H. Holmes, as the perpetrator of this act,
like Holmes, seems to have an Unsuitable
| greed for money.
His plan was not as skillfully arranged
as that of Holmes, and this, in my judg
ment, is due to lack OF the superior in.
telligenCe with which Holmes was said to
have been endowed. This case is far more
| revolving than any other murder which
has ever taken place In this part of the
country.
Before the jury which will weigh the
evidence shall fully relate the history of
Gordy beginning from the time when pub.
lie suspicion was directed to him. l shall
outline what part he took in the ending of
the life of his former wife and the sudden
and peculiar death of his father By the
death of the former his pockets were filled
with money which was paid by the insur.
ance company that had taken the risk on
her life.
In this case he was not satisfied and his
discontinue was plainly visible when by
achange of the statutes of tho State he
only received one fourth of the amount of
the policy when he had expected to
get the full amount. All of these facts
can he substantiated by evidence in my
possession. Gordy has received insurance
on three buildings which were burned.
MRS GoRDY WANTED INSURANCE.
"The death of Mrs Gordy nee Lewis, his
last victim, was prompted to get posses
sion Of her money and property This
theory has been strengthened to-day. l
received letter from an agent OF the
| Prudential Life Insurance Company of
| New York, who stated that he had q
conversation with Mrs. Gordy. She said
she desired to take out policy on her
| life. When the agent called to consumate
| the deal Mrs. Gordy had vacated the
| house. This desire on Mrs. Gordy's part
for policy, to my mind, came from the
man who is now charged with her mur-
der
"How much money Mrs, Gordy possess.
! ed is yet unknown, as the authorities
| have not been able to sift this part of the
case. We have evidence to show that she
was in possession of some means, and the
amount known to us is, in my opinion
sufficient to hayo induced Gordy to do che
killing
IAN UNBROKEN CHAIN"
"After having made thorough and ex.
hau ',ive search of all tho facts, / feel con.
fident that the circumstances will be woven
in an unbroken chain, which will prevent
any possible chance Of his escaping con-
viction.
The first fact which we will prove is
that he had informed Mrs. Gordy that he
was possessed of one of the finost estates
in Delaware, that he was wealthy, and as
her work was laborious he desired to
marry her and take her to his farm, whore
he had servants to wait upon her. This
is false, as he Is not n man of means,
and while holding the farm, the property
is owned by two of his children.
1--WE next place him on the train at
Wilmington on the 10th. He was in COM
pany with the woman who was afterward
found dead in the river. Gordy left the
train at Milford station with this woman
at place Mt least eighteen miles from his
home and twelve miles from Milton,
whore the body was found.
''He could have reached his home by
continuing to Rodney station, which is
about mile from his home or could have
come to Georgetown, four miles from his
home, where he could have procured u
team to drive. Instead Of this we find
that he left his wife at the depot at Mil
ford while he went to hire team"
This was about o'clock. Ho returned
to the depot and the two left together. A
team was seen by Mr.. and Mrs Joseph p
bdllCy HDOuu , " ClUCh gbluS ULt ulEtb-
tion Of Vaughn's Landing on Broadkill
river. A team was heard by Mr.. and Mrs.
Bailey one half to threequarters of an
hour later returning from the landing.
The horse was trotting or running fast.
This place Is obscure 1t is reached over a
private road, and travellers are very sell
dom seen on 1t.
VISIT To MEssICK's HOUSE.
"About IL o clock Gordy reached his
home and called Harvey L. Mcssick his
tenant, out of bed. Me55tck assisted
Gordy to put his horse away, and asked
where ho had come from. Gordy answer
ed that ho had come from Baltimore
across the Day When asked by Ntessck
about the horse Gordy replied, Il bought
it in Baltimore"
At l2 Is o'clock he started for his bed
which was In an upper room of the house.
Gordy asked Messick to call him early in
the morning not later than 8 O'Clock, as
he wanted to go to BTidgovlle, where he
intended to sell tho horse and carriage to
farmer When he was called the horse
was hitched to the carriage and ho drove
off. He called back to Mossck to meet
meet him at the noon train at George.
town, as he would return home. Gordy
returned on the noon train and Messick |
met him.
I'VE will show that Gordy returned tho |
horse and carriage to Milford, where he |
hnd hired it on the previous night, after
which he took the train at Milford and
came to Georgetown. The two men, Mes |
sick and Gordy left Georgetown and drove |
to their home, Gordy later took his team
and drove in to Georgetown where he |
spent the evening.
STORY AS TO THE FURNITURE.
''On Friday Gordy repeated his Visits to
Georgetown, lie stopped at tho depot,
asked for some furniture and told tho
agent that he would come in for 1t on Sat-
urday. He returned homo after supper,
got his team and left saying they would
90 to town and get tho furniture. Mes.
sick asked what Gordy was going to do
with the furniture. Gordy replied: An
old man in Baltimore lost his wife and
wanted me to buy the furniture. l offered
him s25 and ho took it. There is one piece
that cost S.
"Gordy went into the house and passed
upstairs. When he came down he had two
hand satchcs. Hccaled TO Messick and
said, Il am going to mothers and cannot
tell when shall ever come back
"On Saturday we arrested him at his
mothers. When the detective calod at
the house Gordy made dash for tho rear
door. When caught his first remark was
Il did not hurt that woman"
GLOVE AND HAMMER.
Inc DOuy was lOuHu VII lhItuuy uLUoF' |
noon On tho right hand was " brown
undressed kid glove, while tho right hand
was bare This left glove,a match for the
one which was on the woman's right hand
was found in Gordy's room between tho
mattress and the bed. There was also
woman's night robO and hand satchel.
"Messick the tenant, handed to mo n
small claw hammer which he said GOrdy
had taken from his carriage on WednaS.
day night On the eye Of the hammer was
hair which matched the dc ad w0man's In
color.
THE BLOW THAT KILLED.
ave will show that Gordy struck tho
woman with this hammer while she was
in the carriage, while unconscious he put
her in II boat and rowcd up the stream
about mile and half Then he threw
her over board, rs he thought, in the chan
mel of the stream. The body, however
struck a mud fiat, where tho water was
about two feet deep. When he saw this
he picked up one Of the oars and struck
her three times with 1t. These blows
killed her. The broken oar was f0IHl
floating in the creek next day.
WALK THROUGH MUD.
Tho tiln bnipp a rnip at him and having |