The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-04-19
doRDY's BALTI1ORE ADVENTURE.
Miss Emma Scates of Baltimore Tells of
His Associations With Her.

James M. Gordy, who on Saturday was
sentenced by Chief Justice Charles B.
Lore at Georgetown,to be hanged on June
IL, for the murder of his bride, Mrs. Mary
Estelle Gordy, made matrimonial ventures
in Baltimore before he met his latest vic.
tim.
The motive of the killing of Mrs, Gordy
was shown by the State in Gordy's trial at
Georgetown to have been desire to Sc
cure what property Mrs. Gordy possess
ed. Miss Emma Scatcs, who lives at 2l3
East Twenty.fourth street, was victim
of Gorly's insinuating ways and believes
that only the foresight Of brother .inlaw
who lives in Virginia, prevented Gordy
from obtaining what money she possessed,
and possibly from serving her as he did
the woman for whoge murder he has been
sentenced to die.
In speaking yesterday of her relations
with Gordy, Miss Scates said;
II met James Nj. Gordy in January of
1896 he was then boarding at house on
Barre street, near Hanover. Gordy came
to the house and represented himself to bc
horse dealer. He soon took fancy to
me and began to invite me to 60 out with
him At first Ideclined, but he was SO
persistent that l finally permitted him to
escort me to several places.
"Then he began to pay me marked'at-
tention / was not much pleased with
him, and finally moved to q house on
Mulberry street, near Green street. Gordy
followed and lived at the same house.
One day while talking to him told him
that l had some land and furniture in
Richmond county, Va, near Naylors
Wharf Gordy then told me that he own
cd u fine farm in Delaware. Some weeks
after this conversation he proposed mar
riage to me and | accepted him. We ex-
changed rings and determined to get mar
ried in May.
"Gordy came to see me in day or SO
and said he had gone into the photograph
business aud suggested that go down
home and sell my property. He told me
to be sure to sell it for cash, and by no
means take notes. After the sale was to
come back to Baltimore and we were to
get married and go to his farm In Della
ware to live. Gordy said he would have to
go out of town for several days, and while
he was absent he wrote me letter" Miss
Scatcs produced letter signed by Gordy,
dated at Concord, Del. In the letter Gordy
spoke of his great love for Miss Scates and
referred 10 her going to Virginia to dispose
OF her property.
In closing the epistle Gordy wrote.
Crosses are rcd and violets blue
Cherries are sweet, and SO arc you.'
On the back of the letter was written:
"Ihe sea is deep. the ocean blue,
Ifyou love me I'll love you"
"While Gordy was away" continued
Miss ScGtes, II won't down home to sell
my goods but was prevented from SO do.
ing BY my br0ther-in-law I sent word
to Gordy about falling to sell the property
and never hoard from him otter that
until read Of his arrest for murder and
his conviction.
II am glad did not sell my things. Had
7 done so and returned with the money
feel suro Gordy would have knocked me
In the head and taken the money. Ihave
written to him and have told him how he
lied to me and also told him that ho must
pray hard to be forgiven. l would like TO
see him and see what he has to say. am
not the only woman ho has fooled. I
have O letter from girl at fredericksburg,
Nd, which he gave mo. Iu it she tells
him how sorry she was that she failed to
keep an engagement with him at Seaford,
Del, may go down to Georgetown before
he IS hanged
Miss Scates Is thirty five years old and
closely resembles the woman whom Cor
dy murdered.
tencc upon Gurdy in the courthouse at
Georgetown, Del, Saturday, he asked the
prisoner if he had anything to say why
sentence should not be pronounced upon
him.
Gordy answered firmly, II am not
guilty"
Anything else?" asked the Justice.
"As God is my witness" answered Cor
dy, II am not guilty" Then, in o clear
voice as his piercing black eyes looked
straight into those of the Judge, he added:
You may kill my body but you cannot
kill my soul"
The Judge then pronounced the SEN
tence, fixing tho date of the hanging at
June II, as stated in The sun on Satur-
day. He was visibly affected. as was al
most every person in tho courtroom ex'
cept the prisoner.
Gordy was the coolest person in the as
When he had boen removed
from the courtroom TO his cell he began
singing. The song was his own compost
ton These were his words
II do not want my mother to shed ore
tear for me,
For I'm going where stormclouds ne'er
rise and pleasure never dies
Just before Gordy was taken into court
to be sentenced he was visited by his
brother Joseph and his brother in law,
Levin Moore. They both urged him to
confess, but ho refused, saying; Il am
not guilty and will not confess as long a5
blood flows through my veins.
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