Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1898-12-01
STRUCK WITH A WRENCH.
James ~, stirling Seriously Injured at Il
Office 81 tile Daily fsenubIican,

James -, stirling seriously Injured at the
oHice Of THE Daily Hennbiican.
James IL. Stirling, aged II years, OF
No. I'LL Scott street was seriously in
iured by being struck by wrench at
the door of the press room at the Office
of the Daily Republican, Third and
King streets, about 3. 10 o'clock Fri
day afternoon. The wrench mad been
thrown by j. Wesley Vernon, the press
man, in the direction of a crowd of
boys who had been in the doorway
leading to an adjoining room, and
struck Stirling by mistake.
According to an attache of the Office,
Vernon had no intention of striking
Stirling. but the latter, unfortunately,
appeared upon the scene Just as the
missile was thrown. The press was
late in starting, and while Vernon was
working about the press preparing to
start it, several boys. who had found
their wy into the press room, were
making unnecessary noise Vernon
requested them to desist and 60 out.
This they we're loath to do and in
order to hurry them out Vernon threw
toward them a I wrench, which he
was using about the press.
BY the time the wrench reached the
door the boys were out Of reach, but
Stirling, who had gone to the Office
for papers, according to his custom,
appeared in the doorway Just in time
to be struck in the centre Of the FORE
head with the wrench.
He was d;lzed aud fell to the floor.
Walter Vernon, bookkeeper for the
company, and others about the build
ing ran TO the lads assistance and he
was carried to Taylor's drug store, at
No. 302 King street. The wound in
the forehead was dressed there and
after Stirling. had revived he was
driven in a cab to the office of DIR.
streets, but Drs. Fahey aud Harris, who
serious nature of the injury and
ordered him sent to the Delaware
Hospital and he was taken Immediately
in, the cab to that institution, where
he was given the very best attention.
The physicians there made an ex-
animation as soon as the patient was
admitted and found that both bones of
the forehead had been fractured. and
at once they came to the conclusion
that the case was extremely serious
Drs. Ogle, Palmer and Williamson per-
formed an operation, removing some of
the bone
Tho police, who were looking after
the matter, reported the result of the
examination to Capt Chambers, who
swore out warrant for Vernon, who
was arrested by Sergeant Lucas at
about Z O'Clock. He was taken to the
police station and during the evening
his father. George w. Vernon, and
other members Of the family conferred
with him and Chief of Police Dolan
relative to the matter, and the accused
was released until this morning, his
father giving $1,000 bail.
Stirling s,well liked by all who
know him. He is a genial lad and
attends strictly to his business. One
of his duties is to go every afternoon
to each of the afternoon newspaper
offices and obtain the papers used at
the Office of the Morning News, and it
was while on this mission that he was
injured. For some time he was en-
ployed at the Republican office in the
composing room, but for the past two
years he had been working for the
News Publishing Co., looking after
the Office mail and other similar
matters.
Vernon is married and resides with
his wife and S-months-old child at No.
S14 Van Buren, street.
Vernon was arraigned in city court
on Saturday on the charge of assault
with intent TO commit murder. DR..
Ogle, who is attending Stirling at the
hospital, described the nature of the
wound. Hesaid the bones were pressed
on the brain, but the pressure had
been relieved. The covering of the
brain was torn. The patient slept well
last night and was in comparatively
good condition this morning. The
doctor said he wonld not be able to tell
for four orr five days whether the
patient woul6 recover.
Vernon was held without bail to
await the result Of the injuries. George
w. Vernon, father of the accused,
pleaded to have the son released on
bail, but the court informed him that
there could be DO distinction as to
that. the disposition of the
case would have been the same if the
accused htd been the most important
man in the State, adding: "Dis.
would demoralize the
courts. y
Young Vernon was provided with
comfortable quarters at the polite
station. 2,N