The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1898-03-10
RECEIVED A BULLET IN TIME
Alfred Belts Defends His Life aud Home
by Using His RevOlver-.Keeps
r1oney in the House. Knew
that Ii the BusIar Got
- in all Would be .s..-.,'
Taken.
HE WOULD TAKE NO CHANCES
The Would be Burglar is at the Delaware
Hospital with Bullet In His
StOmach--He Is Stranger
In these Parts..Re.
.C0very Doubtful.
A would be colored burglar giving his

A would be colored burglar giving his
name as George T!lman and claiming
Somerset County, Md. as his horne lies ON
cot in the Delaware Hospital with II
bullet in his stomach. IL was sent there
about 2.42 o'clock by Alfred Belts of
Brandywino Hundred. Belts was de-
Tending his home at the time. He fired
his 32-calibre revolver and after the ball
passed through the door it lodged in Ill.
man S stomach. The only thing to DO re-
GREETED is that Belts had II revolver instead
of shot gun.
Mr.. Belts is the toll gate tender at gate
No. 2 on the Philadelphia turnpike stu
ated near the Practical Farmer Hotel in
Brandywino hundred. AT the time men,,
toned above he was awakened by a noise,
al the front door. He grabbed his revolver
| and coming down stairs who is therep"
A man with grutf voice replied IL is
none OF your d. business. Open the door
at once9 At tho same time the person on
the outside Of the door kept rattling the
door knob. BY partly pushing the dpor.it
gave about al eighth of IN inch Belts
told tho man that he icould not DO ad
milted and then he replied IN show you
d quick whether you'll open the door or
not
With that he put his shoulder to the
door and attempted to burst it open. Belts
raised his revolver and fired one shot, hop.
ing to strike the person outside in the leg.
Almost Immediately the person outside
uttered II cry Of pain and fell on the step.
Belts did not with to run the danger of
losing his life. He determined to leave the
fellow where he had fallen. The idea
struck Belts that the fellow might BIO
armed or have an accomplish with him.
About b o'clock this morning the follow
left the step The Practical Farmer is
about rs yards away from the toll gate.
Shortly before 9 o clock he raped at the
kitchen door of the hotel. When the door
was opened, he walked to the dining room
and fell to the floor.
George G. Wood, the proprietor, was
summoned by his cook who admitted the
coored man. Upon an examination he
sail that he had been shot: but refused to
say how or where. Bets reported the &C.
currence NJ his place at the hotel and,learn-
ed of the colorcd man being there After
breakfast Wood and Belts took the color.
cd man to the police station in this city.
lie refused to give his namo or address to
Wood and Belts. Ho would not open his
mouth to say Il word about the case. He
refused ut first to give his name but finally
agreed to comply with the request Of the
authorities. He was taken TO the Della
ware Hospital by Wood and Sergeant
Evans.
Mr. Belts stated to chief Dolan that at |
times he has had II considerable sum of
money at The toll gate RObberieS in
Brandywino hundred during the past year
have been frequent. Under the circum-
stances he felt that n ball was the best
way to tender II reception to the fellow
who called ut that hour in the morning.
MIR. Wood stared that Tilman was UNI
known inthe neighborhood.
A Philadelphia horse dealer purchased q
number of horses at II sale in this city !
yesterday. He hired Tilman to help him
with The horses to Philadelphia. When
they reached the Practical Farmer they
stopped for time. Tilman turned up
after an hour fairly well under the inlu-
ence of liquor.
The dealer hired another man Rand re-
fused to take Tilman with him. Nothing
more was seen of the stranger until this
when he was admitted to the
Hotel. The bullet entered from the right
side about tho middle Of Iilman' stomach
Detectives Witsil and McVey visited the
hospital this afternoon to look at the fell
low as no may be wanted in other places.
After Belts made his statement to the
authorities he returned home with MIR.
Wood to tend to the collection of toll at
his usual stand.
The doctors at the hospital say Tilman
cannot live. He does not believe he will
lie himself and therefore no dying deposit
ion could be secured from the man. At
time of going to press his condition is very
low. He acknowledged to Detectives
Witsil and McVey that he attempted to
break into Belts house but declined co
Ely what were his intentions.
lis home is at Maynor's Station
Son orset County, Maryland. Belts
received II letter yesterday, telling
him that his brother was dying His in.
jcntions were to go to Richmond to SEQ
lim bu: he felt after the shooting that the
people would say that that was The cause
If his departure. IhoauihOrties told him
% pay no attention to what the people
would say but to go sec his sick Brother.