Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1899-05-25
DEATH OF GEORGE MONTAGUE
Occurred at the Delaware Hos
pital This Morning.
UNCONSCIOUS SINCE WEDNESDAY
Henry A. Wilson Held on the
Charge of Murder.


In Which the Victims q cad Was Crushed
With a Baseball Bat.
George Montague of Philadelphia
was assaulted with baseball bat by
Henry A. Wilson, also of Philadelphia,
on Second street near King, late last
night week. The injured man was
taken to the Delaware Hospital, and
Wilsoe was taken to the police station.
The trouble is said to have occurred
over Edna Wilson, also of Philadelphia.
The police. who have been making an
Investigation, have been informed that
the woman and Montague were re-
Gently close friends in Philadelphia.
Abouta a week ago she came to Will
mington, and Montague also came here
and began paying attention to her.
Wilson learned this and is said to have
made threats against his rival.
According to Miss Wilson, who is
rather comely young woman, Montague
Monday, each threatening to harm the
other. She claims that she saw moth
ing more of Wilson until after he was
arrested and does not know that he
commi tied the assault. She stated on
Thursday that she and Montague were
in saloon in the vicinity of Second
and King last night week, and while
there they quarreled. After leaving
the building, she alleges, Montague
ran away from her and she thought
there would be fight, but did not
know who he was going to fight with.
The next thing she knew Montague was
lying in the street. She went to him
and called for assistance. The patrol
wagon soon arrived and conveyed the
unconscious man to the hospital.
Immediately after the assault the as
sailant ran toward the p, w. & B. rail-
road station, where he was captured
by Officers Purcell and England, who
sent him to the police station.
James T.. Stats identified Wilson as
the man who committed the assault.
He saw Montague fall and said Wilson
struck him three times with baseball
bat after he was down. A number of
people pursued the assailant, who ran
like deer until the officers stopped
him.
Montague died at $3.50 o'clock Mon
day morning. Henry A. Wilson, who is
accused of assaulting him, is held
without bail on the charge of murder.
Montague did not regain consciousness
after he was assaulted. The physicians
at the hospital stated that death re-
suited from meningitis. 1t is thought
that the skull was either fractured or
the brain was SO affected by the blow
as to become disordered, and the in.
hammation caused DEATH. Montague
was about 80 years old, and his alleged
assailant is about the same age. in
the city cnurt this morning Edna Will
r,h WITH f,a
night of the assault, was held in $500
jury.
According to the Wilson woman's
statement, both of the young men were
friends of hers. She has been in Will
mington about two weeks, having come
from Philadelphia. Montague and Will
son also came from that city after her
arrival. They did not come TO Will
mington together, but met here. and in
her presence had quarrel over her,
and each threatened TO do the other
bodily harm. She says, however, that
she induced them to shake hands and
become friends Monday week.
On Wednesday evening the woman
and Montague visited a saloon on
Second street near King, and after they
came out Montague left her suddenly.
Knowing the feeling between him and
Wilson she thought he must have seen
Wilson and expected that fight would
follow. She says she ran into a door,
way to avoid getting into trouble, but
she Immediately returned to the street
and saw the PROSTATE form of Mon
tague lying between the curbstone and
the market house. She claims that
she did not see the assault committed
and does not know who struck Mon
tague. She ministered to Montague
until the arrival of the patrol wagon,
in which he was taken to the hospital.
As soon as the assault was committed
the assailant fled in the direction of
King street. He was pursued by sew
eral people and was captured by Officers
Purcell and England of the patrol
squad at Front and French streets.
James 7. Stats saw the assault COM
mitted and was one Of the persons who
followed the assailant, and in the city
court on Thursday he identified Wilson
as the man who had struck Montague.
Chief of Police Dolan, who has been
making an investigation, has been in
formed that Wilson and Montague hap
pened to meet on Second street near
King, and the former attacked the
latter with baseball bat and after
he had felled Montague struck him
several times with the bat. 1t is be-
lieved that Wilson procured the bat
from friend on the spur of the
moment, and it is understood that his
plea will be that he committed the as
sault in self-defence. He has retained
Walter II. Hayes and s. D. Townsend
to defend him.
Very little can be learned about
either Wilson or Montague, except that
they came from Philadelphia. 1t is said
that both were students at collegein
Philadelphia, but no definite informa-
| tioD can be obtained on this point. 1t
is also said that another student was
with Wilson when the assault was
committed