Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1899-07-13
BOLD CRIME BY NEGROES
They Assaulted and Robbed the Tele-
graph Operator at GinnS' Crossing,
PURSUED AND QUICKLY CAPTURED
The Operator Guarded Against
Collisions.
SETTLE SIGNALS TO STOP ALL TRAINS

BLOCK, TWO miles south OF 1OWnSenu
station on the Delaware railroad, was
murderously assaulted Monday morning
between 2 and 3 O'Clock by two colored
men,. He was rendered unconscious and
S25, his watch and his coat stolen. Be-
fore losing consciousness he set the
signals so rs to stop all approaching
trains,so as to guard against collisions.
The injuries TO Mr.. Ahern consist of
a cut on each side of his head and
badly bruised Jaw. Tho weapon with
which the assault was committed was
piece of stone which was afterward
found in the office, covered with blood
and hair.
The first known of the affair was
when an extra southbound freight
train leaving this city at O'Clock Mon
day morning, in charge of Conductor j.
NJ. Driscoll and Engineer Jamison, ar
rived at the block and found the sig
mails set against the train. The enRi-
neer blew for the switch several
times, and fearing that the operator
had fallen asleep left the engine and
fastened to the station, whore he was
Mortified to find the operator lying on
the floor in pool of blood, with the
blood oozing from the several cuts on
his head and face. He called to the
crew and some of the men responded,
while others went to the switch and
unlocked it until the train was safe on
the siding. Then all did what they
could to bring the man to conscious
ness.
When Ahern revived he telegraphed
the news to Middletown and said that
the perpetrators of the crime were col
ored men. The alarm was soon sounded
at.I - f,,ue lnoe bat
two colored men had left the track and
taken to the road leading toward Sum-
nit Bridge.
A farmer named James Downs, who
had been to Middletown with milk,
and there learned of the affair, was
blowing in his field and seeing two col
ored men go by, unhitched his horse
and gave chase, firing at the men. One
of the men fell and claimed that he
had been shot. Then no closed up on
both and held them until a posse came
up and took the suspects to Middle
town.
The men refused to talk after their
arrest but finally said that their names
were William Austin and Samuel Car
penter. On their persons were found
about S26, which is but dollar more
than the amount taken from the opera
tor.
The men were placed in the lookup
and afterwards given preliminary
hearing, at which they stated that their
names were James Young and Chester
Raisin and their homes at Uniontown,
Nd. They were held without hail to
answer the charge of attempted muir.
der, until Mr.. Ahern may lie able to
appear against them.
The operator was taken to Middle.
town, where he was attended by DIR.
r. b. Mckee, who stated that the
wounds were of q serious nature. Mrs.
Ahern was nearly Frustrated when hel
husband was brought home.
The negroes are the same who Sun
day went to the store of William Car
Macy, at Kirkwood, and demanded tina
they be supplied with something to eat
When demonstrated with they threat
ened to 'cut the heart out" of tn,
clerk at the store if he would com,
outside. He then produced gun anC
the men ran.
The men are thought to have beer
the same who attempted to enter tn,
station at Middletown late Sunda,
NIGHT, but who were frightened off.
While the men were at the station a
Middletown, awaiting transportation
to New Castle Jail, they sang songs ant
otherwise entertained the curiou
crowd that collected to get view o
them.
Gilbert King, alias James Young
alias William Austin, and James Henri
Reasin, alias Chester Reasin, ALA
Samuel Carpenter, the two oolore
men confined in tine New Caste count
Jail on the charge of having murder
ously assaulted Night Operator Williar
Ahern, at Ginn's block, on the Della
ware railroad. were interviewed in Jail
Monday evening, and confessed thei
crime. The confession was made I
Detectives Witsil and Jones.
No undue advantage was taken of Tn
prisoners, and after some parleyine
Reasin acknowledged that they We're i
the station, as they termed it, and thu
King was the man who threw the ston,
Reasin stated that he had been wall
ing along the road for some time wit
King. When they reached the static
he went to the door and asked Of ii
man at the table (Ahern) what III
time was, and also the distance to til
next station, Townsend. He was tul
that the distance was but two mile
They then were about to leave whe
they noticed the man at the table fe
lin his vest pocket, and seeing no pc
son about, they went back. Reasi
would not tell who threw the stone
Ahern. King, on being pressed, ga,
q clear and concise statement Of ii
affair and threw the blame for Il
throwing on his friend. He So
that the stone, u large fat one, W,
thrown through the screen door ar
struck Ahern full on the head. He fe
to the floor and then they entered ii
place and found money in both poke
OF Ahern's vest. When question,
about the watch, King insisted tn
they did not get watch. This WI
learned afterwards to be true, as ii
watch was found beneath the operator
table, where it had dropped from b
pocket when he fell to the floor.
King also told of former escapa,
Of the man Reasin who he said h;
been arrested at Centreville and the
confined in the Jail, in a dungeon.
gave description of the place al
showed that he was not unacquaint
with the Jail and the interior
King also stated that Reasin h
been the chief conspirator of the {
sault upon Ahern. When he was tc
that the man who was injured hi
improved to such an extent that
would appear and identify him toda
he seemed greatly pleased and sal
They can't stretch my neck if
lives"
When Reasin learned that his co
panion had told of all that happene
he said: "pll got even on him
peaching on me-" What he meant
the threat he would not say.
There is little doubt that OPERA