Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1899-07-20
A PROWLER CAPTURED.
Lawrence Conway Arrested for Acting In u
Suspicious Manner In the Rear of Honses
on Washington Street. Gai


Lawrence Conway Arrested for Acting In u
Suspicious Manner In the Rear of Honses
on Washington Street.
Lawrence Conway, who was recently
released from New Castle jail after
serving three-months' sentence for
assault and battery, was arrested ny
Policeman Frank Kane about 800
o'clock yesterday morning acting in
suspicious manner in the roar OF sew
eral houses on Washington street be-
tween Front and Second. He had poen
prowling around in yards and on back
roofs short time before in his bare
feet.
He was arraigned in the Municipal
Court yesterday morning charged with
to disorderly conduct.
Robert Davidson of No. 119 Wash
ington street testified that at about
.. 80 O'Clock he heard noise In the
| rear OF his house and looking out saw
Conway on his back roof. He asked
| Conway what he wanted there, where
upon Conway dropped down into the
yard. BY this time colored man liv-
ing in an adjoining house had been
aroused and IVES in his yard and Mr..
| Davidson told him to catch the in
| truder and hold him until he could get
an officer. Mr.. Davidson then went
out and notified the police by tele-
phone and the patrol wagon and several
officers soon arrived. Mrs. Davidson
gave similar testimony, except that
she saw Conway in the yard after he
had been on the roof. John @. Cal
houn, colored, who lives in one of the
adjoining houses, said he saw Conway
standing on chair in his yard looking
in a window and afterward go to the
cellar window and door and try them.
Calhoun began an investigation. JIG
went to the yard and asked Conway
what he wanted. The latter informed
him that he was looking for u place to
sleep. Calhoun told him he was act
ing in very strange manner and in
formed him that he might haze slept
on the step and he would not have
been disturbed. By this time Conway
was anxious TO get out of the neighbor
hood and was about to put on hi
shoes, but Calhoun took possession O.
the strangers footwear 10 order to de
tain the intruder without using force
Finally, as Conway pleaded hard fol
the shoes and told Calhoun that b,
meant no harm, the shoes were givel
him and no put them on, after which
he left Calhoun's yard. just afte
Conway had left Calhoun's yard tn,
officers Eut in an appearance and fount
Conway in 1eighboring yard, as II il
hiding. He was taken to the polio
station and locked up. Mrs. Dori
, Phillips, colored, who lives in Gal
houn's house, saw Conway in tho yard
, Conway, who is white and says h
!, has been boarding with his sister il
Silverbrook, explained to the cour
that he was under the influence @
liquor and had been intimidated'' t
the neighborhood by colored woma
i living there. who beckoned to him fror
/ a window and told him to come int
4 the house and get some laundry befor
/ he went to his home in Silverbrook.
! The court did not think much c
the explanation and fined Conway SIC
a after informing him that he had place
/ himself in position where the peopl
a living in the houses around which b
/ had been prowling would have bee
! justified in shooting him. Judge Ba
+ scored him and said he regretted tina
there is not law making attempte
4 burglary punishable offence. Th
4 Judge suggested that the matter mief
o we'll be given some attention at tn
next session of the General Assembly.