Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1899-02-02
important Discoveries Said to
Have Been Made in the
Vicinity of Port Penn.
j. NJ. vANDEGRlEI'S EXPERIENCE
Shot at by a Man Who Had
Entered His House Evil
IDENTIFY for the Purpose of
Committing Robbery
~ --Arrest Made. sa

The experience of james M. Wander
grift, a farmer of Macdpnough, with
burglar, was more thrilling than ut
first reported. Mrs. Vandegrift heard
some one moving around ths house and
aroused her husband. ALTHOUGH he is
81 years of age, he got his revolver
ready and was dressing himself pre-
paratory to making an investigation.
While he was thus engaged, he and his
wife were startled by the burglars
forcing the door of their bed rocm..
AS the door came open, the draught of
air put out the light, but Mr.. Vande-
grift's form was distinguished in front
of the window and thesburglar shot at
him. The bullet missed the mark, and
Mr.. Vandegrift lost noS time in reply
ing to the shot. Shots were again ex-
changed but it was getting too warm
for the intruder and he left.
State Detective Waller Witsil went
to work on the case and as q result of
his efforts and with the, assistance of q
constable at Macdonough, on Monday
arrested Henry Smith, colored, who
was at one time employed on the Van
degrift place. Smith was apprehended
while walking along the road. He was
locked up at Middletown and a re-
yolver with two chambers empty was
found on him. The bullets remaining
in the weapon agreed. with the two
found in q door at the Vandegrift
house, and upon being informed of
this, Smith confessed. He alsok told
where some stolen goods were hidden,
and the detective went there and re-
covered them. tG$
Detective Witsil, by good head work,
succeeded in locating his man in the
vicinity of Macdonough, Monday after
noon, although he had only started to
work on the case in the morning. He
secured team and drove out to the
place where he thought he might find
the negro and was rewarded by seeing
the latter leaving a house along the
road. He jumped from the wagon and
placed the negro under arrest, before
the latter had an opportunity to make
| any material resistance, although he
made protest and might have done
more had the detective not caught
hold of the revolver in the negro's
| pocket as soon as he laid hands on
him, and the prisoner was quickly dis
armed. George Henry Platter, with whom
Smith had stopped, was also arrested,
and both were taken to Middletown.
Smith was given hearing Tuesday
morning before Magistrate Reynolds al
Middletown on the charge of entering
Mr.. Vandegrift's house with attempt
| to commit murder. After he was con.
| fronted with the evidence which the
detective had found he made con
| fession. He was held without bail tc
await the action of the grand jury and
was brought by the detective to New
Castle Jail Platter was held in S20(
bail as q witness.
Detective Witsil recovered some oi
the stolen property and was afterward
| told by Smith where the remainder
could be found. When he went to Mr..
Vandegrift's house he found onesof the
bullets which had been fred at Mr..
Vandegrift in the bedstead. The Negro
| had entered the house by cutting q
| shutter and breaking q door and after
| be was inside stole a revolver.
The crime charged against Smith is
a capital offence.
| During the past few weeks thcrt
have been numerous robberies in the
| lower part of tho county, and there
is an Impression that the operations
are those of an organized band. The
| burglars have become SO bold that
| people living near where depreciation:
have been recently committed are
alarmed and some are afraid to go ou
at night alone.
| Following close upon the attempt Il
rob Mr.. Vandegrift's house and murder
| him comes the news Of another robber,
at the store of Mrs. Elan Page, a
Port Penn, which occurred last Friday
night. A large quantity,of meat ant
other articles were stolen, but from
what can be learned there was NJ
| attempt to take human life.
/ 1t is understood that while officers
were looking for the negro Smith, whs
was charged with entering the Vande
grift house, they made discovery las
night that may prove clue to othel
robbvries recently reported. They fount
house on what is known as the Long
Bridge road, between Port Penn anc
Macdonough, where from 10 to 10 col
ored men are said to have made thei
headquarters. The authorities suspec
that some Of the negroes who have beer
seen in that neighborhood are con
cerned in the recent depredations.