Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1899-12-07
A KENT LAWYER ACCUSED
John D. Hawkins Held for Court on a
Charge Of Disappointing Money.
THE AMOUNT INVOLVED IS $4,000
Levy Court Also Makes a
Claim Upon Him.
GIVEN UNTIL SATURDAY TO ANSWER

Special Correspondence OF Gazette and journal
Dover, Dec. 6.--FolIowing are the
details of the transaction for which
John d. Hawkins, Dover lawyer.
has been charged with misappropria.
ton of funds and held in bail for court !:
On February 18th, 1898. MIR. and
Mrs. John W. Hutchinson, residing
near Dover, came to Dover to seek n
loan of $500. with which to Fay some
bills ana make purchases. Mr.. Hutch.
nson met Mr.. Hawkins, who was his
legal adviser, to whom he stated his
case. Mr.. Hawkins, he says, advised
him tc secure n loan, by mortgage on
bis farm, of So, 500, with which he
could pay a mortgage for $1,000 on the
property held by Enoch Clark of Dover.
and have $500 left for personal use.
Hawkins obtained the So, 500 from G.
O. Rabbit of Philadelphia, and gave
$500 to Hutchinson, representing, so
tho latter alleges, that he had paid
Mr.. Clark. AS an assurance that every
thing was as represented, Hawkins fur
nished Hutchinson with an itemized
bill, showing the different amounts
paid and to whom.
About two weeks ago, David L.
Spruance of Smyrna, an uncle of Mrs.
Hutchinson, was advised to come TO
Dover with Hutchinson and his wife
and look into the affair. Upon going
to the office Of the recorder of deeds, II
was learned that two mortgages were
recorded against their farm, one of
$1,000 by Enooh Clark OF this town and
the Other by q. G. Babbitt of Phila.
delphia for 10, 500. In the meantime,
francis Skunk Brown OF Philadelphia,
attorney for the estate of q. @. Bah.
bitt, deceased, became appraised Of the
circumstances and came to Dover on
Friday of last week to confer with
Hawkins. Lawyer Brown left Dover
with the understanding that he would
return on Monday morning last and
be given settlement. Monday morn
ing Mr. Brown, Mr.. and Mrs. Hutohin-
sou and Mr.. Spruance came to Dover,
Hutchinson and his wife having pre-,
yionsly employed Messrs. Hughes and
Wolcott to look after their interests.
An affidavit charging Hawkins with
misappropriating $1,000, was made
before Magistrate Hutton by Mr.. and
Mrs. Hutchinson and warrant was
Issued for Hawkins arrest, the writ
being placed in the hands Of the sheriff.
For several hours Mr.. Hawkins was
closeted with the attorneys and prin.
clpals of the case, and no finally agreed
to raise the money by $50 O'Clock
Monday night. In the meantime, while
the writ for his arrest was 10 the hands
Of the officers, it was not served on
him, but sheriff's official was placed
oG mis- track till the time specified by
him to make coed the amount. An
hour or so before the time fixed, how
ever, Hawkins went before Magistrate
Hutton and gave himself up. His bail
was fixed at sl,000, and he gave as
slretles William M. Dixon OF near
Woodside and A W, Clifton Of this
town.
Yesterday the Levy Court of Kent
county, of which Hawkins is attorney,
met here to consider matter in which
lle y held accountable foi from $500 to
Sl,oOo of the county's money, alleged to
have been paid to him by county Tux
collectors at different times, and for
which, UP to the present time, he has
made no satisfactory returns. Hawkins
aFEearod before the Levy Court and
made statement, after which he was
given till Saturday next to make good
NE money to the county. The court
vii meet hcre in special session on
saturday to receive his answer.