Evening journal., 1899-01-23
CLARK IS RELEASED.
The DUPONT Barn Burnt r
Serves His Time in Jail.
SPENT SEVEN YEARS IN PRISON

o. n ~ AiA hhA1 AA hAk0A
CLARK WAS ACCUSED OF CON
ePIRACY IN THE BURNING or
A NUMBER CF BARNS BELONG
ING TO THE DuPONTs IN 1891.
A SENSATIONAL CASE RE
CALLED.
Edward Clark, the alleged Dupont
barn burner, was released from New
Castle Jail to-day. after having served
sentence OF seven years in that in
stitution for arson.
The release OF Clark recars one OF
the most famous trials ever held n
the Delaware courts, and one Of the
shrewdest pieces OF detective work on
record. For some ume previous 20
August 1891. several barns belonging
90 the E. l. DUPONT de Nemours q Co.
had been destroyed by FIRE The firm
was at a lces to discover the cause
OF the fire. Though from surrounding
circumstances Il was almost certain
that they were Of incendiary origin.
The firm finally employed the Pink.
erton Detective Agency 10 work out
the case, but after several months OF
unsuccessful investigation they gave Il
up Shorty after the Pinkerton fail
ure the case was placed in the hands
OF James Wilkinson. who conducts a
detective agency at Ne. iS7 Broadway.
New York city. The Wilklnsons al
once took hold OF the matt. and the
result Of their investigation was thar
several persons were arrested, tried
and sentenced 10 various terms in the
county Jail az New Castle.
At the time Wilkinson commenced
work on the case Edward Clark, his
wife Mary, and son Joseph lived on
Eleventh street near Church. There
house was cdten the resort OF charac-
ters who did not bear the best
regulations. On many occasions
dances were ggven at Clarks home
and on the night one OF these was Ia
progress John Traynor, one Of Wilk'
inson's detectives from New York, ap-
] peared on the scene. He stated tc
Clark that he was looking for WORK
and wanted a place to board. Aftel
; a talk with Clark. Traynor said h'
( could play the violin, and, going owe
10 the fiddler, took the violin fron
4 his hands and ratified off a number o
e irish seleegcns. Traynor afterward
became an inmate Of the Clark house
. hold and Wormed his way into thei
confidence. He was often the subjee
OF much commend as he trampe'
h through the market behind Mrs. Clark
e carrying her basket and contentedl!
smoking his pipe. He had but on
, eye and presented a comical appear
ance
e a shoIl time after Traynor had be
come a member OF the Clark family
~ Thomas Lynch, another New York de
tectiye, came upon the scene. He wa
e interviewed by Traynor and said h
wanted to buy a saloon. After som
discussion between the two men the.
r decided to purchase the o,S Columbu
Inn, near scheutzen Park. which wa
, then for sale, and place Clark Il
charge OF 10. his experience balancin
l. their capital. The purchase was mad
e and the C.ark family. with their tw
boarders, took possession OF the he
tel
soon the inn became the headqual
81 ters Of William J. Gibbous, a ma
u named Moore and several other LC
e t5rlous characters.
e Shortly after the C.arks had take
= posseesion ot the hotel Billy" Wi
T. kinson, OF the detective firm. know
, as William Boughten." Mort
& lCar5Ena iA.cit whiskey detective. too
N up his residence at the hosiery, an
l. after he hadEeen therebut a short tin
Lew Johnson, an ex-burgar fro
New York, and an old acquaintance
the Wilkinsons, put in an appearance
Games OF poker were frequent
y played at the hotel, in which Clar
y took a hand. and one night during u
70 progress ~ game Boughten ar
IL Traynor got into an alteration az
y the former pulled a revolver and sh
Trayncr through the heart. killiI
him instantly, or az least Clal
Thought he did The question th'
arose hcw to get rid OF the bcdy Al
it was carried upstairs and cover
o. over with a blanket. Late that mig
Oh Clark, Lynch and Boughten loaded q
su supposed corpse into wagon andstal
ed 10 drive to DuPonts powder wha
on the Chris,iana to dump the corp
overheard. Arriving within ab5ut IN
g squares from the wharf Lynch q
ls clared he would so no farther, and
Nc and Clark got cut cf the wage
y BOughton drove On alone, and in
short time returned with an emf