Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1900-02-15
DEFINES ESCAPE.
Succeeded In Obtaining shoes From Cisi-
zen Who Did Not Rscognizs Him.


zen Who Did Not Rscognixs Him.
Shortly before O'Clock last Satur-
day night comparatively young man,
with very much disfgured counte-
nance, dressed only la underclothing,
trousers. house coat and SLOUGH hat, APP
peared ut the door Of house not far
from Gilpin avenue ard jackson street.
He rang the bell, and after telling the
head OF the house, who answered the
summons, that he had been assaulted
and robbed by tramps and thrown off a
train, exhibited his stocking feet and
asked for pair of old shoes As soon as
the front door was opened the stranger,
remarking that he had scarcely
any clothing on and saying he was
| almost frozen, made o move as If to
enter the house. He was prevented
from doing 30, however, and compelled
to remain outside while the people in
the house looked about for cast.otf
shoes. Shoes were found and offered to
him and the strange character sat down
on the door sill aud tried vainly to get
them on. They we've found to be too
narrow, and the man at the house cut
them down the front and after this had
been done the stranger put them on
and was able 10 walk in them.
After the unfortunate, as he was re-
garded. got the shoes on, he drew from
his pocket a large roll of bandage,
which he said had been given him by
druggist and this was paced over his
wounds by the man who had given him
the shoes, and who also, at the
strangers request. pinned his coat
together, in order to afford HIM better
protection from tho elements.
The entire transaction required about
BALI an hour, aud during that time the
man at the house piled him with sun
dry questions about himself and his
alleged misfortune. The stranger said
his name was George Stanley and he
belonged at Rising Sun, but had been
working at his trade, that Of machinist,
In Washington. He alleged that he had
left Washington early in the day and
while In Baltimore boarded freight
train for this CITY. When near New
port, he said, three other men entered
the car In which he was riding and
after assaulting him took all Of his
money, s37, and all of his clothing, ex-
cept his underclothing, and after they
had robbed him threw him off the train
while it was proceeding at the rate of
80 miles an hour.
He said after he regained conscious
ness he managed to reach the watch
box OF crossing tender and the man
there loaned him the coat and trousers
and he was brought to this city by a
farmer. He said some Of his teeth had
been loosened, his Jaw was probably
fractured and his neck was in bad
shape, being unable to swallow. After
he had been given shoes and his cloth
ing adjusted, and as he was about to
leave the Gilpin avenue house, he said
he was going to his home at Rising
Sun and intimated that he would like
to have his car fare. This was willingly
given and he departed, limping, toward
Delaware avenue and Jackson street.
Sunday 1t developed that the man
was Thomas Devine, who had escaped
from the Homeopathic Hospital few
minutes before he applied at the house
for the shoes. Devine was released
from New Castle Jail yesterday week,
having served term for larceny. He
had served several terms there, one for
murderously assaulting and robbing
the late George Wakenhut, at the
Maryland avenue railroad crossing
about three years ago.
Last night week as Devine
was passing Third and King streets he
saw ncrse ana carriage standing, and
as the owner was not noticed nearby,
jumped in and drove off. At Sixteenth
and Market streets the horse became
manageable and Devine was thrown
out on his head and badly Injured. It
was thought at the time his skull was
fractured and he might not recover.
He was sent to tho hospital, and as
Robert j. Benson Of Montchanin, the
owner of the team, had complained to
the police about its being driven of
without his consent, Chief Dolan swore
out a warrant for Devine. charging him
with driving the team away without
the owners consent. This evidently
reached his ears, and, although his
street clothing had been taken away
from him at the hospital to prevent
his escape, on Saturday night he found
the trousers of another man and the
coat of another and made his escape.