The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1901-05-16
THE FIRST
CRIMINAL CASE.
General Sessions Court
Gets Down to -
Business.


morning the first work Of the s.s.
sion was accomplished. The grand
jurors answered to their names
and retired to their room to exam.
inc the cases presented by the At
torney General. John G, Corbit
was made foreman Of the Jury and
James Monaghan baliff.
Chief Justice Lore addressed tn Q
jury aud requested that they ex.
anime witnesses as quickly as pos
sible and where there were more
than three witnesses in a case they
need only examine enough to estab.
llsh an Indictment.
The charge against George Ri
ley confined in New Castle jail with
a five year sentence for assaulting
Sergeant Howgate who was to be
arraigned for breaking in and en-
tering e. Levy pawn shop, was
retired by the Attorney General.
This action does not take the
case entirely out Of the hands OF the
attorney general as he has the OPP
ton of rearraigning Rlle on the
charge any time he sees fit.
Edward White, alias Mitchell.
was arraigned on the charge Of
highway robbery. The case is
that of William A. Hunter who was
assaulted sonth of Market street
bridge on the night of May Is, 1900.
Mr.. Hunter was called to the
stand and stated the facts of the
case. lie was proceeding 10 his
home when he was stopped and
attacked by Mitchell and two other
men,
lie gave them his purse but they
not being satisfied, rilled his pockets
and took other money and his
watch. A ring was also taken
from his hand. Since that time he
has seen nothing of his property.
The Attorney General took tho
witness and after having him state
the foregoing facts, allowed David
T. Marvel toquestion, him. Very lit
tie in defense OF the prisoner was
brought out by Mt. Marvel.
Sarah Allen who was living with
the prisoner at the time u the rob-
berry, then took the stand and ties I.
titled that Mitchell had showed he
watch and ring and said they
had hung post Office man up and
he gave them 10 him.
In cross examination Mr.. Marvel
brought out that Sarah had been
elected flom the house by Mitchell
and that they were unlrlendly from
that time. Alter Mr.. Hunter had
been recalled 10 the stand and
stated that he was at the time Of.
the robbery postmaster of New
Castle the state rested. Mr.. Ward
merely wished to show that Hunt
er was connected with the Post
Office department and could have
been the mail man referred 10 by
Mitchell in conversation with Sarah
A len.
Mr.. Marvel thea had the prisoner
to take the stand in his own defens.
Hunter was working in this city in
May 1900 and in June went to
Chester. The first he knew OF the
robbery was when the detectives
came to Roa h 8 shlpy ar d in
Chester to arrest him.
George II. State Of Chester testi-
fed that Mitchell had worked for
him in the hauling business and
was in this city with him on the
night Of the robbery.
He did not know where Mitchell
went. after dark and knew nothing
OF the robbery until the prisoner
was arrested. This was all tho
testimony in the case and the de-
fensc rested
Both the attorney general and
Mr.. Marvll then address | the
Jury and asked for conviction and
acquitted respectively.
" The jury retired but a short time
a verdict Of guilty with petl-
ton for clemency was returned.
The grand jury returned true
bills for attempted larceny against
William Fisher, John II, Pullman
and William Guy, all of whom
pleaded not guilty.
Charles Burkhardt was Indicted
for an attempt to kill William
Frisby, and the following were in.
dicted for carrying concealed dead
ly weapons: John p. Reed, Henry
Brown, William Johnson. Hen
Jones and Moan Davis. Court -
cessed until = 30 0 clock.