Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1901-07-11
VERDICT OF OORONER'S JURY.
Edward Windsor Guilty of Killing Hi
Father, ThomRs B. Windsor.

Edward Windsor Guilty of Killing His
Father. Thomas b. Windsor.
Milford. July 8.-There we're sensa-
tional developments Saturday at the
inquest over the body Of Thomas b.
Windsor, proprietor Of the Windsor
Rotel, who was shot by his son, James
Edward Windsor, and who before dying
swore that his son shot him by acci
dent
This statement the coroner put little
faith in, and he conducted the investi.
CATION with view to the prosecution of
the son, who has disappeared.
As the tragedy occurred in Sussex
oounty,a few feet from the Kent county
line, the inquest was held by Sussex
county'e coroner, Samuel M. Marsh. at
this place.
The coroner,s jury examined. about
20 witnesses. Sensational and damag-
ing testimony was given by Lottie
Wright, neat-looking mulatto attend
ant OF the hotel, who saw the tragedy.
Lottie Wright's testimony was taken
in writing and signed by her in the
presence OF the jury. Itgoame after a
large number Of Witnesses had testified
to hearing a quarrel between the father
and son, and to running away before
the shooting. They didn't mind seeing
fight, but their stomachs would not
permit their staying TO see mans
head blown off by his own son.
The girls testimony, verbatim. was
as follows: .
"Mr. Eddie (the SOM was going to
the beach to take load OF passengers
who had offered him good pay to drive
them down, His father at first told
him he could, but afterward, when MIR.
Eddie had fixed the wagon and har-
messed his horses, and had come into
wait on the porch, he told his son he
could not take the team out.
Why, you just told m, l could,
aaid Eddie
Yes; but you better not.
What in the hi do you mean,
father? Do you know what you are?
You're - orner. dirty man.
Both then began oursing, calling
each other word for word. Mr.. Wind
sor ordered Eddie out of the barroom,
declaring that il he did not desist he
would knock him in the head with his
heavy cane.
Eddie said. well, I've had enough
of this. Nov Pm going to put you out
of business. I'm going to shoot your
Mr.. Windsor shouted: What, shoot
me?' .3
Edward answer, with an oath Yes,
I'm going to shoot you.
Edward went out from the barroom
to closet in the readingroom and got
the shotgun, loading it as he re-entered
the barroom.
"Mr. Windsor shouted;" Why, you
-
"As Mr.. Windsor said that Eddie
put the gun to his shoulder and shot
right straight, and Mr.. Windsor
screamed: oh ] and clapped his hand
to his heart.
81 was standing In the doorway
through it all. Mr.. Windsor grabbed
the gun Just as his son Shot but too
late to SPOIL the aim, and that's how
the load tore his hand. The ladies'
rushed in and took the gun from Eddie,
and he went out the back door with
lcng knife In his hand, swearing thnt
he would kill himself. That's the last
we've seen Of him."
Chief Of Police Nathaniel Thomas
of Milford, William S. Collin, Capt.
George w. Dennis, Thomas Coouer,
Peter Brown and several other witnesses
testified to hearing threats on both
sides and hearing Young Windsor tell
his father he was going to put him
''out OF business, and that he loaded
his gun in their sight. When he raised
it to shoot, however. the sight was too
much for them, and they fed from the
hotel, some Of them afraid Of the des-
perate young man.
After hearing the feeble attempt of
the father to shield his son by an ante
mortem statement, taking the blame
upon himself. the Jury found a verdict
that Thomas B. Windsor came to his
death by gunshot wound inflicted by
his son, Edward Windsor, on July 4th,
in Cedar Greek hundred.
Thomas b. Windsor suffered the same
fate as his mother, Nancy Windsor, who
was shot by her husband, John Windsor,
father Of Thomas b. Windsor.
The affair occurred in 1847, at which
time Thomas was a babe sitting
beside his mother.
The husband came in the room with