Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1901-05-02
RECKLESS SHOOTING.
Colored Men Too Free With Rovolvers in
the Vicinity of Hockessin.

-
Colored Men Too Free with Revo1vers in
the Vicinity of Hoelsessin.
Some colored men who live about
three miles from Hockessin and work
in the kaolin pits there are evidently
too free with their shooting irons. judg-
ing from some of the testimony at the
City Hall yesterday afternoon. when a
Jury empansled by Coroner Frick in
quired into the case of the death of
Jeddes Grant, cclorad, who was shot by
George Cornish, also colored, at their
cabin near the kaolin works on Sunday
and died three hours after being ad.
mitted to the Delaware Hospital, this
city. later In the day.
The jury rendered verdict to the
effect that Grant came to his death
from gunshot wound accidentally IN
flioted by Cornish, and as The coroner
did not care to take the responsibility
OF disoharging the prisoner he decided
to do nothing further until he could
communicate with Attorney General
Ward. Consequently, after the hearing
Cornish was remanded TO the cells at
the police station until the matter
could be decided by the attorney gen
eral. Jacob w. Smith of Hockessin,
the oolorod constable. who had arrested
Cornish, was at the hearing, as Corn
isb was virtually his prisoner. Mags-
trate A fired p. Williamson of Hockessin,
who had been making an Investigation,
was also there.
According to thes testimony Of Corn
ish and several other colord men who
we're in the cabin at the time the ST oot-
ina occurred. Cornish and several others
had been attending party on Satur.
day night. Shortly after M idnight Corn
ish and Thomas Grinnage returned to
their cabin, leaving Grant at the party.
Grant told them when they left the
party that he would be at the cabin,
where he also resided, later. The cabin,
which is across the Pennsylvania line,
Is the abode of about dozen colored
men employed at the kaolin works and
nearly all Of them were there when the
knock came at the door about o'clock
Sunday morning. The rapping aroused
Cornish and he arose from his bed ard
started toward the door. He asked
twice who was there and receiving no
reply shot through the door. Again be
inquired who was outside and as he
still received no reply fred again. This
time he opened the door an inch or so
and looked out as he shot, but the
bullet evidently went through the door,
as two holes were found there after
ward Grant fell TO the ground and
when the door was opened and it was
learned who the man was and that he
had been shot all became interested in
him and he was given medical atten-
tion and brought to this city and taken
to the hospital.
Policemen Riley and Mcbride had
talk with Grant at the hospital and he
exonerated Cornish, saying they were
friends and had had no trouble, but he
said he did not know what right Corn
ish had to shoot him. This statement
agreed with the testimony of some of
the colored witnesses. as we'll as that of
Cornish, who said there had been no
trouble between the men and they were
s9 as
One witness said, however, that on
Monday evening Of last week Grant and
Cornish left the cabin and they bad
scarcely gone outside the door when the
the cabin, going through the side of
the building and nearly striking one of
the men inside. Whose revolver the
bullet came from the witness did not
know, but it was very evident that
On the following day one of the men in
the cabin shot revolver, apparently
for fun, and camo very near wounding
Thomas Grinnage.
Magistrate Williamson, who testified
to what he knew of the shooting from
an investigation of the cabin door. and
who submitted a plan of the door,
which he had drawn, said after the
hearing that some of the negroes in
that locality we've too free with their
revolvers.
Some of Cornish's friends are Of the
opinion that he was startled and mis-
took Grant for a burglar, hence the
shooting. Cornish came from Easron,
Md, and Grant from Virginia
II was decided late in the afternoon
to consult the Chester county, Pa
authorities and leave the matter In
their hands, and Chief of Police Massey
communicated with Chief of Police |
Jefferies of West Chester. telling him
OF the action of the Jury and requesting |
him to ascertain the, wishes of the |
county authorities in the matter. after |
which Cornish was taken before Magis. |
trate Bradley and held without bail TO
await the action of the Pennsylvania
authorities.