Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1901-01-31

After the search through the other
rooms had been completed the negro
| arrived at the door Of the room In
which Mrs. Mosher had taken refuge.
| Whether he knew she was there it Is
| impossible to say, but at any rate he
found the door Fastened and broke 1t
! in with his hammer, and with lantern
| in hand entered. Mrs. Moshei, who
was powerless to either escape or de-
| fend herself stood facing him. She
pleaded for her life, whereupon the
negro demanded her money. She told
| him she had no money and said she |
had only some trinkets which she |
showed him and said she was saving |
for her grandchildren. The brute re-
newed his demand for money and Mrs. |
Mosher repeated what she had told |
bin before and again pleaded that her
life be spared. The negro was armed
with the hammer and could have felled |
her with one blow, as Mrs. Mosher was
very weak from the loss OF blood but
for some reason the murderer . nerve
forsook him and, drupping his lantern
at the door he jumped out of the win
dow and ran away. His white com.
panion had evidently left the house be-
fore him, as nothing more was seen or
heard of either that night.
Mrs. Mosher did not know what had
become OF the white man and although
fearing he might be about the house,
after the negro left she took the Ian tern
and began search for her son. She
did not find him in his room and did
not look in the parlor, consequently she
did not know where he was. Finally
, she reached bedroom and fearing that
, the attack might be renewed fastened
the doors and got into bed, at the same
! time distinguishing the lantern. Sub
!, sequently the snow ceased falling aud
! the moon arose, and with the aid of its
light she arose from the bed and re-
!, newed her search about the house for
! her son. 1T was with great difficulty
!, that she could get about, as she was
: not only weak from the assault aud OK
\. citement, but about four years ago sls-
. tanned an injury to one of hei knees
= which greatly haudicaps her when she
8 walks. Prior to receiving this injury
j she was remarkably we'll preserved for
l. her age and barring the affliotion is in
!. much better physical condition than
/. many PEOPLE much younger. Having
:, no light, she did not succeed in finding
e her son or any traces Of him, except
N bloodstains, which she could not well
70 distinguish in the dark, and at mid
"A night set out in the deep snow to walk
y, : to the nearest neighhors, which was
r. some distance away. Being lame sht
=, - fell many times, but reached the resi-
10 denoe of Freeman Richardson II
= about half an hour. She was hospita
II bly, received by the Richardson's arc
~ told them of her awful experience. The
IN Richardson's, after notifying the oifioerl
On about Gorham and the Portland police
:. uade o search of the Mosher house, il
K, company with an officer, and fouut
evidences Of the terrible crime. Mr.
~, Mosher's body was found in the parlor
- where he had been killed. A physi
"a clan was summoned for Mrs. Moshe
no and she is now recovering.
ne In making the journey from her hous
H., to the Richardson house Mrs. Moshe
nj covered herself with sheet, thinking
~ to frighten the men, IL she should NEE
II. them, or they might not distinguish
he her from the snow.
"a Mrs. Mosher gave a good description
H. of the outlaws and the next day a negr
-, named William Kinds was arrested
short distance from Portland charge
,as, with completely in the orime Whe
NJ the negro was arrested he had $40, jus
- half as much as had been stolen fror
~ the Mosher residence, and there wer
IA blood stains on his hat, which he O
ra first said came from cut 10 his finger
~, In addition the officers found gol
II; Il watch which they believed had bt
Nc longed to Clifford Mosher, razor wit
the name ''Mosher" on the case an
.ed some other articles. II is said that til
,ar negro admitted being at the Mosh'
10, 20 house the night before and knowing
,an the murder and robbery, but charge
ia his white companion with making IL
~ plans and executing them, with his a
Inc sistance. The authorities are no
ma looking for the white man.
nc The Mosher family has been unfortl
la nate Mrs. Mosher was married
ma years ago. She had nine children ar
a., six OF them are dead, all having m
~ sudden deaths, rs did also her hu
~ band, who was trampled to death by
,ad horse 10 years ago One son, Fran
the died suddenly in hotel In Lewisto
IN Me-. five years ago. Shortly afterwal
- and two years ago daughter, MIR
,ers Charles Bailey of Cumberland Mil
s.an Me-, died after brief illness. I'll
,nh other children who are dead met sim
IA lar deaths.
: Col. Woodmsn is almost prostrat
ia over the tragedy. He and his sist
ny, w being OF nearly the same age are mo
TO- attached TO each other than sor
: brothers and sisters. When childre
tha they went to school and played tugeth
1ar and were companions for many year
ala Col Woodman has been frequent Wis
ath tor at the Mosher residence at Gorha
,,ad and spent some time there last summe
bar He regards his sisters escape fro
,ass death as almost a miracle.