Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1902-05-08

anu W budb blIu0i ht hfhA ShShhs bp |
the sheriff and those with him state,
not the least evidence of being the
demented being which some claim that
he is. But now, when the crowd of
sight-seers began to gather about, the
manner of the prisoner changed com
pletely, and he asked what he had been
brought there for, and feigned the
most astonishing ignorance of the
crime in any way. The detectives and
sheriff we're of course nonplussed, and
those in the crowd who believed in the
guilt of Elmer Collins shook their
heads, and we're more firmly convinced
than ever that they were right in their
suspicious.
From this time on, during his hearing
before the magistrate at Laurel, and
until he was in his cell at Georgetown
Jail again, Pratt assumed the role of
the crazy man which he is said to have
played at various times before.
PRATT's BAD RECORD.
When man gets into trouble with
the law, one of the very best things he
can have to come to his aid is a clean
record in the years gone by. 1t is very
unfortunate for William Pratt today,
be he guilty or innocent of this crime,
that his past record is against him.
He acknowledges having been in Jail
on at least four previous occasions, and
that he had been at liberty but few
weeks when he was again arrested for
the assault upon Anderson the Monday
afternoon after the Collins murder
Mr.. Anderson had employed Pratt at
various times Charged with the theft
of bicycle recently, Pratt blamed Mr.
Anderson for having given information
| against him and threatened to get
even. On this Monday afternoon Ander-
son was burning brush when Pratt
came along. The negro had left. a
bicycle which he was riding, in the
road nearby, and came over to Ander-
son, carrying in his hands long stick
| or rake handle. After calling the at
tention of the farmer to some object in
the field, Pratt struck him twice with
the stick, once on the hand, and again
on the head, the last blow knocking
Anderson down and dazing him. a
neighbor in nearby field heard Andef-
son cry out as the assailant struck at
him the second time, and hurried to
the spot, but not before Pratt had
made an effort to use pitchfork lying
close by on the farmer. Those who
believe that Pratt's confession is true
point to this as proof of the vicious
temperament of the man.
1t is also learned that from the time
he was IL years of age until he was 10,
Pratt made his home with Mrs. Alice
Winder, a colored woman, living near
Delmar, and her opinion of him is
not good. She says some colored people
are "black'' and some are ''niggers, 4
and she doesn't hesitate to class Pratt
among the last named. These thingt
are, of course, merely incidents in the
Eman's s past, but those who think him
guilty Of this murder hold them up as
Eeyidence that he is naturally bad
character, and capable of most any.
thing. i
BLOOD ON HIS CLOTHING.
On Friday of last week George E.
Smith of Laurel and the Pinkertor
, men went to Georgetown and saw Pratt
| in his cell. They took with them {
suit of clothes, underclothing, socks
, and slippers and took from him all the
, clothing he was wearing at the time hi
} was arrested and taken to Jail There
J was blood on the coat, on the trousers
) on the shirt and on the shoes, and thl
, latter were still damp as though th'
9 wearer had walked through water. II
) those who believe in Pratt's gull
n l
the two boys who testify to having seel
/ the negro cross the branch on tn
Q Collins farm the afternoon of tn
r murder. The clothing taken from Prat
by Mr.. Smith and the detectives wa
a sealed and labeled, and taken by Mr.
: Smith to the State chemist at Newarl
2 for examination as to the stains upoi
them. Whatever evidence this clothing
d may offer is now at the disposal of tn
+ attorney general
: The Pinkerton detectives have tn
t evidence of reliable persons that Will
( liam Pratt was seen in the neighbor
+ hood of the Collins farm the day befor
Q the murder On the other hand, thos
who are trying to make it appear tina
: the negro is innocent claim to be abl
q to prove that Pratt was in Smyrna th
a evening before the murder. And muc
q is being made of this fact, whic
8 would, If it can he proven, clear tn
n negro of any connection with the crime
! But can it be proven? The evidenc
It on the one hand is as good as on th
l. other. And in the face of it all is th
d man S confession. Those who believ
Q in the negros guilt say that the al
o tempted alibi is a weak effort to &C
"a the colored men out of the case in th
10 hope of fastening the crime on Collins
IA James Anderson, whom Pratt as
q that Pratt told him while he was 6
# work on his farm that he did not min
d going to Jail, for he had been ,.llowe
4 his liberty on two different occasion
m by "playing crazy To show no
d evidence against Pratt is met by til
,e other side, they say that Anderson hi
,s a grudge against the colored man an
l. would like to see him hanged. An
II SO it goes.
10 A DIVISION OF SENTIMENT.
70 AS stated before, Laurel, and in ia,
10 the entire county, is divided upon tt
d question as to who committed ii
le murder, and there does not seem to
any lessening of this interest as tt
Of DAYS go by. Those who look upc
le Elmer Collins, the husband, as IL
i'd guilty man are just as positive in the
is belief, to all outward appearances
St least, as are those who regard the col
lg fession of the negro Waite as beir
70 bonafide, and who look upon Mr.. Co
re lins as being much prosecuted mai
at And it is surprising, to say the leas
r, to consider how very little charity
to shown Elmer Collins by many of tho
Jh who have known him all his life, ar
rs who never heretofore had aught to Sc
le against him. If there was any re
RS evidence connecting him with Il
at murder lack of this spirit of chari
n, might be expected, but there does n
n appear to be any evidence One migl
le think that those who are always reat
IN to accept every little trifling word
le act which may come to light as mo
ID proof of the guilt of the man, won
rd instead he doing their utmost to SHE