Middletown transcript., 1905-02-04
JOHN SHIPPERS
SUSPECTED
States Attorney Says He Can
be Tried for Murder
RECORD OF ELKT0N MAN

BALTIMORE, JAM. 30th. = Detectives
Weaver and Dougherty of the local head.
quarters force, who have made startling
discoveries in the Constable murder mys
terry, and who have woven strong
chain of circumstantial evidence which
points to John Shippers, convict now
serving time in the Maryland Peniten-
tiary, as the murderer of the prominent
Cecil County lawyer are still following
the scent
A special dispatch from Elkton says:
"The Cecil County authorities were
surprised at the news that Detectives
Weaver and Dougherty of the Baltimore
Detective Department had recovered Mr..
Albert Constable's gold watch in the
pawn shops conducted by Joseph Reider
at 128 Market street, Philadelphia.
That the murder was committed by the
convict Shippers is believed now by every
body in this locality. The authorities
here, who took little stock in and gave
but little encouragement to the investiga-
ton made by the Baltimore detectives,
were surprised at the way in which the
case was worked up in such short time.
The key to the mystery was given the
detectives by the negro John Holland,
who, while prisoner in the EIkton Jail,
awaiting trial as the murderer, overhead
conversation between Shippers and his
brother, Lewis Shippers. Holland also
saw the convict hand his brother pocket
book. telling him it contained money
and pawn tickets.
''The detectives located Lewis Shippers
and questioned him in reference to the
pocketbook. He at once told them that
he had sent it to his sister in Philadel-
phia.
''Simpers, who is % years old, is the
youngest son of the late John Shippers of
near Elkton. From the time he was
small boy he gave his parents consider
able trouble, and during the reign of
OUTLAW racing in this section he aspired
to become jockey. Four years ago he
got into trouble with his step-father and
skipped out, locating in Philadelphia,
where he learned printing, which he was
following at the time he was arrested for
horse-stealing. Shippers, who absented
himself from work on August 10Th to
August 3lst, first came to Elkton on
August 18th, where he was seen by sew
eral people. On August 18th, the night
the crime was committed, he was seen
by Mrs. Frunk and Anna Gould (colored)
following Mr.. Constable up Red hill
As he was well known by both women,
they never for moment dreamed that
he was the strange white man who had
stopped at John Hollands house and
told him to 60 to Constable's assistance.
As Shippers had spent most of his life in
the vicinity of Red hill, he was very
familiar with. almost every nook and
corner of the woods, which made his
escape into Elkton very easy. The man
was also seen at the Elkton depot making
inquiries as to the next northbound train
for Philadelphia, he having missed the
8.2S P. M, train by 10 minutes.
"When Shippers was brought into
court, charged with horse-steaIing, he
confessed having stolen two horses and
was sentenced to the penitentiary for
eight years. When taken back to Jail
he became very uneasy and was anxious
to be taken to the penitentiary as
quickly as possible. The crimes COM
mitted by the young man are as daring
as any of the old time rs. He fist stole
John M. fuckers valuable horse after
the murder Of Mr.. Constable. He came
back, and, entering Frank Corridean's
stable, hitched up afhorse and drove to
Wilmington, where he was compelled to
put the animal in livery stable in order
to get new harness. While he was gone
after the harness word was telegraphed
to the Wilmington police to look out
for the stolen horse, and later Shippers
was arr rested.
"Whether the local authorities will
ask the Circuit Court to reconvene the
December Grand Jury in order to ex-
pedite the case is problematical. The
feeling is very bitter against Shippers,
and the authorities believe it best not |
to have him brought to the Elkton Jail. |
The young convict's family are heart
broken over the charge made against
him, as they are respectable people in
this community"
States Attorney Albert S. j. Owens
was. asked this morning to give an opin-
ion as to the method Of legal procedure
against Shippers. 81 have not yet con-
suited the law on the subject" said Mr..
Owens, ''and my opinion must, there
lore, be simply offhand, but there is no
1oubt in my mind that Shippers can
be brought to trial for the murder of
Mr.. Constable at once, and, if convicted
of murder in the first degree, can be
The proper procedure, be-
ieve, would be to take the man from
he custody of the warden of the peni-
entiary by means OF writ of habeas
corpus. He can then be brought before
'he county court for trial, and, If con-
Vlcted of murder in the first degree,
he can be remanded to Jail to await the
execution of sentence of death. AS I
view the matter, there would be no
necessity for Governor Warfield 10 par
lon Shippers in order to obviate the
necessity of his serving the eight-year
'erm which he is now under in the
To make potatoes white when cooked
hey should be allowed to lie pared in