Gloucester County Democrat., 1905-07-13
DEATH FOLLOWS BASE BALL GAME.
The coroner's Inquest and Verdict

The Coroner's Inquest and verdict.
/ Last Saturday the Williamstown and
Clayton base ball clubs played a game at
Clayton, and among the admirers Of the.
Williamson oIpb who went to witness the
game were Samuel Fl. Williamson and Evi
Dayton. Fl is six miles from Williams
town to Clayton, over good county gravel
road. Williamson went over with Lewis
Ford, while Dayton went in Saml Chews
hack The teams were put up at the hotel,
and after the game many Of the men con-
gregated there. There was some drinking,
and bad blood is alleged to have arose be-
tween Dayton and Williamson. Dayton
went ont, and soon after some one brought
the news into the hotel that he had driyen
off with Ford's horse. Williamson at
once offered S5 TO any one who would
follow and overtake Dayton. Samuel
Chew, of Cecil, who had driven hack load
over took the offer up, and loading his
party, also Ford and Williamson, started
after Dayton
4 short distance beyond Fries Mill
resides George Fleming, and Dayton stop
| ped to talk with him While they were
conversing the pursuers drove mp, and
what occurred is told in several different
ways Our information is that Williamson
sprang from Chew's carriage and dragging
Dayton from the wagon in which he was
seated, struck him a violent blow back Of
the ear, saying, as be did 50, My fist
landed me in State Prison once, and ex-
pect will again.
Dayton fell as though shot, and did not.
move Williamson and Ford got in their
wagon and drove home
With the assistance 8of Fleming, Chew
got Dayton in his carriage and drove him
to Doctor Edward office at Williamstowp:
He was dead his neck broken Ford aud
Williamson were arrested and committed
to jail without bail-the former as a wit
ness.
Coroner Ledden held the inquest in the.
Town Hall, at Williamsburg ON Tuesday
morning
THE INQUEST.
The inquest into the cause Of the death
Of Evi Dayton was conducted by Coroner
Ledden in williamstown Hall on Tuesday,
in the presence of many citizens, the fol
lowing being Jurors:
JOS r. Wood, Jyhn ". Mcclure, VIM.
g. McIlvaine, A. F. Oliver Eli r. Marsh,
David Kirchenborn
Assistant Prosecutor 4, Z. Rogers was
present and assisted in bringing out the
facts. Five hours were consumed ia ex
amining witnesses, and the facts as to what
occurred at Clayton we're about as stated in
above paragraphs, up to the point whese
Dayton was killed.
The new facts are that Dayton was seated
in Ford Dearborn wagon in front Of Geo
Weddings place, near Fries Mil, talking
with Geo Fleming, colored farmer, when
Chew's hack, with ten occupants, drove mp.
The ten swarmed out of the hack and sur
rounded the Dearborn. Dayton was jerked
out Of the wagon, and when the crowd get
through with him was dead Williamson,
| it was testified, struck him both while on
his feet and after he had fallen. The body
was placed in Chew hack BY several Of the
party and taken TO Williamstown.
DR.. Edward S testimony as to what his
examination Of the body revealed was very
explicit, and in substance was that The neck
was broken, and two blood clots were found
at the base Of the brain Either of these
conditions would have caused death In
addition, both eyes were blaeked, and there
was cash over the left eye; the under lip
was cut through; there was a bruise over
the heart and on other portions Of the body
indicating severe punishment.
4 cloud Of witnesses were examined, but
the disposition to shield participants was
evident
Dayton is glassblower and came on
from the West about two weeks before the
fire was out and worked some as a spare
hand
Williamson came to Williamstown last
/ Winter and has worked in several depart
ments Of the factory. He is not glass
blower
Dayton is 80 years old and is survived By
a wife and one child.
THE VERDICT.
The jury verdict was as follows; That
Evi Dayton came to his death by violence
at the hands Of Samuel H. Williamson and
Others on Saturday, July 8, 1905 and we do
lrecommend that the said san,l II. William-
son and Lewis Ford be held 10 await the
action Of the Grand Jury
The heroes, whether friends or foes,
Together side BIZ side repose.