Smyrna times. [volume] (Smyrna, Del.) 1854-1987, 1906-02-07
DARING ARREST EFFECTED
DOWN THOROUGHFA9E NECK
THOMAS BEDWELL A NOTORIOUS LHARAC-
TER AND JAIL BREAKER CAPTURED.
Had Escaped From the Denton Jail and Was
Living the Life of Hermit In the Old
SawMill Woods Near Collins Beach.

HAD Escaped From the Denton Jail and Was |
Living the Life of a Hermit In the Old
SawMilI Woods Near Collins Beach.
One of the most exciting and daring
arrests in recent years occurred in
Thoroughfare Neck Friday night |
when Thomas Bedwell, a notorious
character was run down and arrested.
The scene occurred at Bedwell's hut,
in the old saw mill woods on the Gard
ner farm near Collins Beach shortly
after ten o'clock, and furnished the
officers an experience not unlike the
blood-curdiing stories of frontier life.
1t appears that Bedwell was wanted by
the authorities of Denton, Maryland,
for breaking Jail. On the second of
October Bedwell was convicted on a
charge of theft and robbery and SEN
fenced to two years Imprisonment in
the Baltimore penitentiary. The same
afternoon he was committed to the
Denton Jail to await the disposition of
the Sheriff to take him to Baltimore,
the prisoner, in some mysterious man
ner made his escape and despite the
fact that posse was put in pursuit he
crossed the line in to Delaware and has
since been residing in Thoroughfare
Neck.
Recently States Attorney Goldsbor-
ough, of Denton, learned of Bedwell's
whereabouts and the other day he
called Constable Boyer by phone and
asked him to investigate the matter.
The latter made three different trips to
Thoroughfare Neck and after he had
"spotted" the man he reported his
finding to Attorney Goldsborough who
Immediately sent Sheriff J. Frank Sc
ward and Constable Boyer to assist maxi
ing the arrest and subsequent transfer.
In addition to these, Constable Boyer
swore in four deputies and Friday
evening they all proceeded to Bedwell's
hut in the dark and lonely woods near
: Collins Beach. Bedwell had been
living the life of hermit there since
, his escape and for his further protec.
ton he made dug-out or subtera
, mean chamber which was reached by a
trap door under his bed. The officers
arrived on the scene about ten o'clock
and it being night felt sure of their
man. The deputies surrounded the
house and guarded any possible escape
of Bedwell while Officer Boyer and
Sheriff Seward burst open the front
door, which was heavily barred. They
were all sufficiently armed with the
, necessary revolvers and dark lanterns
and once inside, the search-light was
thrown about the room. Bedwell was
not in his bed nor could he be found
anywhere. HIS bed was warm and the
> officers knew he was somewhere near
s Finally the bed was pushed aside re
q vealing the trap door to the subtera
q mean chamber.
+. The officers got around the entrance
4 to this dug out" while several seven
0 shooters we're directed upon the spot
n Constable Boyer pried open the door
q and found Bedwell crouched in tn,
q corner. While heavily armed be offered
no resistance and surrendered He
a was immediately handcuffed anC
r brought to Smyrna, distance of min
4 miles. On the long ride to Smyrna b,
4 admitted he was overpowered and init
N mated that had it not been for th
\ number of officers he would have sho
r. every man down in his tracks. He wa
n thrown in the lookup of Smyrna lat,
- that night and night watch statione,
,r at the cell door. The next morning b
=. was arraigned before Magistrate Gum
a Minis and confessed his guilt Afte
~ being handed over to Sheriff Sewar,
N he was taken on the morning train
ID Denton and Monday was COMMITTEE
q to the Baltimore Penitentiary to serv
out his sentence. Sometime ago Bed
well served five years in Dover Jail 70
~ the attempted murder of a man nes
u Marydel, and has been we'll know
!" outlaw for number of years. He orig
~ inally resided in the vicinity of Hart
at ley and Kenton.
ID PRESBYTERIAN SUNDAY SCHOOL OFFICER