Smyrna times., 1908-07-22
DELAWARE FARMER
BRUTALLY KILLED
WILLIAM WILLIAMS FOUND
HANGING TO A TREE.
Skull Was Fractured and Other
Evidences of Foul Play Were
Found-No Clue to Cu1prit

Found-No Clue to Cu1prit
William M. Williams, an aged
and well-tO-do farmer, of Marydel,
whose body was found hanging to
tree in thicket near the line of
maryland and Delaware, was
murdered, is the opinion of the
Coroner's jury which Wednesday
concluded its labors. In the pocket
OF the dead farmer, who was Ga
years old, was a license which he had
procured on June 20 to marry
Elizabeth Walls, the 13-year- old
daughter of Samuel Walls, tenant on
Williams farm. While the
CorOaer's jury found that Williams
had come to his death from being
struck on the head with a blunt
instrument in the hands of persons
unknown to the jury, every effort
will be made by the authorities to
arrest his assassins.
Theory Before The Crime
Detectives who are investigating
the mystery are working upon the
theory that the crime was committed
to prevent his marriage to Elizabeth
Walls, fearing that he might deed
his valuable farm to the girl wife.
The suicide theory was entirely
eliminated when DIR. J. R. Smith,
the Coroner's physician, emphatically
declared that in his judgment death
was caused by blow on the head
with some instrument, which caused
blood clots to form on the brain,
as the autopsy clearly showed.
Williams was evidently struck on the
hips with the same instrument which
was used on his head, as the flesh
was punctured, causing the blood to
soak through his clothes, staining
the marriage license he carried in
his pocket. Thomas J Heating, of
Centreville, States attorney of
Queen Anne County, and Sheriff
George Whitley attended the inquest
and subsequently held a consultation.
The investigation will be continued,
according to statement made by the
States attorney, and some important
developments are probable.
Discovered BY Berry Pickeri
John Russum, living on a small
farm near Templeville, started out
Tuesday morning to pick huckleber-
ries in a thicket close to his house.
He had not proceeded very far before
he discovered the body of Williams
dangling from tree, with his face
discOlOred and evidences that he had
been dead several hours. Fastening
to the public road to summon help,
Russum saw DR.. J. R. Smith, of
Templeville, driving by. He informed
the doctor of the discovery, and the
two men hurried back in the woods,
where they cut the body down and
removed it to the home of Williams
son, in Delaware, near the Maryland
line. The Coroner of Queen Anne
County, with the assistance of
Doctor Smith, who made an autopsy,
at once begun an investigation.
Last Seen Alive on Saturday
Since the death of Williams wife.
nearly year ago, he lived with
realtives. He had two daughters
and three sons, all grown. The
farmer was of roaming disposition,
and when he absented himself from
home day or so nothing particular
was thuoght of it. On Friday of
last week Williams went to Crump-
ton, Md, to visit his daughter. He
remained there until Saturday.
Since that time nothing had been
seen of or heard from him until
Wednesday, when his body was
found by Russum. One of the
strange things connected with the
discovery of the body was that around
the tree from which he was hanging
there were no signs of a struggle.
The body of Williams was inferred
Thursday in Odd Fellows Cemetery
near Camden.