Evening journal., 1908-07-16
MAN
FOULLY SLAIN
Retired Farmer Found Hang
ing to a Tree in Queen
Anne'S County
HAD SUICIDE APPEARANCE

MARYDEL. Del. july 16-That the
fact that William Williams. a wealthy
retired farmer. was about to marry a
girl not yet in her teens had something
to do with the murder of the man is
now the theory on which the authorl.
ties are working in an effort TO clear
up the mystery that has shocked tho
residents of surrounding Maryland ard
Delaware counties. It was on the eve ot
his marriage 70 a II year-old girl,
that Williams. who is "a years old, was
murdered late Monday night. His
dead body was left hanging from
tree. where 1t was discovered on Tues
day.
At first it was supposed that the man
had committed suicide. the impression
which his assassin evidently wished to
convey. but a post-mortem examination
revealed the fact thai he had been
murdered by being struck on the head.
At o'clock yesterday afternoon,
fifty-four hours after the crime is be-
lieved to have been committed, the
coroner's jury Of Queen Anne's couny,
sitting at Templeton. Nd. brought in
the verdict that Williams had come ~
his death from a blow from a blunt
instrument received at the hands Of
some person or persons unknown and
to-day States Attorney Thomas Keag-
ing, of Centreville, Nd. declared that
he will not rest until something
tangible shall result from the several
clews which he asserts are in the pos
session of himself and Deputy Coroner
Faulkner.
Officials Of Two States Active.
The authorities Of Kent county, Del
aware. have placed themselves at the
disposal of the Queen Anne's county
authorities, and while they believe the
crime actually 70 have been committed
in Queen Anne's county. they are lend
ing all aid possible in tho work of dis
covering the perpetrators of the mur.
der.
Rejecting entirely the theory Of sui
eide. at first advanced because of the
position In which the body was found,
the authorities early declared unquali-
fiedly that Williams, who was a WELL
to-do farmer and a widower, was the
victim of a premeditated crime. way,
laid and killed by his assailants. wlo
then hanged his lifeless form to the
nearest tree in a vain effort to convey
to its finders the impression that he
had killed himself
Had License to Wed Young Girl
Lending color TO this declaration and
adding to the mystery Of the crime Is
the fact that there was found in Will
liams' pocket a marriage license,
authorizing union between himself
and Elizabeth Walls, the thirteen
year-old daughter of Mr. and Mrs.
Samuel Walls. whose home, located on
the farm of Williams. Of which Walls
is a tenant. is near Crumpton, Nd. It
was issued by County Clerk Thomas L.
Dav. of Queen Anne's.
There had been much adverse com.
ment as TO the intended nuptials
throughout the vicinity and some OF
those intimate with the families. it
was declared tonight. had been heard
70 say that the marriage would never
occur
As soon as the body was discovered
by two farmers. one OF them, John
Russum. who lives near Crumpton. and
who had gone to pick huclSleberries in
a. btlSh WitiGu ShlIlS llle AllCkel Wltft
tt%- body swaved. notified the author
flies. and Coroner S. T. Faulkner, ac-
comsanied by his physician. Dr. J. r.
Smith. of Queen Anne's county, went
to the SPOT and examined the body
closely.
Body Bore Marks Of Struggle.
They found a deep wound on the head
and Just beneath the place whore the
blow fell 4 large blood clot on the brain.
The body bore other marks of violence.
no part of it being entirely freef from
scratches and bruises. which circum-
stance. the authorities are convinc ed.
indicates that Williams struggled man
fully against his assailants.
This fact. they hope, has been pro-
ductive Of a substantial clew in their
search for the raSl's murderer Of muir
derers. since they hold .hot he undoubt-
edly inflicted some wounds on those
who attacked him.
Started TO Call on Fianeees