Evening journal., 1910-03-25
BROTHER WANTS
BETHEA'SBODY
But Coroner Won't Deliver
Corpse Of Murderer Un-
til II is Identified
TO BURY BODY OF
SLAIN CONDUCTOR HERE

The body Of John H. Bethea who shot
and killed Conductor ora f. Wellman and
Porter Samuel Williams. on Baltimore
and Ohio train and tren held off the police
in this city for more than an hour, on
Wednesday remains at the morgue. A
telegram said to have been sent by W. T.
Bethea, brother of the man was received
from Dillon, S. c.. yesterday afternoon.
il read;
First National Bank,
Wilmington. Del
Please have undertaken take charge OF
remains of ]. H. Bethea and shin it TO
Dillon Draw ON us to cover expense
Answer.
The Bank of Dillon.
The telegram was turned over to Under
faker James 3. Martin who went to the
morgue to get the body. Coroner Gaynor
however refused to deliver the remains
This morning he wired to Dillon asking
for further information concerning the
mans people and his identity.
Coroner Gaynor said to-day that until
some better means OF identification oi
Bethea are produced he will not releas'
the body. He said he had not been entire
ly satisfied that the dead mas was J. IT
Bethea, nobody having Identified him az
such
No time has been fixed for the in
quest
Curious Are Turned Away.
All day yesterday many curious per
sons called at the morgue to view the
body of tho dead man and finally the
rush became SO great that the coroner
locked the door leading to the morguC
room and refused TO allow anybody T.
sec the body.
That Bethea's ammunition had mol
given out when he was captured wa.
evident from the fact that many cart
ridges we're found in his pockets. His
right arm had been shot through. ant
it is believed that this injury mad
him helpless for he could not hand
his automatic gun with the left hand
Eye Witness Describes Tragedy.
William P. Squibb. of Philadelphia
who was on the same train as Bethea
tells of his experience as follows:
II certainly had a narrow escap'
myself" he said. 81 was sitting q
chair no. 26 when Bethea got on tn
train al Baltimore. He took chai
No. ~. directly across the aisle. TIL
name Of the car was Czarina. Wei
as L sat looking out the window TIA
man talked incoherently and endeavor
ed to engage me in conversation.
"As his actions were so peculiar.
turned my chair around, and pretend
ed to be looking out of the windoN
at the scenery He then attempte
10 talk to te man in front of him. Thi
man complained to the conductor tina
he was being annoyed by the man j
the chair behind him.
Meanwhile I noticed Bethea had Il
his possession a package that locke
as if it might contain half-pint bottl
of whisky. I afterward heard tina
such was the case.
81 was doing in my chair when
was awakened by the shout. He
shooting somebody
It awoke and found that Bethea ha
been locked IN the vestibule betwee
our car and the car in front. Then W
all made the women in the car so out
side on the observation platform Of I'll
rear car. where they would be safe.
'Bethea then broke out Of the vest
bule. and made his way through tn
train to the toilet room in the first ca
near the engine. ] think this Pullma
was constructed of steel, otherwis
many of the bullets fired at it late
would surely have pierced the side
of the car and killed Bethea-
"The police of Wilmington wei
wired. but when we arrived there r
policemen were to be seen. Subsequent
lv they appeared and the fight b'
gan.
"I ran along the side Of the car
see the trouble and saw the dead port'
sitting up in his chair by a windo'
with his eyes open, a grin on his fac
apparently looking out of the window
lie had not moved since he had bee
shot It was a gruesome sight.
Whenever the crowd would al
proach, the man would open fire al
the people would run. Finally the fl
engine arrived. The horses were car
fully led to a safe place, and the cl
arose. Break the window
NO one seemed TO care to try
break the heavy plate glass, so Il
water from the hose would reach Il
maniac Finally a man seized an irt
bar. and, keeping close to the side
the car, ran along and smashed Il
window. Then he darted to a sa
place. The water was turned on al
Bethea was driven to the platform az
Continued on Second Page.