Evening journal., 1913-11-26
SLAYERS OF
ARCHIE Are
EXONERATED
COrOner'S Jury Returns For.
NAL Verdict In Accordance
With Facts Of the
Shooting


Death from the effect Of gunshot
wounds inflicted at the hands OF c.
Ellsworth Longland and Elijah Hill
ton, the said gunshot wounds having
been fred in defending the lives of
Mrs Elijah Hilton and her three
small children" was the verdict re-
turned last night by Coroner John T.
Springs jury In the case OF James
Archie. alias James Davis, the negro
desperate who waJ killed last Satur-
day night at Prices Corner while in
the act of committing a murderous
assault upon Mrs. Hilton.
The verdict exonerates both Long
land and Hilton from the charge Of
manslaughter which had been
brought against them The men have
been held under $500 bail which they
furnished. but they are now at liberty
Many persons testified at the in
quest, which attracted widespread at
tention, and we'll known citizens tes-
tilted that they had been afraid to al
low their daughters to go along the
road alone and afraid to leave their
wives alone In their homes while
Archie was at large. The negro had
/
neighborhood, and there is a general
feeling of relief that his career has
ended. Deputy Attorney General Ar
mon ID. Chaytor was present at the in
quest and questioned all the wit
nesses.
Walter Winfield Haines Hilton, the
/ f-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. Hill
ton, who was present with his moth
er, presented a pathetic sight, there
being a long cash on the top of his
+ head where Davis struck him with
the butt of a shotgun, and his righi
] eye was swelled to twice its normal
size and split its full length, where
Archie had struck him with his fist
Mrs. Hilton's left eye was also badl,
swollen where Archie had struck her
Mrs. Hilton is a frail woman, wh'
does not appear to be more than p
years of age She was the first wit
ness to testify.
She related her story In a franl
manner. bearing out the statement
that have already been published Il
connection with K.
She said that she was alone in he
house with her three children whel
Davis came to the door Recognizin
MS NOlAt oAlt MOulu nOA ltl ulul II
but he kicked the door from il
hinges. She ran upstairs and got
shotgun. but Archie took the gui
from her and struck the boy on tn
head with It. She sprang at hin
when he knocked her down an
started 10 beat her while he held he
down with his knees on her chesi
He was beating her when her husban
fho 81,
ed from the second story window
Her husband then shot at him. Sh
said she also heard shots fired out
side.
Walter, the boy. testified ths
Archie had struck him with the gul
and punched him in the eve.
c. Ellsworth Longland testified {
going 10 Prices Corneer on the car wit
Archie about 10 o'clock Saturday evening
He suspected that the negro was Archi
and followed him. He stated that h
did not believe his wife and child wef
safe while Archie was at large. and tha
he had made up his mind that if he eve
] saw Archie he would never let him &c
4 away.
He told of hearing Mrs Hilton's erie
. and Of shooting at Archie, bearing ou
4 the statements that have already bee
published He told how Archie hs
4 fallen after being shot
Elijah Hilton corroborated the test
mony given BY his wife. He declare
that he shot Archie because of the wa.
Z he had mistreated his wife and child an
a because Archie had threatened TO tax
his life. Hilton told Coroner Sprin
+ after the inquest that he has bee
4 threatened by an unknown man 70
killing Archie On Monday night
said, a man called at his house an
4 asked him il he was the one who sho
I Archie. When he admitted that he wa
4 the visitor began t. threaten him an
4 tell him what was going to happen I
him and his famil Hilton is badl
4 frightened rs a result of these threats
h Hilton is regarded -as an industrious
y hard-working negro.
DR. II. w. Briggs. who performed th
3 autopsy on Archie's body. testified at Oh
B 7inquest to the wounds about the bod
\ which had caused death.
William j. Armstrong, a welleknow
H resident OF Christiana hundred. who wa
on the scene after the shooting, cor
4 rohorated the other witnesses. He do
4 clared that Archie had terrorized tn
neighborhood and that residents theT
4 were afraid to let their girls 60 TO III
trolley car unless they were watchin
4 them. as they never. knew when Archi
1 would appear. MIR. Armstrong state
& that state Detective >. Frank AeCo
4 had, tccn ont there twice looking 10
4 Archie. and Constable Bowers was theI
{ once looking for him. but he never kne'
n of any concerted action by the of5s'-'
n 10 trace and carfure Archie.