Middletown transcript., 1916-06-24
TWO NIGHT ASSAULTS
Odessa Negrs Who Applied For
Lodging Was Identified
MISS APPLETON BADLY BEATEN


man were securing the vicinity of
Odessa, Middletown and other places
where he was usually to be found, in
search of negro, Frank Dennis, whom
they suspected of being the man who
had entered the homes of Miss Lucy
Appleton and Joseph Rhoades, of
Odessa, he was in Wilmington. He
went there during Saturday and got
into a fight in a Negro restaurant in
the vicinity of Front and Market
streets, and was hustled in the police
patrol wagon to the Delaware Hospital
for repairs. After the surgeons had
finished with Dennis, he went away,
there having been no charge against
him. At the time, apparently, the only
thing against him was that he had Sc
lected the wrong man with whom to
fight
During the day, however, the officers
who were hunting for the man on sus-
picion that he was the person who had
entered the Appleton home and severely
beaten Miss Lucy Appleton, woman
76 years of age, learned of an attempt
to rob the home of John Manning, who
lives in the tenant house on the Eugene
Shallcross farm, near Odessa, about 8
o'clock the same morning. They also
learned enough to lead them to believe
that robbery was not the only motive
of the Negro, but that far more seri-
Gus crime was intended, judging from
the methods used in the attacks upon
each Gf two women, Miss Appleton and
Mrs. Manning.
After the negro left the Delaware
Hospital he went to the police station
and applied for a night lodging. When
searched, as is done with all applicants
for lodging before they are permitted
to occupy the "bridal chamber" in the
cellar, a razor was found on him. In
answer to questions, he said he came
from Middletown. Then it was that his
similarity to the description of the man
for whom Mccoy and the other officers
were hunting became apparent, and he
was locked up. A holding charge of
carrying concealed deadly weapon was
placed against him.
According to Manning who, with his
wife, went to Wilmington Sunday after
noon promptly and positively identified
Dennis, the story of the work of the
Negro at his home is as follows, in his
own language:
'We live on the Eugene Shallcross
farm, about three miles from Odessa.
Saturday morning about O'Clock or so
my wife went to the door Of our bed
room, which we lock only with hook,
at night. When she opened the door
this negro grabbed her by the throat
and pushed her away from him, back
into the room. Then, before she could
get time to scream, she was so fright
ened, he tried to grab her by the
arm and pull her out of the room. Then
she screamed, and that woke me just
as he crashed heavy coffee cup against
her right temple, cutting her severely.
The blood just gushed down the front
of her clothing. My heart was in my
mouth so that l could not even utter
a sound for a minute, and then l went
to her aid, and between US we pulled
the door shut and locked it again.
''Then l went to a window and called
to Mr.. Shallcross, who l knew slept
with his windows open. He heard me,
and came running with his gun. We
searched the house, but the man had
gone. DR.. Beale sewed up the wound
in my wife's temple. The only thing
he stole from me was the razor which
the police found on the man they ar
rested last night. 1t was peculiar
one, with a homemade handle and a
homemade leather case. Both Mrs.
Manning and walked all over Middle
town Saturday night trying to see if we
could find the man there. Both of us
are positive that he is the same man,
and cannot be mistaken. Mr.. Shallcross
stopped the bleeding from Mrs. Man
ning's temple, or 1 believe she would
have bled to death
According to Magistrate Sparks, who
took the Mannings to Wilmington in his
car Sunday, Miss Appleton was terribly
beaten about the face and body, and her
aged brother, who went to her assist
ance, also was very severely handled,
but managed to get in a. few telling
blows himself. Appleton was of the
opinion that the negro had struck him
with an iron bar of some kind.
After searching Middletown, Odessa,
St. Georges and the surrounding coun-
try on Saturday, State Detective Nc
Coy was standing at Front and Market
streets, this city, when the patrol
wagon came down and loaded Dennis in
and took him to the hospital, but the
detective was not near enough to iden-
tify the prisoner. The negro was given
hearing before Magistrate Lewes
Monday in connection with the Man
ming robbery, and the charge of carry
ing concealed deadly weapon probably
will be held up for future service, if
necessary. Only about one year ago,
it is said, this same negro was before
the court on charge of pointing a
pistol at man in Middletown, and was
given sentence of three months for
CARRYING concealed q deadly rrronnnr,