Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1918-01-29
LIFE TERM GIVEN
Gil LONG Slayer
Thomas ShotNegroT Through
Head While Pals Held
Him Down
TRIO CONFESS
HOCKESSIN CRIME

HOCkESSlN CRIME
Arthur Thomas, Silas Davis and Wal
ter Hopkins. Negroes, have confessed
TO their parts In the murder Of Gil
Long, Negro, on the night OF December
S, and In oyer and Termincr Court to-
day Thomas pleaded guilty to murder
in the second degree; Davis to man
slaughter, and Hopkins to common as
sault
! Character witnesses were placed on
| tho stand today 10 testify 30 the pre-
yiOus good reputation OF Hopkins, who
is but ~ years Of age, by J. Frank
( Ball, his attorney
W. L. Adams presented character
witnesses FOR Davis, according 10 the
confession.
Thomas. while Hopkins and Davis
were holding Long 10 the ground, fired
a bullet into his head Hopkins. 10 was
shown, was the first one 90 assail Long,
striking him with his nst. Il was later,
however. that the murder was COM
inlttcd
Thomas was given the fixed sentence
OF life In the workhousc. and to pay
$500 fine and costs Of prosecution.
Davis was sentenced 10 serve four
years IN the workhousc and to pay
$500 and costs
Hopkins was sentenced 20 serve two
years IN the wOrkhousc and 20 pay
500 fine and costs OF prosecution.
10 was brought out that Thomas haC
threatened Silas that he'd set the sam'
thing n he didn't help throw the bod,
In the quarry"
The rounding W OF the men impll
Gated I'm the crime forced State Detec
tive Mccoy and the attorney generals
! office TO resort % almost every "tricl
OF the trade" When the case was flrs
brought before them. they had noihlnl
TO work on. After the securing Of
, working ground, 70 took Just one weel
for Detective Mccoy 20 round Up tn
Negroes, which was exceptionally quick
The murder was the outcome Of
Z crap game IN a house at the edge o
The quarry hole, IN which the bod,
4 of Long was found. at Hockessin.
While the game was IN progress on
Of IFS participants. Carl Smith, aros
, ard pulling a revolver. fired I've shot
\ into the floor. Immediately there wa
a a scramble for the stairs, but at ih
: confusion and darkness. the lamp hay
4 ing been overturned Silas Davis eA
/ hibitng a razor. reached for Smith an
l. relieved him Of the weapon. Il ais
became known TO Davis that Long ha
e a blue steel revolver he having PRE-
IS duced it in the house, and when a
70 latter left the house he was follow
20 cd by Davis, Walter Topkins, Robe
e. Jackson and Arthur Thomas.
o. There he is ono Of the men w
heard 90 say outside the house. o
n II them proceeded toward Long, "
nd was near a clump Of bushes m
les thrcatcnine nm with a razor, subdu
%. him. and with the aid Of others dr.
% ged him near the Brandywine road,
distance Of twcnty-f0ur feet east
h the house There. evidence SHOW
Davis went through Longs poke
~ robbing him OF $40 Thomas "
~. standing over the head Of Long, W
81 81 was pinned tleht TO the ground by ,
aSsailants. when he shot the bullet
In 20 Longs head.
10 we can't leave him here, remar
IN cd Thomas, and thereupon they ORA
nj rod the body OF tho murdered Neg
h. distance Of twenty-cight feet, al
dropped 70 into the quarry hole, Will
n contained forty feet Of water.
ID "Bobby" Jackson and Davis RETURN
T. 20 the house and started crap gan
I'd in which the former won $40 iro
'd SUas. out Of "a roll OF bills, the latt
10 paid the SIG and had si3 left Late
Davis won back the money from JAG
l' son. and then departed.
l- Tho day following the murder. sta
Detective Mccoy was notified by Ja
smith. Of Hockessin, that II appear
mat someone was In the quarry no
Upon arriving at the quarry Detectl
Mccoy found that smith and son
Y other men had dragged the body
] Long from the quarry hole.
The detective Immediately BEGAN
ovperlonce trouble. lie could ind
~. one who know who The murdered mi
,d Was. Later. Carl Smith, who had iir
~ the shots. appealed TO the detective
in get his gun from Davis.
l y. Things began 20 turn up from thes
iD on 10 enable Mccoy TO unravcl the my
terry. Long was Identified, the story
the party was unfolded and The nam
-. OF the revclers became known.
ts Walter Hopkins was ran down
ssp the detective at Siiverbrook static
:" and after telllng The story Of the am
~ was released. Jackson had left
VI home. but returned upon being Ape
i,p ed 20 by his mother on advice OF ,
~ Mccoy. His story was similar 10 70
''' told by Hopkins lie also was releas
Arthur Thomas was later picked
by the detective alons the road
800. Hockessin. Davis was located IN hot
f i'm Townsend street, Philadelphia.
" 10 took Just one week for the
. thorites 20 clear up the case.
Following the murder, Mccoy fou
Davis razor near the scene Of tho mt
der.