Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-09-24
SHOCKING CASE OF
DEATH FROM BRUTALITY
Negro Man and Wife Of Laurel
Accused of Fatally Beating and
Starving Their Adopted
Girl.

Special Correspondence of Every Evening
Laurel. Sept. 2i.-Yesterday afternoon
Coroner Warrington held an inquest over
the remains of little Frances Crockett, IA
seven-year-old girl. who it IS alleged, was
hrutally beaten and starved by her foster
parents. MIR. and Mrs Fred Stewart,
Negroes, living as tenants on farm o1
Samuel V. Culver, between Laurel and
Sycamore, about four miles northeast OF
Laurel. No one knew the child was dead,
or even ailing. until about sunset Wednes-
day afternoon. when Mr. Mitchell, another
tenant on one of MIR. Culver's Farms,
noticed Grape hanging NJ the front door of
the Stewart home He went back TO MIR.
Culver and told him and together they
returned 10 the Negro's house and asked
who was dead. They were told 1T was the
httN girl.
stewart had notified an undertaken in
Seaford who came about o'clock. When
hc began 60 remove the cnild's clothing,
Stewart and his wife strcnously objected,
saving they wanted her buried just rs she
was The undertaken then asked for n
doctors certificate and when he was IN
formed that no physician had been IN
attendance, he reported the case to the
coroner who cmpanelIed a jury and sum-
moned DIR f. I'll + Farlow of this rown.
Stewart and his wife had begun to make
arrangements TO bury the child themselves
When the child's clothing was removed,
the emaciated form Of the little girl was
found 90 be covered with a mass of cuts,
bruises. sores in various stages OF healing.
and scars. Stewart claims that Frances
was sent out To the wOodpIle to get some
chips, early Wednesday morning, and
that she fell there and died about s o. clock.
When asked why he did not notify anyone
he SAID he did not have the time. Dr.
Farlow asked him why he did not send for
q physician 70 which he replied that he
had no tims 20 go for a doctor.
The mother of the little girl is a semi
dcmcntcd Negrcss Of this community who
gave her and smaller child 10 the
Stcwaits year or so.ago Stewart and his
wiic are about 80 years o, age and have no
children ul their own. Neighhors say the
girl did not get enough 10 eat and was over
worked and knew practically nothing but
hCatings and abuse.
Mr. Culver saws he saw Stewart and
hi wife picking tomatoes, Wednesday
afternoon. and noticed the child that
afternoon particularly and that they kept
the little gir IN a steady run, bringing
empty baskets 20 them is fast as they
hll.l thcm with tomatoes. All the re-
Nnfd the TRAIL little wall received was
blow IS she passed although they did not
huri her much. and abusive words.
Nwghbors living within few hundred
wards say il was nothing unusual to hear
tie chld's screams. and at times to hear
thr sound of the blows falling on her frail
form and that they etcn heard Stewart
and his wife ven al the child. 'Ill knock
v,p.r head oil II I'm boat YOU 70 DEATH
"l'll stomp vou;'i. IN kill YOU While
The, knew the little girl was ill-treated,
none 80 them realized the extent of the
abuse % which she was subjected.
Iir Farlow made the following state
mont 20 the deputy encouragement yes
terday afternoon. "This is TO certify that
have this day viewed and examined ex-
ternallv the body Of Frances Crockett,
colored seven years old, who died at the
home of Fred Stewart, colored. on Sep
tcmber -, 1920. AZ s a. m | found her
body GOV cred well with sores and scars; ;
some fresh and some old The fresh ones
showed evidence Of blood stains. ] be-
ievc the child died form abuse at the
hands 81 some one that used, perhaps,
sti clss or heavy switches, which they kept
M for some time.
The community IS very much wrought
up over the affair