Evening journal., 1922-08-30
NEGRO, UNDER
TOTS BED, IS
THREATENED
Continued from First Page.

Continued from First Page.
Negro Magistrate. Gluckman asked
Downs if he was ready for trial
He responded that he wished to
wait Bit"
I He was asked IL he desired coun-
sci and said NO" and when form
/ ally arraigned pleaded not guilty.
The first witness called was Mrs.
I Bignear, mother Of the four little
girls. She told of being aroused last
night shortly before midnight by
the crying of one Of the children.
Going to the room where Mary, aged
IL years, and Emily, aged 4 years.
were sleeping, she found that both
little girls had been partially dis
ROBBED, and Emily was crying. Look
ing under the bed Mrs Bignear
found Downs. clothed only in his
shirt and stockings.
Calling TO her husband, she hur-
ried the little girls into another
room, as Mr.. Bignear came into the
room with a loaded gun.
While Mr.. Bignear guarded the
Negro. Mrs. Bignear telephoned the
W AAAAAAAAs1 A0AA HNAAAt GAaAA0i ANA AAtADs
The police in turn notified State De-
tective Moore.
Arriving at the farm Mr. Moore
found the Negro under the bed and
after securely Handwriting him
brought him to Wilmington and
locked him up at the police station.
Mr.. Bignear's testimony corrobor-
ated the statements of his wife The
little girls were present but were not
required TO testify. Prior to the
trial they told representatives of the
attorney-generaTs office of miscon-
duct on the part of the Negro at
many times during the first two or
three months.
AS it was later learned the Negro, |
who has been employed on the farm
at various times since last March, 1
has made a practice of entering the /
house at night and removing "a
glass from a window in the parlor /
and then going to the rooms occu- /
pied by the little girls. At various /
times they told their parents that the /
Negro had been in their room at /
night but this the parents thought |
to be only a childish dream.
Last night the Negro Is said to /
have been forced to break a glass in /
a window to get in as the window [
where he had previously entered (
had been repaired.
Downs is very dark-hued Ne
gro, and rather repulslve in appear I
lnce. His former home was in |
Chestertown. Md. He came here in 1
March, working a short time for
Mr.. Bignear. then leaving. He re-
turned about June 1, and is said to /
have begun his misconduct at that /
Tine.
Mrs. Bignear retired last night at
D o'clock after seeing that the house
was securely fastened. The Negro
had gone to his room over the
kitchen. which was connected with
The main part of the house by a
porch. and there was no way in
which he could go from his room
10 the house, except by going out
IF doors
Recently one of the little girls
was brought to the Delaware Hos
Dital for treatment fer a broken
arm. Her parents visited her each
night, leavins the other children,
wo boys and three little girls at
lone. On each of the days follow
ng these visits the little girl Mary,
ged IL years, had told her parents
hat sd had been in her room,
md took her clothes off. The first
ime the parents felt confident there
vas some mistake. but after the
hIrd night no longer left the chill
rem home alone.
Mr. Bignear. visibly effected by
is repetition at the hearing of thu ]
vents related to him by his little
iris seemingly was under great
train to control himself at the S
caring, and told of his temptation
, shoot the Negro when he found J
i'm nearly nude under his daugh-
srs' bed.
Downs had little TO say to anyone
ut when questioned by Detective
GORE said he had gone to the girls 7
'om to get a crucihx which awas
angling on the wall T