Milford chronicle., 1924-09-19
Surrendered Without Fight When
Apprehended At SeafOrd By
Officers On Tuesday.
TAKEN TO THE WORKHOUSE
Fear That Mob Violence Might Be
Inflicted Caused Prisoner To
Be Rushed To WOrkhOuse.

After a search of almost a montI
the officials on Tuesday morning
captured Duke" Evans, colored, who
was wanted on the charge of havins
murdered Christian Christensen, q
poultTyman, residing near Houston
on the night of August 18th Evans
was arrested on the wharf adjoining
the canning factory of Greenbaum
Brothers at SeafOrd, following a tin
given the officers that he was work
ing at the cannery. He made no eff
fort to give the party closing in on
him any trouble, and submitted
quietly to arrest. His greatest con-
cern seemed to be a fear that he
would be lynched when the public
learned of his capture. He begged the
officers to protect him from mob vio-
lence should such movement start.
A search of the shack in which the
man had been living since starting
to work in the factory ten days pre-
ViOus to his arrest was made. A gun
which he had taken from Policeman
Martin, of Seaford, when that officer
attempted to arrest him shortly after
his arrival near Seaford, was found
in the shack Evans told the officers
that the handouts which Martin
placed on him were picked off with
piece Of wire.
When the prisoner was taken be-
fore Attorney General Townsend in
Wilmington, he confessed that it
was he who had shot Mr.. Christen-
sen; but claimed that he acted in
self defense. He says that he shot
the poultryman only after Christen-
sen had shot his jumper off as he
approached the poultry house. The
prisoner will be kept at the work.
house, near Wilmington, until his
trial, which will take place in Dover.
Christensen was murdered on the |
night of Tuesday, August 10Th, at his |
poultry house on his farm between |
Milford and Houston. For months |
previous to the murder he had been
the victim of poultry thieves who
had been raiding his poultry plant.
Because of this he had - fitted up
sleeping quarters in the main poul-
try house in order that he might
protect his property. His family was
awakened by gun shots shortly be-
fore midnight. and when a search
was made, he was found deadin the
doorway of the house. Two negroes
at the StetsOn e Ellison
Cannery at Houston, the next morn
ming told a story which implicated
Evans as the slayer. Evans, learn
ing of the tale told by the negroes,
led and managed to escape the posse
which was quickly formed. He was
ater reported as being in the Vicin-
ty of Seaford, where Officer Martin
claimed that he had attempted to ar I
'est the negro. His story is borne :
)ut by the facts learned since the ne 7
yrO's arrest. =
Evans arrest came about as a di-
'ect result of information given a i,
legro residing in Houston by a :.
riend working at SeafOrd. The L
IOustOn cOlOred man told the man q
ger of StetsOn & EllisOn's factory !.
t Houston, who in turn informed Il
he Deputy Attorney Generals Office.
tate Detective Wharton, accOmpan- U
ed by several State Police went to n
eaford and made the arrest Ie
Feeling against Evans ran high p'
Or days after the murder ard had m
e have been apprehended at that b
me it is possible that he might IL
ave been the victim of mob justice.
here is no disposition at this time D
} cause the officials any trouble in u
rOtecting Evans.