Year: 1870

Edward DarnelI, the Murderer of Thomas


Hogan, n philadelphia Peddicr, to be Hung mt


Dover, Del, Tomorrow.


In March last Thomas Hogan, who for ten years
previously had been boarding with Mr. Martin Gran
ston, atNo 707 Shipper street. in this city, went on
a Journey to the interior of Delaware to collect
muskrat skins. Hogan was a man about fifty years
OF age, native of Ireland and had been in this
country about eighteen years, five Of which had
been passed in the United States navy He was a
quiet, respectable, and industrious man. and not in
the habit Of carrying vita him on his periodical trips
into Delaware more money than was necessary to
make his small purchases Of muskrat skins. He
left this city on March Is, and when more than
week-the usual length OF his trips-had elapsed
without any tidings from him, his friends became
alarmed.


on the 10Th of March the body of man, who was
subsequently identified as Hogan, was found by
some fishermen in Kersey's dam, on the road from
Canterbury to Frederick in Kent county, Delaware.
Mr.. Cranston, with whom he had boarded so long,
visited Delaware at once, anu fully identified the
discovered body as that Of his friend The following
are the particulars of the manner in which he met
his death, related in the confession of one OF the
colored men who was soon after arrested on the
charge Of committing the foul deed-


Hogan had made some purchases of old metal,
which he traded in as well as muskrat skins, and on
the road from Canterbury to Frederca stopped at
the house OF an acquaintance for rest and refresh
ment. After he left the house he met two c0lored
men, and asked after skins. He was requested to
go with them and they led him to a secluded spot
near mill dam, where he was struck on the back
Of the head with fence rail, which stunned him
and laid him the ground He then made an
attempt TO rise, when the blow was repeated until
he was rendered incapable OF resistance. He was
next dragged to the mill pond thrown in and held
under the water with the end of the rail until he
was dead This story was fully confirmed by the
post-mortem examination. Three wounds were
found on the side and back OF the head, one three
inches long over the left ear, which cut entirely
through the scalp one on the back of the head two
and half inches long, and one over the right ear
The surgeon who made the examination is OF the
opinion that Hogan was not dead when he was
thrown into the mill pond. Previous to throwing
the unfortunate man into the water, his assalants
strip ed him of all his clothing except his panta-
loons and took from his person all the money found
upon 1t.


Two colored men, Edward Darnell and William
Leber by name were arrested on the charge OF
having committed this dastardly deed, and at their
trial, which took place at Dover in the latter part of
April, Darnen was convicted, while Lober was ac-
quilted. The chief testimony against the latter was
the admissions made by Darnell, but his stories were
SO conflicting that no dependence could be placed
upon them, and consequently he alone is to suffer
the penalty Of the crime The execution Of Darnell
is to take place tomorrow at Dover the county seat
OF Kent. The doomed man is represented as not
being very much reconced to his fate, and still per-
sists hat the murder was committed by Lober, who
was acquitted by the jury.