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K, DELAWARE, TIIUVICTIM or A SKOHO'a razor.There wm tml NIIBht I'rovocatloa for tll« Netro'* Aot—flpRlny Mlnshcd With n flar.or on Il»o Loft Brea.t and AflfOM the Hlomnch —Hurry Smith AUo Cut, but Not Serlouvly.Edward F. Begley, tho young butcher, who was murderously assaulted by Alexander Daurldge. colorod, Sunday eveniuir, September 10th, with a razor, died »t his home, 312 Maryland avenue, at ton ininutea to 0 o'clock Saturday night. HU physicians had closely qj-anrved hla case during the morning and long about noon Begley was told Ibat he could not live much longer. A. change for tlio worse net in and tho family was informed that life was fast obbing away, lie was conscious all morning aua said tbat ho felt bU suffering would soon be over. He was willing and ready to go he said, and expressed no fear of death.Father Fallon was notitlod of tho young man's condition nud hurried to his bed side where extreme unction wo* administered.. Ho received the sacrament and seemed happy that tho priest was near. Tho authorities wore also callod to tho dying man’s bed side, where his ante-mortem statement was taken in the presence of a notury.In tho afternoon he talked with his wlfo and child and to bis brother told tho facts concerning his assailant's ghastly work. Ho recalled the encounter with Dnnridge and with the death quiver upon his lips averred that he in no wav molested the negro until the latter Jostled him in the street. Me was at a loss to oxplain the deadly assault, declaring ho never beforo saw IXnnridgo until the fateful uight. Toward evening Begley's condiMon became nfhre serious than at any tlmo during his illness and he gradually grow weaker, and experienced less physical suffering than during tho morning. The family woro again summoned to the sick room to n wait the approach or death which carac a few minutes to 0 o'clock.Tho assault which resulted in Begley’s death occurred one week ago at the corner of Second and West streets about 8 o’clock in the evening. Begley in com-I.SCP«IveroNt«tlidir«Mdid«pany with Joseph Mullic, RichardJolliCollins and Hurry Smith wore return ing from the Philadelphia, Wilmington it Baltimore railroad station and proceeded homeward out Second street They halted a few minutes midway be-tween Tatnnll and West streets, whore they all »al down In a doorway. This Is the story which the young men tell nnd which Begley in his ante mortem statement averred was true. Bogley started out Second atreoi.leavlng his companions sitting in the doorway.Suddenly Begley fell some one jostle him towards the sidewalk, and wbcollng to tho right be observed Danridge. To use bis own words Beglev said : Don't get gay now; don’t gel off your trolley, and at the mine time he pushed tho negro away from him. lie had no sooner done so when Danridge whippedout a razor and ruado a downward slosh betaJust below his heart. In a twinkle tho negro reversed tho weapon to tho opposite sldo of tho victim, inflictingan almost perpendicular gosh extending four Inches across the BbdiInmen; Begley felt the warm blood trickling dowu over bis breast, and at tne same time experienced a stinging sensation about the mouth of the wounds. Realizing that he had been Blaabed with the razor he dealt Danridgo a staggering blow in the hcud, knocking him sprawliug on the sidowalk, exclaiming at the same time: lie's cut me.Smith then ran to tho injured man’sassistance. Danridge was Just recovor-‘ ig his ar.ing his equilibrium, auil when Smith approached he slashed him alio with thu razor. This caused the Utter to fall back a few paces, and at the same lime afforded an opportunity for Dan-ridgo to escape. B*gloy’s companions rallied to his assistance and u crowd soon gathered nnd carried tho Injured man into Blocksom's drug store. Smith then began to bleed profusely and be likewise was hurried iusido tho apothecary shop.When Dauridgc fled from the spot hetool; refuge In .Mount Enou listWsChurch, on Sccoud street, near Washington. Ho was covered with blood, and to tho trustees of tho church ho told u story about being assaulted by several white men, and said ho had lost his hat ul Second and West streets. Two of tho ofllcUU of tbo church volunteured to accompany him In Ills search for the missing hat, which was procured at tho aeouo of the culling. Neither Collins nor Mullin noticed tho negro searching for his hat, their attention being attracted by the injuries of the victims. As soon as Danridge secured his hat bo diaap|ear«xi up Washington street, and did not return to tho church.Dr. A. B. Harris was summoned and dressed both of tho Injured men's wounds. Tsioy were then sent homo, an.I gmllh gradually recovered while peritonitis developed in the case of Begley and was tho Immediate cause of death.Begley was 22 years old and conducted a butcher shop nt No. 1008 Chestnut street and resided with his fnlher-in-law at tho address already mentioned. lie was a member of St. Paul's 1L C. Church and also connected with the Browuson Library Association. Ho was of a genial disposition and very popular. Ho leaves a widow nnd one child. The funeral took place Tuesday. Interment was mado si the New Cathedral cemetery.Alexander Danridge, the man who did the cutting, Is a small, copper.,i colorod negro, about 20 years old, and t\ is a native of Virginia. Heichas worked at the Diamond State Iron Company’sOld Furry mills, and was employed by_ -- - itUthe B treel and Sower Department uu a short time prior to the assault. lie has been in Wilmington several years and since January, 1801. resided with Mrs. Mary Gordon, in Morrow's Court, a small thoroughfare west from French street between Fourth and Fifth, lie left bis boarding house Sunday evening telling Mrs. Gordon ho was going b» ML Kaon Baptist Church. She declares she has not caught sight of him since. There was a week's wages coming to Daurldge from the Street ami Sewer Department, but be failed to cull for it Friday night, when tho men were paid off.Danridgo has beeu confused with a man kuown as Nigger Charley’’ whose right uamo Is Thomas and whom some of Uie polico believed tho assailant to be. Danridge was not regarded as alto-Eher a bad character by those who iw him.
Newspaper Details
Wilmington Delaware Gazette and State Journal
Wilmington, Delaware, US
Thu, Sep 21, 1893
Page 1
Full Page
Clipped by
Anonymous
USA 14 Nov 2022
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