| From the Wilmington Journal |
| April 21, 1864 |
| |
| Garroting |
| Night before last while Mr.
Harry Brock, Conductor on the Wilmington & Manchester R. R., was going
up to the steamboat to go over to the depot on the Western side of the
river, two men accosted him opposite to the Methodist Episcopal Church,
on Front Street, and enquired about the starting of the train and the
way to the depot. Mr. Brock told them he was going there himself, and
would show them the way. He then went on, the men with him. The party
went down the steps at the southern end of the freight depot of the
Wilmington & Weldon Road, Mr. Brock in advance, the men following. Just
as Mr. Brock reached the bottom, he suddenly found his arms pinioned as
in a vice, while something was thrown over his mouth and around his
neck, strangling him and at the same time preventing his calling out.
His pockets were searched and rifled of a valuable gold watch, four
hundred dollars in money, and perhaps some other valuables, but of this
we have not learned. |
| A man, belonging perhaps to
the railroad, coming with a light found Mr. Brock and had him conveyed
to the Wayside Hospital, luckily very near, where, after proper
restoratives had been applied, he revived, but was unable last night to
go out on the train. He thinks that as the man with the light came he
heard the sound as of persons running away, most probably the robbers
alarmed at the approach of the light. The affair probably occurred about
11 o'clock at night and in a very dark spot. |
| It is a clear case of
garroting -- of the kind of highway robbery, and shows that there are
very dangerous characters about. We have not seen Mr. Brock ourselves
since the occurrence, and may be slightly mistaken in some particulars,
which we give as we get them. We do not know whether he recollected the
appearance of the men sufficiently well to identify them. |
|