The Port Gibson herald, and correspondent., 1851-03-21

MURDER MosT FoUL!-One Of the most de-
/ moniac tragedies in the annals of crime, has
recently been enacted in Kent county, Mary.
land, and we do not believe that the criminal
calendar of the United States can show a case
equal in atrocity. The victims were Mr..
Cesden, and a portion of his family, and the
horrible details are given in the extract below.
Had the murders been the work of one man,
We could not have believed him o:he. than a
maniac, but that fhree should be found, who for
the small amount of plunder which a farm
house might be supposed to afford, would en-
gage in such wholesale slau.hter, passes our
our comprehension. The following are the
yeyolting particulars:
"The family of Mr.. Cosden consisted of him
self and wife; Miss Cosden, his sister, aged
seventeen; Mss Webster, his wife's sister, bed
ridden from illness; two small children. one an
infant and the other able TO talk; white lad
aged ten;a colored boy and a negro woman.
nine persons in all, living in peace and quiet.
and not suspecting harm from any one One
OF the papers intimates that the murderers
were actuated by other motives than hope of
plumber, but the fact that the ear and finger.
rings were torn from the females, and that Miss
Webster's trunk was searched for money.
would goio prove that thirst for illegal gain
was at least part Of their object
"'Ihe Baltimore Sun of the 4th inst. gives
the following particulars of the terrible mass
acre as being the latest and most authentic.
We give them entire
The tragedy was enacted, it is thought A.
bout halfrpast o'clock on the evening Of the
9th February, Mr.. Cosden who was most
worthy, industrious, and highly respected
young farmer, had just risen from the supper
table, andswas about taking a seat BY the fire. 4
when he dlscoyereda a man standing outside of
the window with gun leyeled at him, which
ne fired instantly, the ball taking effect, and he
ieh.s ne man who fired the gun then came to
The door, and, finding it fastened, knocked
pannel out with the mnzzle of his gun. and
putting his hand in, removed the fastening.
leading to the inference that he knew exactly ]
how il vas fastened. On oseniisSse the doef. !
Mrs. Cosden and Miss Cosden ran to the oo.
posite corner of the ROOM when he leyeiled
ms gun "g'tii1.ar' q. cd, the bail laknu efest
on MISS Cosden, who he also rushed on and
stabbed with knife IN both breasts.
'sAlrs. Cosden then fed into the vard and
Inc small white boy ran behind the door and |
succeeded IN efiscting bis escape, the smoke of
lhe gunconceallng him. The boy says he saw
q fall man standing in the yard as he ran Off
Mrs Cosden was found dead in the yard. b,v-
ing been both shot and stabbed. The rinrs
were taken on her hngers, and the ear rinos
torn out of her ears.
hey then observing that Mr.. Cosden wss
sun aiiFe, shot him again and stabbed him I
whist one OF them trampled and ipm,hd on
MS BODY. He, however, lived three bonrs af. I
ter the tragedy was discovered. and stated 'tbat.
me man who shot him was unknown To- b;a,
ont that ne was tliick-set man. win baaL
vhlskers. he also heard two other man l', tall
ng outside at the time the one inside ,,as ~
Ieetng his murderous object on Miss Cass,sa
but did not see them. A'ss : ose'0ii'
Miss Rebecca G. Webster WIZ 49,. -.
'leS up slairss on hearing the alarm and ra,osss
= me gun had fastened the door of her rnar,
,aa - Viie of l1e men came up and braka ,hs
.o", open che states that she imnlarod b;r,,
oa hef ne, and told him that all the s,s
'au was ~ ner trunk. He then exa,,;,s3 ~,
'upk, ana being unable to find the Iaonev -
vas lieu up, ne returned to her he'd ana
:. - ghs oressfs and several sllos asa f,,.,.s
I s1'e eeas which was also set on fra
ss Waualng or Intentionally by gha ..ssss.;1
,,'s m survived until Saturday evenipu sl,s :
clock, when she died. s"'eg aooat
=, : ne black woman BELONGED 5, ra....zs
'neflH Edwin Crouch, Who res;eaa - s1ofes} .ae
sae I. laems about mile distant b,,t l;ss
tia irnn;rr ,'s, sae Faa engaged as the lime
l,seIrs sss'sng ss tanAs In the kitchen. angi. er
~'sa''a' eoseFvsd the kltehef door