The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1851-03-12

TRs KIxr County TRAoxDy.-Ths Chestertown
(Md.) Nssos, Of Saturday, has the following fur
Their particulars relative TO this awful ransaction
"Since our Last issue no very new or important
Developments have been made, in regard TO the
foulsst and most barbarous murder on record, ex-
cept the arrest and committal to prison, suspi
cion, of William w. Webster, James +. Roberts,
William Shelton, and Themas Drummond Miss
Webster, who 1t was feared was MORALLY wounded.
died on Saturday night-the negro woman, it is
thought, will recover. The negro boy, To whom
we alluded in our last, had left home about half
hour before the perpetration OF the deed; small
negro girl, belonging to DIR. Frazier, present,
and escaped to small negro hut by. The negro
woman. notwithstanding her wounds, and bleed
ing a. she was, was tho first to give the alarm to
E. Crouch, esq. II appears that MIR. Cosden had
just finished his supper, and turned TO the fire,
when no was shot. Mrs. Cosden, who indis-
posed. was sitting on her bed in the same room,
and Miss c. was at the table.
cater shooting Miss Cosdcn, and the escape Of
Mrs. C. into the yard, where she was shot, the
monster, who seemed to have knowledge Of the
house, deliberately took candle in his hand and
ter of Mr.. Cosden, aged four years, after her mo-
Their had run, also run crying into Miss Webster's
room, who it 10 said, hearing the firing below,
jumped from her bed and secreted herself in a
induced her to leave, fasten her door, and throw
herself into her bed The demon burst open her
door, and, on entering, demanded her money-she
impored him to spare her life and take all the mo-
ney she had, which was in her trunk; he took the
trunk into the passage and examined IT, taking out
all Of her clothing, but her money SO he missed,
and then returning to the room, set the quilt on
fire, and shot four or five slugs into her arm and
lungs.
sHe then took the child, which was crying,
cursed it and threw it on the bed: He returned to
the scene of blood below, where, finding Mr.. Co.'S
den NOT quito dead, he stamped him in the face,
and told him with an oath to stop. The poor fell
low, with several balls in his body and stabs upon
his person, crawed under his bed and remained
there till assistance came from the neighbors
Other marks of violence wcro found on tho person
Of Miss Cosdon, and the stab in her neck alone, it
is supposed, would have extinguished life in few
moments. On Sunday the four corpses in
TERED at the same time. The excitement drew
together concourse of people, who were shocked
and appalled, at the sight.
"The carpet, floor, beds, &C., are saturated with
blood and even now the stoutcst heart cannot look
upon the scene without starting tear. There
a report in the neighborhood, and in Delaware,
that Miss Webster had from $500 to $500 in cash.
Money WAS the motive, and some one acquainted
with the premises must have had an agency in the
bloody tragedy. Who is safe, il such deeds of
blood can go unpunisheds The whole communi-
ty-herc and over the entire country-arc deeply
interested in ferreting out the murdercrs. Let no
man relax his exertions; no man feel conscious of
security, till every one of these fell monsters
traced, discovered, and punished. Let time not
discourage, but stimulate every citizen in the whole
land to use every possible means to detect these
bloodhounds.
eff the Governors reward Of s. 900 is not suffi-
cient, let it be doubled and trcbed Every citizen
in the county should contribute. Let there be
ganization and fresh pursuit; new plans and now
believe that the guilty will be discovered and pun
shed. Providence will yet direct and shape events
SO that these monsters will receive their just
ward.'