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


slightly opened, when two guns. or q double
barreied gun, was fired at her-both shots la.
king efIeel--one In her side and the other pass.
ing through and shattering her wrist. She im-
mediateIg succeeded in making her escape out
Of another door, and ran to the residence Of
her master on the adjoining farm, and loudly
called for him. On reaching the house she fell
from exhaustion. and at the last accounts
was still alive, though bat little hopes wers en-
tertained Of her recovery. She states that she
did not see the persons who fired any Of the
guns.
a1here have been three persons arrested on
the charge of being concerned in the munder.
William w. Webster, an uncle Of Mrs cosden.
and also of Miss Rebecca c. Webster, her sis-
ter, who resides In Delaware, was arrested on
Friday, and underwent an examination before
magistrate In thai State, and proved an alibi
by several most respectable witnesses. He
was arrested ON thelestimony of brother Of
Mrs Cosden, about ten years Of age, who had
sad he heard his uncle make some threats
against Cosden and his family; besides which.
there had been q difficulty between him and
Mr. Cosden about some land. This was the
boy that escaped from the house at the time Of
the massacre, and fed to Georgetown Cross
Roads and gave the alarm. Mr.. Webster hay-
ing come over to Mr.. Cosden's place on Sun-
day, to attend the funeral Of The four victims,
was arrested on suspicion OF having some con-
nection with or Knowledge of the affair, and
committed for further examination.
aThe second one arrested il James Roberts,
travelling clock mender, who bore the exact
description ftlle assassin given by Miss Web
ster, even 10 The size, build and shape, aud also
to patches on the knees Of bis pantalo0ns, as
the one who had entered her feem. He was.
brought before her before she died, and she
three times declared that he was the gulty
party. He, however, succeeded in proving
that he was at Fredericktown, in Cecil county,
between tive and three miles of, at the time
the murder is supposed 10 have beeDcommitted
proving the abb by most respectable Wit
nesses. This man had been in Mr. Cosden's
house on the same day, or the day previous, TO
mend the clock, aud was invited to-remain 20
dinner. During the dinner hour Mr. Cosjen
had sent up stairs to borrow dollar from Miss
Webster. He was discharged on proving the
abb, but was immedistely arrested on the
charge of having entered the house of Mr..
Stevens, at Georgetown Cross Roads, mt I2
O'Clock on the previous night, so asto have him
at hand if further testimony should connect
him with the transaction He belongs to Dell
aware, in Appoquinimink Hundred.
THE third party arrested is Wm. Shelton,
who is mill hand, in the mill Of Mr. Yoshell,
in nearly the same neighborhood that Roberts.
came from. The suspicion aga nst him arises
from. the fact Of bis having recently bought
double-barrelled gun, a revolver or double
barfelled pistol, and some dirk knives, at Smvr-
ma. He had also been seen by boy in the
mil casting bullets from peculiar kind of
metal used in the mill, whom lie cautioned not
10 say any thing about it,sor the possession of
the gun and arms, all of which he kenf con-
cealed to Mr. Nosheli. His personal appears
ance corresponded with that described bv Mr..
Cosden as the man who had shot and stabbed
him. the bullets exactly fitted his gun. aud were
Of the same metal as that used in The mill, and
the door bore the mark Of having been broken
open by blow from The muzzle Of double
barrefed gun. lie was also absent from the
mill, from The Tresious Tuesday until after The
murder, when he was arrested AZ or near the
Ceclltoa Cross Roads. On these grounds he
was committed for further examination, and
all these are now in Kent county jail.
''Fhe excitement against Roberts was in.
tense, and if he had not succeeded in proving
an dlibi it Is probable that he would have been
lynched forthwith by the people.
ny wiz ~ 1cbFRctUWu III SS~
Roads states that he first ran towards Mr.
Croach's house, but, thinking he heard the
robbers in the stable, turned his course towards
the Cross Roads
"Mr Crouch also immediately started an ex-
press of to arouse the neigiIbors, and on The
arrival Of two men from the Crossroads in
the vicinity of the house, Miss Webster stated
that she heard their horses hoofs, when the
assassins tcok fright and fled having just at
that moment shot her. Although She made
no statement of the kind, the physicians, con-
sisting of Drs. james .Highe, C. w. Graham
and John Z. Marsh, who examined her BODY
after death, as well as that of Miss Cosder,
state that an attempt had been made to commit
rape on both of them, either before or after
they were Shot
"The funeral Of the four victims, Dir. and
Mrs Cosden. and Miss Cosden, and Miss Web
ster, took place on Sunday morning At IN
ocloeki and was attended by hundreds of per-
sons collected from many miles around, and
The excitement relative 10 the bloody affair has
had no parallel in that section of country.
The Governor of Maryland has offered n re-
ward of $1,000 for the apprehension Of the
tiends, and the Sun learns that this amount
Will be increased to ut least $4,000 BY the citi.
zens of Kent county. That the morierers viii
be arrested we cannot doubt
A.