The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1852-03-04
WASHINGTON, d. c.
ESTERPRIsE LANCASTER Co, Pa
february IS, 1852.

To the Editor Of tho National Era:
DEAR SIR: Herewith send you slip from
the Independent Wing, of February Sd, (oi
Lancaster) which contains the indubitable evil
dence of the murder Of Joseph C.. Miller. II
is surprising to me that you have 30 long over
looked this subject and that a notice Of it Ia,
not ere this appeared in your paper.
Our correspondent must read more care
fully: Dr. SnOdgrass has had two letters il
the Era on the subject-Ed Era
If you will take the pains to review the evi
dence given at the last farce enacted in Mary
land, over the body of this unfortunate man,
think you will agree with me- that this is on,
Of the most horrible murders on record ia thi
country. Think Of it for a few moments
The testimony proved that when the body
was found, it was clean, the clothes dry and il
every respect in order; no wounds were ever
found about the mouth or tongue and, in fact
the body was remarkably free from the small
est evidence of injury except the marks upon
the wrists which those gentry, 80 used to hand
cutting, thought Of so little consequence
And, now, what does the evidence which
send you, taken in connection with the precs
ding, go TO prove That the murdered man was
abducted from the cars at Baltimore by an or
gained band of assassns, whose force was SUI.
ticient in their own estimation to murder more OF
the company, perhaps all Of them--for an at
tempt was made to abduot others. -
He must then have been speedily taken to
some house previously provided, and there muir
deTed in cold blood, by men most of whom were
unknown to him, and whom he had never in.
jured
He must have been treated carefully and
delicately to prevent external injuries Par
tlcular care must have been taken in forcing
down his throat the horrible pOtatiOns OF dis
solved arsenic, as the teeth and tongue were
uninlured; and it is probable that "prOfes-
sional aid was called in, with appropriate APP
paratus TO inject the fatal fluid into the stom-
aoh. Your readers will perceive that Miller
ate a full meal on the evening previous TO his
deccase, not one particle OF which was found in
his stomach or bowels which shows that the
poison had produced violent vomiting or purg-
ing or both, yet no marks appeared on his
clOthssr-additORa evidence of the heartless
Ca1e wirSss@ = q --A--S ~. ~
sins bestowed upon their vet living victim.
What part the persons concerned in the two
pretended p0st-m0rtem examinations had I'm
Maryland bore in this foul murder, yet re-
mains to be revealed; but certain it is that
they were very DESTROYS that the true cause of
death should not be disclosed the
physician would have done what he knew to
be his duty, viz: TO examine the great cavities
of the body, the brain, the chest and the abdO-
men. A guard you will remember, seems to
have been set upon the rest of the company as
If to watch the effect which his abduction
would have upon them; and when it was
proved beyond doubt that Miller was missing,
some of his companions returned to Baltimore
to seek him, and the guard also returned, prob
ably in time to assist in the accomplishment of
the hellish deed.
have heard that some Baltimore paper
think the Sun-has been talking scienthcal-
ly about this infamous transaction, and endeav-
oring to prove that the quantity Of arsenic
found in the stomach of Miller was no evil
dsnce that he had not destroyed himself This
print cites the case of Professor Websters
abOrtiye attempt to commit suicide by taking
strychnine, (nur vOmioa) and suggests that
Miller took the arsenic himself and that the
condition of his mind prevented the operation
of the arsenic, a. was the case with tho
strychnne taken by Webster
Let this chemical amateur the first time he
is violently excited, pour down his throat some
nitric acid, dissolved arsenic, or other corrosive
poison, and see whether it will not operate.
He would probably find that although the poi
sons which act upon the nervous system such
az opium, and strycbnne, may be rendered of
no effect by the condition of the mind, yet cor
rosiyo irritants in large quantities arc little
affected by it,
How cruel to endeayor to flsten upon man
murdered in the legal performance Of duty.
and upon his bereaved family, the stigma of
suicide
Now, sir, what has Governor Lowe done to
arrest this organized band of assassins and to
wipe the stain Of containing such miscreants
4Ga g.. 81 .C,I leo
These facts and probably others have been
duly transmitted to him learn privately
and yet so far rs | know. he has not taken the
least notice of them No reward has been
offered for the apprehension of the murderers,
nor orders issued to the police Of Baltimore to
be on the alert 10 discover them. No action,
then, has the Governor of Maryland taken in
tho case but such rs is calculated to screen
the murdercrs He has refused to give up the
notorious kidnappers, McCreary and company,
upon the legal demand of Governor Johnston
Now, for our own Governor, Bglcr, what has
he done One might reasonably suppose that
new Governor inaugurated in the midst of
this transaction, would be glad to signalizo his
accession by some act worthy Of Democrat
DESTROYS to protect the lives and liberties of
the People What does he, then He pardons
GEORGE +. ALBERrL committed about two
years since, for the term Of ten years, notorious
a a kidnapper for thrty-fyo years and per-
haps better known to the police of PhiIadel
phia for crimes Of that kind than any other
man that ever lived in Pennsylvania.
Most opportune occasion for this act of
clemency
James Buchanan wishes to be President of
the United States The vote Of the State of
Maryland, in Convention and at the polls, is
very important to him The sacrificing of
the lives of innocent citizens, the kidnapping
of any number Of free persons aud the emp
tying upon tho community of the kidnappers
lodged in the pcnitentiary-what are those
weighed in his balance. against the acquisition
of such prize Truly, your friend
Iooru,.