Sunday dispatch. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1845-1854, 1852-04-18
CRIMINAL RECORDS.
A DesperadOs


One of the most cold blooded and unprovoked
murders within the annals Of the police docket,
was committed at Baltimore on the llth inst,
shortly after o'clock, in Low street, near
Aisqulth, the particulars of which were elected
at the examination below, which was conduct
ed in the central police station, before Justice
Kemp 1t appears that a very inoffensive man,
named Charles F. Rasch, a shoemaker, resid-
ing an Low street, was attracted by distuEb-
ance in the street, and, upon approaching the
scene was aimed at with y six barrelled re-
volver in the hands of a desperate calling him
self VIVA GaUlt, who, taking deadly aim, fired
three times, each bali taking effect in the face
| one striking near the centre of the forehead,
one near the eye, and the other Just above tho
mouth, and each penetrating the brain, causing
| the unfortunate man to fall, and has no doubt,
| ere this, ushered him. into a premature grave.
| The firing of the weapon drew TO the scene
| large number of persons, who, seeing the pTis-
oner run of, In company with another fellow,
| started In pursuit. He was overtaken near thez
intersection Of Aisquith and Low streets, and
arrested by Mr.. Wesley Harris, former police
| officer, gentleman whose name is unknown,
| and with the assistance of officer Ross, convey
ed to the station house. He was placed in one
of the cells of the building, and, at 8 o'clock,
the examination was had. AS the witnesses
testify particularly and positively to the facts
of the case, we give the evidence in egtenso.
| Henry Busenbeck called and sworn, testified
| that lust before 6 o'clock, he was in Low street
in a friends house, and that Buck was also
there. After the lapse Of few minutes Buck
| left, but before long came running back stating
} that whilst he was walking in the vicinity of
: the BeI-Air mar ket, he was assaulted by two
men, one of whom desired to fight him, and
| the other grabbed him by the arm and gave
him a kick. AS he was speaking, the two
men had walked across the space Of Low street,
and approached the place where the party
Late b1,o
ing Bucks absence, and were standing on the
sidewalk, enjoying a segar. The men, when
| they came up accosted them, and the prisoner
asked Buck If he wanted to fight Buck in
quired what they said, and on being informed
replied no, that he did not want to fight The
fellow with the prisoner, whose name IS jim
| Brown then threw brick at Buck and run Oft
calling them ID sons of BIS. In the
meantime, Rasch left his house, and was ap-
| preaching the place, when Gault drew pistol
and fred aiming towards the witness The
ball passed towards the house, and fell within
a few feet of Raschs door He then turned
slightly, and aiming at Rasch, fired three times,
at the close of which, Rasch staggered and fell,
and was carried into his house. Witness then
pursued the prisoner, and overlook him near
the intersection of Aisquith street, grabbed
him with such force that both fell to the
ground-the witness falling upon Gault's
breast, and hurting himself also He took the
plSLOl OUT Ol HIS udLu WI1toI IL was dliAtu dt
the breast of witness, and on several persons
coming up and catching hold of the prisoner,
he retired and went into his own house. Whilst
pursuing Gault, he turned and fired at witness,
not being more than five or six feet distant.
The ball did no harm to him. Other evidence
was brought forward corroboratng the above.
During the examination, Gault, the prisoner,
behaved more like demon than an intellectual
being. He persisted in smoking very com
mon and offensive segar, and repeatedly swOre,
taking in vain the name of the Creator, not
w1thstanding the justice rebuked him severely.
He is a fellow of low stature and deeply pocked
marked. He seemed perfectly callous to his
fate, and begged the justice to send him to Jail
, When Rasch was carried in his house, truly
heart-rending spectacle was witnessed. HIS
poor wife and four affectionate little children
surrounded the dying man. and gave vent tc
? their keen affiiction by crying, kissing him
| and telling him not to die. 1t was indeed q
scene calculated to melt the heart of stole
Drs. Milton N. Taylor and G. W. Wason were
soon in attendance, and, on examining the con
> dition of the wounded man, announced that 1
was impossible for him to recover that each
ball had doubtless penetrated to the brain, anC
would occasion his death before morning. Th'
sufferer, from the moment of receiving th'
= wounds up to a late hour was insensible, ant
never spoke a word. The unfortunate maj
. bas since died