The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1857-11-14
For he Cecil JFhig.
Murder win Out.


MR. EprroR-I send YOU a detailed ac.
count of most horrible murder committed
near this place. The graphic language Of
the Editor Of The Dorer Reporter fails to con-
vcy to the mind the feeling of the community
concerning this atrocious and terrible deed
Only to add that Downhnm is q short thick
set stout man. about so years Of age
with a pleasant open countcnance and easy
manners. When questioned by his captors
he refused to answer anything, neither ac.
knowlrdged or denied the admission Of the
crime. Since he arrived here lie hos been in
uniformly good spirits. ready to converse
wish any one on any other subject but the
murder and acts like a person feeling conf
dent Of his acquittal. He has retained as, his
counsel n. L. Smi,hcrs Esq, Of Kent, and
Hon. Willard salisbury. Of Sussex county
ana tits rumorcd that celebrated member Of
the New York City ba: Will be employed TO
assist with the defence. His trial will take
place il the molih Of January. Attor
ncy-Gcneral Fishers promptness of action
and interchangeable cXertion in felcting out this
terrible ailas Is universally commended. Z
Be SIRE THY SINS Will FIND THEE Ovr-
In the autumn Of 1852 man residing near
Bcrrytown in this county, by the name Of
Joseph Dow ham being security for the ap-
pcarancc at Court Of Il negro named Cesar
Lewis. who was charged with cutting timber
Oh the lands of John Bailey undertook TO
arrest the negro for the purpose Of delivering
him up to the Court then in session al Dover.
The negro after having been bound 10y his
cnptor made his escape. Two days after
this Dowuham appeared in Dover with his
hat shot badly and alleged that he had been
fired at by the negro whilst riding along
tie road at night, The negro was never seen
in tie nciGhbUrhood afterwards, and 1T was
supposed by some that lie had runaway.
whist his wife and relatives did Lot hesitate
to say that Downham bad either kidnapped
or Killed him. Ills sudden disappearance
from the ncghborhool was for many months
matter Of much talk and speculation In
the Spllng of 1853 Downhum removed TO
PclkinsvlIle, Madison county, Indiana, and
Since then but little has been said or thought
of the missing negro. On the installation CT
the present. Attorney General in Office. the
wife of Cesar complained 10 him a5ort the
loss of her husband alleging that in her
opinion he had been murdered by Downham
the Attorney General believing it to be his
duty to inquire into the matter, gave it his
attention but falling to procure any other
testimony, was OBJ. gel to abandon the inycs-
ligation as hopeless task. lie had learned
enough however TO satisfy bin that Caesar
had met his death at Downham's hand, al
h3u2h he could obtain no dircc, pr ,of Of the
fact. During the past summer, citizen of
Murderkln Hundred, prompted simply by
curious desire for travel, made tlip to the
West, and whilst in the State OF Indian,
stopped at Pukinsville, a little bye-pace on
the White River, where Nownhum resides. -
Whilst larryiug there he learned from a gen.
tleman who cmigratcd from this State some
years ago, that Downham had confessed to
him that he had shot Caesar and buried him
in The Owls Nest woods. This report hay
ing reached the Attorney General he at once,
as was his duty, renewed his inquiry. and
after having had q number Of witnesses sub
rmncl at the late tenn Of the Court in Dover,
he succeeded in obtaining evidence of Down
hams guilt, and the Grand Jury found bill
of indictment against Dowrham for murder.
a certified copy Of the bill which WAS found
on the evening Of October %, was at once
transmitted - Governor Causcy upon which
he Issued his roquisition TO the Governor of
Indiana for the delivery Of Downham to
Joseph Nickerson, who taking Joseph G. 0.
Harrington to his assistance started for Per-
kinsyille on Saturday evening last The
Attorney General then directed the Coroner
to find certain negro named Pompey Irib-
bctt, residing near owls nest swamp and or
der him to go and show the spot where
Downham had buried his victim five years
befo,e The Coroner obeycd the order and
on Tuesday last he was shown by Ponpcy
the place in the swamp where the remains of
Caesar might be found. The Coroner then
notified the Attorney General Of the fact and
on Wednesday the latter officer accompanied
by number Of the citizens Of Dover, repair
cd to the spot, where they met Coroner and
with his Jury and witnesses prepared to dis
inter the remains and hold an inquest over
them. The Coroner with the persons present
then proceeded to the grave and in few min
utcs the bones Of the murdered negro were
removed from the spot, where five years be-
fore they had been deposited at the dead hour
of tue night and where for five years they
have Slunbcrcd with none but the all seeing
eye to mark their resting place. The skull
Of The deceased showed plainly that he had
come to his death by violence several shot
were found in bis brain and one just sunk in
the centre of his forehead. He had been
buried in his clothes, and his widow who
was present exhibited cuff which had been
torn from his coat a few days previous to his
death which matched precisely the sleeve of
the coat on The remains which was without
cuff: she also identified his moncy-wallet and
broken half dollar found in the grave and
told who broke it.
The evidence of the two witnesses who
testified upon the Coroner's Jury, was much
the same, and is as follows: That in October,
1852 Downham war security for Casar's ap-
rearance at Court, then in session, (wherc he
had failed to appear, according to his own
recognlzance,) and had attempted to take him
to deliver him up 10 the Court that Caesar
had escaped whcreupon Downham, on the
day previous to the murder, declared to one
of the witnesses, that he would, on the next
day, take Cie sar, dead or alive that on the
morning of the murder, Dowrham took his
gun and went in front Of C@sar's house, and
concealed himself in the swamp, there being
only the width Of a road between the house
and the swamp, whore he lay in wait for his
victim about an hour: that Caesar at length
came out Of the house which had been desert
ed by his family, through fear Of Downham,
and stopped on the roadside Immediately
facing Downham but not seeing him that
Downham instantly sprang from his ambush,
leyelcd his gun and fired into the forehead
and face of his victim, who fell dead upon the
spot : that this occurred about ten o'clock,