The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-11-07
THE pESPERApOEs OF BALTIMORE.
CONVICTION OF A FEL0N AND MURDER or
THE PRINCIPAL FITNESS.
A REIGN OF TERROR.
EXCITEMENT AMONG THE PEOPLE

the desperadoes in that city and the subse-
quent murder of of the witnesses against the eupt
The facts are simply that Henry Gambnll cOmmitted
the wilful murder of police officer Benjamin Benton, ON
the night of the 21d of September last at the corner Of
Pennsylvania and Bddle street by shooting him
with pistol in the right side of the neck, causing imme
diate death. Tie evidence complete, fixing the
commission OF the murder Gambril beyond all doubt
The principal witness Robert w. Rigdon, another
police officer From the accounts oontned in the Bati
more papers it is apparent that Gambrls associates
omitted no demonstration 10 ghten the witness and the
jury and had threatened officer Rgdon with assassination
upon the day that Gamb should be convicted for muir
der Late Friday evening the jury brought in YER
dict against Gambr of murder in the first degfes 10
was evident from the movements Of the crowd present
that rescue contemplated OF the removal of the
prisoner find the following particulars in the Balti
more American of yesterday morning:
II was nearly o'clock when the court adjourned, and,
there being large congourse of the friends Of the prs
about the court house, he was placed in the lookup
until arrangements could be made BE- Captain James for
his removal to the jail Fearing that an attempt might
be made TO him. Mayor Swami had Kept over one
hundred police officers fully armed at the courtb all
day. and they in readiness under command of Mar
shall Herring, to escort him TO the Jail Carriages were
placed both sides of the SO az to divide
the crowd and the prisoner finally brought out and
placed in the tarage Calvert street, and driven of,
followed by crowd of men and boys The police Also
followed the carriage and Captain james, who was In
with the prisoner with pistol in hand mcnaced those
who attempted TO approach him There being evidences
Of concerted movement to interrupt them the way
the JAIL Captain james directed the driver TO proceed
down Saratoga street with all speed to the Middle station
and the prisoner quickly lodged in of the cells
Marshal Herring Immediately ordered fifty officers to pre-
pare their nuskets for escort duty and at o'clock the
prisoner conveyed 10 the jail without further inter
rupton,
Ia regard to the attempt to the prisoner the fol
lowing additional facts stated Two hacks had been
procured to divide the attention of the crowd One
placed Lexington street and the other on Calvert
street. in front Of the Gilmor House The main portion
,,.n{,.at
termined place the prisoner in the other carriage
This scs successfully DONE but not without an attempt
to create disturbance Officer McComas was pushed
aside by Marion Crops and David Houck cried out shoot
him. shoot him., meaning it was supposed, the hack
man Capt James and Capt Owens, warden and dep
uy warden of the jail got into the carriage and directed
the driver to proceed directly TO the jail The driver
either confused nmdaed drove down Calvert street
to Little Water, when Capt. Ovens menaced him with
his pistol threatening to shoot him unless he changed
his course He then drove up South to Second street.
through Second Gay street. and out the latter street to
Saratoga Capt James fearing from the clrcdous route
taken that he might be intercepted his way to the
JAIL determined to take his prisoner to the central police
station whence he removed, as stated above,
in charge OF escort that rendered attempt at res
cue futile.
OF the subsequent tragedy we compile the following
count from the Baltimore PAPERS Of yesterday morning
Police Officer George W. Rgdon the principal witness
in the Gambr trial. last night brutality murdered in
his house. Baltimore street. few doors west OF
The of the follows At o'clock last eve
ming he left the Western station-house for his home and
cautioned by Captain Lineweaycr not to go out as
threats had been made against his life on account OF the
testimony he had given In the case of Gaubrl to the
effect that he should die the day that Gambrill was
convicted These threats had also reached the cars Of the
deceased but he unable to trace them TO any direct
source and considered them idle drunken threats
On leaving the station house he proceeded direct to his
home, and in his sitting room, adjoining the store
talking to his wife, at the time of his death At the cor
of the sitting groom small window opens into the
yard and Mr. Rigdon standing, leaning on the man
tel piece with his back to the window from which he
was not two feet distant. His wife was sitting on the
other side of the room and little lost child which he
had picked up in the street. sitting the carpet at
his feet The assassin up small alley ut the side
of the house, and with large horse pistol fired at him
through the window heavy load of slugs entering his
right side and causing instant death He exclaimed only,
II shot. and fell dead the floor having celsed
breathing after heavy groan. large horse-pistol,
with which the deed committed left lying in the
yard, Immediately under the window.
Police Officer John Cook was on the opposite side of
Baltmore street. and hearing the report of the pistol,
started across to Mr.. Rigdons house. when came
running out of the side alley with revolver in his
hand and officer Cook started to arrest him. he fired
twice at him, neither of which took effect The officer
Immediately drew his revolver, and started in pursuit
firing twice at the assassin he up Baltimore street
On turning the of Pine street the assassin and the
officer again exchanged shots without effect, and contn
ued the to Penn street. when officer Cook succeeded
in knocking him down with his pistol and with the
sistance of officers Jamson and Higgins carried him to
the station-house. 1t proved to be Peter Cory,
butcher, residing the Hookstown road and
ciate of Gambrills.
1t will be remembered that officer Rgdon testified on
the Gambr trial that he had hold of David Houck along
with officer Benton at the time that Gambrill up
aud shot Benton, testfyng positively TO his identified
ton of Gambr as the murderer He had been Just
two years the police, stout, athletic man, and
excellent aud fearless officer He leaves wife, but
children, his loss He IS years of age
and to-day would have been the seventh anniversary of
his marriage, which he remarked to his wife yesterday
The people, well the police, insisted soon as
Cory brought to the police station hanging him
without delay and about to proceed to the work
when he pleaded for his life, and said he would tell all
he knew Of the murder He then stated that Marion
Crops and himself went to the house of Rgdon and go
ing up the side alley found the back door Open when
Crops fired the fatal shot.
Information of the completely Of those parties was at
sent to the middle district police station and Lieut.
Carmichael and Sergeant McComas started in search of
the parties They found Crops at drinking house
Holiday street and mt took him into custody and
conveyed him to the middle district police station where
he was locked up ScIgeans Love and Cook also went
in pursuit of the parties charged and they arrested
man named William Befeltt at the of Fayette and
Holiday streets and he, too, was taken to the middle
district police station.
A considerable crowd of persons assembled and there
were strong murnlurngs of at visiting vengeance
upon them. Throughout the city the intense cx-
element prevailed and everybody seemed appalled, at 80
coldbooded murder, while their indignation reached
well near up to violence.
Rgdon, tho second victim. the only surviving wit
against John Gambrll brother of Henry Gambrill
charged with arson and this coupled with the murder OF
a. III.