Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1858-11-09
ANOTHER TRAGEDY IN BALTIMORE.

From the Baltimore SUM- November .
About eight o'clock last evening Robert W.
Rigdon, an officer of the Western police dis
trct. and one of the principal witnesses i'll the
case Of Gambrill whose trial was concluded in
the Criminal Court Yesterday, was shot through
the window Of his own dwelling house No.
4Gs West Baltimore street. and died almost
Immediately. The bloody deed was perpetrated
by party of men who approached By All
allev in the rear Of the house. Riglon. warned
by threats made against his life, had retired to
his home after roll CALL and was standing with
his coat of, coHversing with his wife, when
several shots were fired, and several heavy
balls or slugs entered his side about the
kidneys and one above the shoulder blade in
the neck. Rgdon, who was leaning against
the mantle epcce moved several PAGES, and fall.
ing at the feet of his wife. died before medical
aid could be summoned.
Officers }. Cook and IIudginS. attracted by
the reports. readily conjcctured the cause, and
running to the house. encountered a man named
Peter Curry with others. The officers attempted
to arrest Curry. when he fired two shots from
a revolver at Cook. without effect He was
arrested and confined in the station The
rumor of the shooting Immediately spread
through every quarter of the city, and large
crowd assembled at the house where the body
Law, and around the station-hou>c on Green
street.
Marshal Herring was soon at the station
house, and ordered several officers. who, by
their testimony in Gambrls case, had made
themselves obnoxious to his friends to be re.
called from their beats
The people as well as the police insisted As
soon as Curry was brought to the police sta
ton on hanging him without delay. and were
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 10 the house OF Rig
don, and going up.thc side alley, found the back
door open, when Crops fired the fatal shot
Information Of the completely of those par
ties was at once sent TO the middle district po-
lcc.station. and Lieut.. Carmichaca Sergeant
McComas started in search of the parties
They found Crops at drinklng-hou>e on
/ Holiday street. and at orcc took him INTO Gus
tody. and conveyed him to the middle district
/ police station, where he was locked up Ser,
rcants Love and Cook also went in pursuit oi
the parties charged, and they arrested man
named VIM Bcicitt, at the corner oil fayette
and Holiday streets. and he too was taken l"
the middle district policc-Statlon.
4 considerable crowd Of persons assembled,
and there were strong murmurlngs oi at once
visiting vengeance upon them. Throughout
the city the most intense excitement prevailed.
and everybody seemed appalled, at 50 cold
blooded 4 murder, while their Indignation
reached well near up to violence
! Coroner Greentrec. at 9 o'clock last night,
was notified Of the shooting, and prepared to
investigate the case.
At II O'Clock jury was obtained. with Ca
/ leb Douty. Esq. foreman. and the body was eS-
! amined The examination revealed five wounds
/ in the back At III o'clock the jury adjourn
ed, to meet at II. o'clock, at which time, We
presume, the inquest proceeded, but the "c
mand of the press prccudcd the possibility 'i
our waiting for the re-assembling OF the Jury
In the meantime a-Post-mortem eXaih'',a'ioh
was 10 bc made, and from the facts already be-
fore our readers the result both OF the autopsy
and the inquest may be anticipated.
Riedor. the second victim. was the only sur
viyinc witness against John Gambrlll, brother
Of Henry Gambrill. charged with arson, and
this coupled with the murder OF Officer Ben
ton. leaves no witness against nm.
The mayor was at the middle district police
station when the information Of the murder oil
officer Rigdon was brought down. and himself
and Marshal Herring at once proceeaed 10 li.e
western station. together with Capt. Brashers.
The police were all directed to arm themselves
and be prepared for any emergency that might
arise.
At eleven o'clock last night, after commit
ting Curry to Jail, he went TO the middle dis
trict and committed Crops to Jail on the charge
of murder While on the way TO Jail. without
any previous intimation Of the cause of his ar
rest he asked Lieut. Carmichael if he had been
arrested for the murder Of Rigdon. He was
told that he had been arrested for that. alter
which ne spoke no more. Curry was commit
ted not ONLY a. an accessory to the murder. but
for attempting to take the life Of officer Cook;
The officer returned the shots of Curry and
one Of his balls passed through the cap OF Cur
rv without. however, doing him any harm.
About nine o'clock last night information
was received by the Mayor that the house o.
Milton Whitney. Esq, the prosecuting attor
ney, was threatened, and the officers IN that
!. part Of the city. fully armed, were warned L
be in readiness for action, and charged to p
thther as soon as summoned A portion
the crowd followed the hack in which he wen
to his home, and violent threats were uttered
against him.