The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1859-04-09

II,
gone to the place with Marion Cropp, who fire.
the pistol, he having waited at the mouth of tn
ailey whilst Crop had gone up to the window an
hred the fatal shot. The Mayor thereupon issued
warrant for the arrest of Cropp, as the murderer
and committed Corrie as an accessory thereto, an,
also upon charge of having attempted to shoe
officer Cook
An examination of the hat of Corrie showed tina
one OF the balls fired by Cook as is supposed, hae
passed through it.
In the course of an hour Lieut. Carmichael ant
Sergeant McComas arrested Marion Crop in
drinking saloon, kept at that time by Erasmus lie
Wv, on Holiday street, and conveyed him to tn,
Middle district police station, where Mayor Swanr
attended and committed the prisoner to jail
Corre, Just previous to the murder, had entered
the store of Mrs Rgdon, ostensbly for the purpos,
of purchasing undershirt, but really to exam
inc the premises and see the position of Rigdon
He had left the room but few minutes when tbt
shot was fired.
While Rigdon was lying murdered on the floor
and his wife and relatives and friends were weeping
over his body Marion Cropp entered the apart.
ment ana joined IN the lamentations. He stayed
but few minutes, and while there remarked that
he would like to go Jack Ketch for the d
s. of B. who did this deed''
No crime had ever been committed in this city
whicn awakened such universal feelings of horror
ana indignation. Rigdons death was known from
one extremity of the city to the other the same
night the deed was committed. Hundreds of per-
sons thrcnged the street in front of the door of his
dwelling during the night, and the excitement in
creased with the morning. During the day masses
of people waited patiently for their turn to see the
body, and until long after nightfall a continuous
stream OF persons passed into the room to view the
corpse. The following day was Sunday, and three
o clock mad been set apart as the hour for the
burial. In the morning, persons commenced gath
erlng near the scene of the murder, while through
out the entire city groups were to be seen who
were engaged discussing the enormity of the crime
and all the fearful circumstances attending it
hat Ia hon &c 1,,.. 4.
from above Green to Pine, was one mass of human
beings; and when the hour for departure arrived
IL was with the greatest difficulty the funeral pro-
cession could be formed. For DAYS after the burial
the atroclous murder was the theme of conversa-
ton for all classes, and of alarm and indig-
nation pervaded the entire community.
TRIALS OF CRoPP AND coRRIE.
The Grand Jury sitting at the time, and on the
Monday following indictments were found against
Marion Cropp and Peter Corre for the murder of
Robt. NJ. Rigdon. They both pleaded "not guilty"
to the charge, and requested to have their cases
moved to Baltimore County Court. The request
was complied with, and on Tuesday, January 4th,
Marion Cropp was place at the bar of the Criminal
Court OF Baltimore county, before Judge Price
Richard }. Cuttings, ESQ.,, States's Attorney, as
sisted by Arthur W. Machen, Esq, appeared for the
State, and VIM. Pinkney White, Esq, for the pris-
oner The trial lasted for eight days. At the close
OF the proceedings the eight day, the case was
given to the Jury who, after absence of fifteen
minutes, returned to the court room with a verdict
On the 18th of January Peter Corrie was arraign
ed at the same bar. VIM. p. Preston ESQ., an
peared as his counsel. The trial was more tedious
than that of Cropp, and lasted eleven DAYS. The
jury were out during one night, when, at the
assembling OF the court the morning of the 26th
of January, they appeared and rendered verdict
of "murder in the first degree
In the cases of both the prisoners the counsel
moved tor new trial. William H. Cowan, Esq
in the case of Marion Cropp, and VIM p. Pres
ton, Esq, in that of Peter Corrie. Judge Price
listened patiently to the arguments in the cases.
and overruled both the motions On Saturday, Jan
uary %, Judge Price pronounced sentence of death
on Marion Cropp and on the 1lth of February
similar sentence was pronounced on Peter Corrie.
Both the condemned men were brought to this CITY
after they had been sentenced, and were confined
In cells in the Jail.
NEGRO CYPRUS.
John Stephens alias Cyphus, NEGRO was con-
victed on the 2sth day of October, of s!murder in
the first degree He was charged with killing n
negro named Wm Henry King, on the night of the
list OF August, in Wagon alley, near Schroeder
to the house of King, and asked that they might
remain there over night, which King refused, when
Cyphus requested King to walk across the street
with him. King complied, and after he reached
the opposite side, without any alteration being
heard or any sound of quarrel, Cyphus plunged
KNIFE into Kings breast, inhicting 4 wound
of which he died almost instantly. Cyphus' trial
preceded that of Henry Gambrill.
THE GOVERNORS INTERPoSITION.
On the 18th day of December Sheriff Dreamer
received from the Governor the death warrants of
Doth, appointing Friday, the eleventh day of Feb
rnary, 1889, as the day of execution
OF Henry Gambrill and John Stephens alias Cy-
phuS: But on the 10th day of that month, the
Sheriff received respite from the Governor Of the
state postPonlng the execution from the llth of
February to the 18th day of March following.
me Governor in that communication to the Sheriff,
after granting the respite, goes on to say:
heard hat ntatin
made to one at least if not both of them, that this
determination by ne to postpone, would give them
some ground of hope for some further DELAY or |
change in the punishment to which they have been
sentenced think 1t proper, therefore, both in |
justice to them and to the course have felt it NV
duty to pursue in these cases. to state to YOU that
the day is now fixed for the execution of the law.
and request that you will make known this de- |
termination to these unfortunate men, that thew |
may at once, without further ill-founded hope of
aeiay or repreve prepare for the change which |
awaits them"
During the interval from the 18th of February
10 the time appointed for the execution, Marion
Cropp and Peter Corrie had both been sentenced
10 death by Judge Price of the Baltimore county |
Court and the judgments transmitted to An |
napolis. On Saturday morning, February 18th. !,
sheriff Dreamer received from the Governor
the death warrant OF Marion Cropp. He immed- |
aely repaired to the Jail, in company with some o
bis officers Deputy States Attorney Pinkney, and
several reporters of the press, and proceeded to
read the warrant to the doomed man. Cropp did |
not show much emotion at the time but maintained |
hat air of indifference which had marked his de-
neanor during the progress of his trial. Before the
company left his cell Mr.. Pinkney said to him
Cropp, did you fire the shot which killed officer
Rigdon?" The prisoner replied--"I did not az
God Is my Judge; another man fred it,"
On the 2lst Of February the warrant for the eye
cutlon OF Peter Corre arrived by the mail from |
Annapolis, and the Sheriff. at u o'clock, in compa
ny with his DEPUTIES, Mr.. Pinkney, and several re
IN fh, i,il
was read to him by Mr.. Dreamer, who smoke kindly |
TO the prisoner and urged upon him the necessity OF
speedily preparing to meet his doom. Corrie re- |
phed that since he had been sentenced he was max
ing the best of his time, but thought that the Gov
ernor had fixed the day of his execution at too ear
y GATE; That taking man from the company and |
associations in which he had been placed.
and not giving him proper time to pre-
pare spiritually to meet his fate, rather
hard. 1t was like breaking mules or young colts
% work. 1t takes some time to tame them down" |
The company then bid farewell to the prisoner who
las, since his confinement been daily engaged list
'ning to the spiritual advice of his conlessor, and
low seems fully prepared to meet his fate.
Friday, the 18th of March, was now the day an
pointed for the quadruple execution, but on We'd |
lesday evening the 10th, Sheriff Dreamer received
rom the Executive of the State letter signifyinr
his intention of further reprievinp the four con-
iemned men. The letter was of the above date and |
ays: SAT the earnest solicitation of the spiritual
advisers and parents of the persons condemned to
ieath on Friday next, who represent them as being
entirely unprepared and beg that further time NAV
De granted them to prepare for their doom. I
ave, therefore, determined to respite the four I'm
ortunate men now in your CUSTODY awaiting exc
,ution, until Friday the Sth of April next
desire that you make known to these unfortunate
men that this extension of time is allowed them for
he purpose of enabling them to prepare to meet
heir solemn fate and that all hope and expectation
u further executive clemency must be entirely
'anished from their minds"
rms reprleye was read to the prisoners upon the
anne evening of its reception, all of whom with
he exception of Cyphus (negro) expressed thanks
Q !he Governor; Cyphus, however, yet asserting
ooked upon the extension of his time upon earth,
IS amounting almost to torture
INGuLAR CoINCIDEECE-FOuR MEN HUNG TOGETHER IN |
1908.
AT the March term Of the Court of Over and Ter
miner and Jail Delivery in the year lSOS-Walter
Dorsey, Esq, Chief Justice, George G. Presbury
nd JOB Smith, Esqs., Associate Justices presiding
daniel Daugherty, VIM. Robinson, VIM Morris
nd Caleb Daughertv, mulatto, were tried for
he murder of George Working, deputy warden
# the Baltimore jail From the record of the
ase, 1t appears that these parties had attempted
n escape from the city Jail on the night of the
4th OF March, 1905. They were detected in the
Ct by Working, who, acting in his capacity as an
hlcer tried to prevent their escape and in so do
~ received wound from knife in the hands
one OF the party, the effects of which produced
eath the next day: Ten persons, including the
for the murder. Shortly afterwards, and
efore coming to trial, five were discharged
here being no evidence against them
he remaining five were tried-Daniel Daurherty,
lillian Robinson, William Morris. and the mulatto
'aleb Daugherty, were found guilty of the crime
y the jury and sentenced to be hung while the
Their man tried for the same offence with them
7as honorably acquitted. The four condemned