The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1861-06-12
Special Correspondence Of the Daily Enchange.l
FROM HAGERSTOWN.
Murder of Dewitt Clinton Rench, sc.
HAGERsrowN. June 8. 1861

/
FROM HAGERsTOWN.
Murder of Dewitt Clinton Rench, sc.
! HAGERsTowN, June 8, 1861.
This, one of the most fruitful and beautiful sec
tlons OF Maryland, is about to become the OF
carnage and strife Harpers Ferry is the key oi
| the Valley of Virginia, the Baltimore and Ohio
Railroad and Chesapeake aud Ohio Canal, the cap
ture OF which would open up to Mr.. Lincoln and
General Scott immense facilities in their work OF
suoJugation. That manly and desperate stand
will be made by the Confederate forces at this
| point, Is foregone conclusion; and the approach
OF nifty Thousand federal troops from different
points cannot, and will not, strike into the
brave men who defending their own soil and
their homes from invasion and the pollution of van
| dal hordes. You can rest assured that all rumors
and letters of correspondents the press in regard
10 an evacuation of Harper's Ferry, are without the
| shadow of foundation.
| Gen. Patterson's corps daraee (25OOO men
| nave commenced their march from Chambers
| burg, the advance column reaching within a few
miles OF this place last evening, where they are
now quietly encamped. Captain McMulen's des-
peradoes lead this branch of the army in the march
OF invasion, and are called the ''forlorn hope -
| as tney expect to render their names immortal in
| the storming of the Maryland Heights. | think
they nave been well christened in advance. Cap
! tain McMu'len is in town to-day and is ''swelng"
| very considerably with self-importance. Like Gen
butler, ne is quite vaorous when ''cbock fuil'' of
"the ardent"
| We have second "Jm Lane" in this county,
| in the individual dubbed ''Capt. Kennedy" You
| are aware that the telegraph and letter-writers
| have tor some DAYS past been reporting his won
dertnl exploits at Wiliamsport in the "hOrder war
| fare which is progressing at this point. During
the late skirmish he and his men particularly dis
tlnguished themselves for bravery by "hiding'' in
the canal, firing and "dodging" The band of des-
paradOes uu1pr control Of ia hav
state arms without any show of authority, and
Gov. Hicks should by all means send Col. Pether-
bridge this way to secure the for safe keeping
ABOUT two years since Capt Herr organized a COM
pany and procured the arms now in the possession
of the present parties. His company has been dis
banded for some time. Capt. Kennedy seized the
arms and placing them in the hands of a number of
desperate characters, who live the canal and
have at present nothing TO do, have set the laws at
defiance and are endeavoring to inaugurate civil
war IN their very midst.
Mob law is the order of the day at Williamsport,
and wo be unto the unucky stranger, who upon en-
terIng the town should be suspected OF sympathzing
with the South in this unnatural war fare.
The murder of Dewitt Clinton Rench in this
town (Wiiamsport), on Wednesday evening last
was bv this band OF desperadoes. Young Rench
had gone to town to attend to some business for his
father, and was first murdered and then robbed
yes, bis dead body actually robbed of a gold
watch, pocket-book and papers, and his horse,
which was a valuable one was ridden off to the
federal camp at Chambersburg as ''prize of
war" His va luables were also said to have been
appropriated as ''prizes of war;" The murder is
luStlhed by many of the supporters of the Lincoln
administration in this town as a Hmiltary necessi-
y. NO arrest has been made-not even in
quest. The morning subsequent to the murder,
our Sheriff and States Attorney, drove to Will
transport to institute the proper inquiries, but
came away with "heas in their ears" Indeed, it
is great marvel that the States Attorney, who
insisted that it was the duty of the town Magistrate
to hold an inquest over the body did come
away with bullet in his body, as he very
seriously threatened. The Sheriff has been in
formed who shot Kench, but has made no lrt at
his arrest although ne has the power, and it is also
his sworn duty to do so. No one who has heard
him express himself expects him to do anything of
the kidd
Yankee minister of the gospel, of the Beecher
school residing at Williamsport has written an ar
tlce for the only local paper of the place, over
whlch ne presides as editor, in which he endeyors
10 justify the murder OF this estimabIe Young man.
TO give you idea of the kind of stuff in his com
position, he is frequently found in the bar-r0oms
ana on the corners, assocatng with the most des-
perate characters. One of his chmms heard to
express the wish, i'll presence of the minister that
II ne had the power OF the Supreme Being he would
strike Dead with single thunderbolt, every man |
who was secessonist. The minister smiled at the
blasphemy.
Dams Nos. and 5, of the Chesapeake and Ohio
Canal, were broken the Virginia side of the
river yesterday, by the Virginia troops so that it
VIII be impossible for the canal to naViga-
non. THIS important step was taken to prevent
Lincoln troops from passing down on boats from
Cumberland to attack Harper's Ferry.
The bridge at Shephe rdstown is reported as hav-
ing been burnt yesterday. 1t may be premature,
but am satisfied if not already burnt, it will not
long survive the general wreck.
All the growing crops promise "golden har
vest" The yield in this county never promised
better. Our farmers are already getting ready for
hay making. X.
Especial Correspondence Of the Daily EncAangeI
FROM EARPER'S FERRY.
HARPER's FERRY, June 8.
Fodf5 the Maryland troops, consisting of seven
companies, moV"" their nnsitinn frnr, .ba armnrp
buildings to wooden huts made their special ac-
commodation, and located in Bolivar, one hundred
yards south of the ground occupied by the regi-
ments from Alabama, Tennessee and Mississippi
The Mary land boys are pleased with their new and
acceptable quarters.
Company G, of the Maryland line, has been merged
into the Law Gray Zouaves, lately commanded by
Alex. Cross. This modest and uuassuming gentle
man has transferred his command of captain to
Mr.. Nicholas, who was, up to the time, captain o f
Company g. The Law Grays now number seven
ty-One men, all told.
An eyewitness of the skirmish at PhilIippi tells
me that the Northern troops, numbering some
three thousand, made an onslaught against eight
hundred of the Confederate forces, who resisted the
attack fercely; but, after several Intellectual at
:. ~
fall back, though in good order. The last stand
was held bravey. In the atfray the loss the side
OF the aggressors was seventy, whilst eight men
were killed and wounded on side This is Off
cal, and you may rely upon it. [ shall send you
no current rumors simply, but will obtain informa-
tion from various sources, and strike medium be-
tween them all
report has just reached here that Grafton has
been re-taken by the secession troops. l cannot
vouch for it.
There is strong disposition among oar Alabama
IL IA.
present humiating attitude. The cry is ''to Bal
timore through the Relay House % QUI VIvE.
Correspondence of the Daily Enchangel
The County Court-The Grand .yury--The
Military make their Appearance Asain--A
Home Guard to be Organized--The Annap-
oils Court.
TowsoNrowN, June 1.-THE Magistrates appeals
resumed and the case Of Thomas ). Clayton
Caleb Bishops, commenced yesterday, was con-
cuded and held under c"ria.-Elijah l. Brannan Us.
Robert N. Martin. Judgment atlirmed.-Robert
Campbell Us. James Stephenson. Appeal dismissed.
-Ezabeth Schaetfer Jacob Ellinger. Judg-
meut reversed d.-Thomas hawthorn Us. James
Evans. Continued Jessie and Edward Hoshal
Nicholas H9shall. 0n trial
The removed from the city assigned for
to-day We're postponed, and the witnesses instruc-
ted to attend from day to day.
The recent Grand Jury have indicted a large
number of hotel and ordinary keepers, for selling
without license in this county, and who almost
daily come in court with their license as procured
from the clerk of the court. How this could hap
pen, am at loss to conceive, the clerks IL
cense book, in which the names of those parties are
registered, was, as is the custom, laid before that
body as their guide.
On Sunday last Justice Wm C. Wright, of this
county, held an inquest over the body of John To-
man, which had been found by some fishermen
floating in the water and inferred a small island
near James landing on the Patapsco river. Upon
examination of the body 1t discovered that
two cuts blows inflicted ON the right
temple one the back part of the head and one
Of the dslocated. The jury rendered a verdict
that ''the deceased to bis death BY foul means
the jury" 1t will be remembered that the
night of the 4th of March last an alteration
took place between Lowman and two others named
Casper Krause and Herman Myers, near Chase's
station, the Phadep phia railroad, and a heavy
blow was heard by one of Mr.. Aaron Ahrens' fam-
ly, after which Lowman was never seen or heard of
until found by the fishermen last week. Krause
and Myers were arrested after the atfray, and
are confined in the county, having been in
dicted by the Grand Jury tor assaultng Lowman
with intent to kill, but the dead body being found,
they will doubt be indicted for murder at the
next term.
Yesterday our village was again visited by the
federal troops stationed at ysvile under the
command of Major Hay, of Pennsylvan About
three o'clock =. M. they entered and stopped at
the Towson Hotel, kept by Mr.. Edward H.
Ady, and informed him that they had order
from the Governor for the sabres and revolvers
temporarily loaned the Baltimore County Horse
Guard by the State of Maryland, and that they
were informed that of the members of that
corps had lett their in his possession at the
last drill day, not wishing to take them to their