The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1861-02-04
CITY INTELLIGENCE.

CITY INTELLIGENCE.
FATAL CASE OF SHooTNG-A WOMAN KILLED BY
HER PARAMOUR.-On Saturday night about eight |
o'clock woman named Wilhelmina Ann Church, |
daughter of expohceman Church, who lives on |
Sterling street, near Monument street, was shot by |
a young man named Harvey l.. Pierce, and died |
almost instantly. The circumstances of the killing
so far as they were ELECTED by the inquest held by
Coroner Hall, as follows: The woman was |
the mistress of Pierce, and for weeks past
they have met daily at house No. 81 East Monu- |
ment street. kept by Mrs. John Rocus, whose hus-
band is now in the penitentiary.
OnSaturday night, the two were alone in the house.
(Mrs. Rocus having gone to the house of Jennie Muir
ply, on st. James street, and Pierce states that he
drew the pistol from his pocket, with no intention
of discharging it. The woman, Church, requested
him to show her how to cock it, which he did, and |
then handed the weapon to her, She examined 1t |
for moment, and then handed it back to him, ana
then turned away, and was walking to another
part of the room, when he, playluy, Jumped to- |
wards her. remarKing, here, this is the way to take
aim and at the same time pulled the trigger. He |
supposes that she returned the pistol to him, cooked
for it discharged, and the ball entered the skull
Just behind the left ear, and lodged in the base CT
the brain. She fell to the floor, and he left the
house for his home, on Ensoy street, near Monu-
ment, when he told his mother and others, that he
had accidentally shot the woman.
He returned to the scene in few minutes, and
on learning that she was dead, appeared much al
fected, and desired to see police officer that he
might give himself up He went again to his
home and sent for policeman, to whom he
delivered himself. The above is the substance of
his statement. There no evidence to corrobO:
rate that part of it up to the shooting. Witness
bore testimony, sustaining the latter part of the
statement The evidence of tie woman Rocus was
in keeping with her character, and was of
ment. The most important witness for the State,
Young man named Hoffman, who lives in the house
adjoining that in which the tragedy was enacted.
He heard the report of the pistol, and on going to
the door he observed Pierce coming out of the door
of No. 81 He appeared uucOncerned and whistIing.
Hoffman heard groans in the house, and in company
with Mrs. Dayy, entered and found the woman
dead.
This witness testified that he heard quarreng
in the house several occasions, and once partic
ularly when Pierce was in the yard attached to the
house, and the deceased was at one of the rear
windows, violent words passed between them and
Pierce swore that he was sorry be had not his pistol
with him, for if he had he would blow cut her id
brains: the woman Church called Price s. of a
b., and dared him to shoot Price started across
the lots from the house, when the woman followed
him and brought him back.
man who gave the name of Smith testified to
having been at the house one hour previous to the
killing and heard the expression this is the treat
ment woman gets for being true to her lover" he
did not hear any quarrelling, and did not know
what caused the woman to use the expression:
Pierce acknowledged that he was in the house
when Smith there, and that he (Pierce) left
because he was displeased that Smith was admitted
to the house. The jury rendered the following
VerulCt:-' Deceased came TO nef ueatn from Dali
accidentally discharged from pistol in the hands
of Harvey l.. Pierce" Coroner Hall accordingly
discharged the prisoner. This jury was liable to
the serious objection of incapacity. With the ex-
cepti0n of two three Of the body they were I'M
fit for the position. Many of the questions asked
the witnesses were absurd, and some of those asked
Mr.. Smith were impertnent in the extreme, and
the witness should have Indignantly refused to an
swer them. "CrOwner's-quest law" will continue
to be the absurdity until intelligent Coroners
are appointed to Office and intelligent jurors are
selected.
FATAL RAILROAD AcCDENT-INQUEsT.-O Satur-
day afternoon about o'clock, the Ellicott
Mills train was coming into the city, it run over
deaf and dumb youth aged about II years, named
Henry Knapp, killing him almost instantly The
accident occurred near the foot OF Scott street,
South Baltimore. The boy, it appears, had been
out to the ice ponds and was walking on the track
when the locomotive struck him. Both arms
cut of by the wheels, and the back part of the
skull was masked in. He was picked up aud
red to the house of his father q Sterrett street.
Yesterday morning Caroner Battee held an inquest
over the body. After hearing the evidence the
jury rendered a verdict that the deceased came to
his death by being run over by a train of cars on
the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad within the limits
of the city, and that the cars were running at the
time at a speed Of from eight to ten miles an hour
TIE LAW GREYs.-On Friday night last the
Zouave corps Of the Law Greys, Captain Thomas
Bowers, gave drill, in presence OF quite a large
number OF invited guests, many of whom were la
dies. in their armory, Metropolitan Hall. But a
few months have elapsed since Capt. Bowers or
paniZed this corps and proficiency and skill have
already been gained which would do credit to vet
erans The exhibition of Friday nightgave evil
dence of much improvement since the public eXhl-
btion in the hall Of the Maryland Institute on the
occasion of the annual ball. Two and three nights
of each week are spent in drill, and the most rigid
discipline is observed After the drill was over on
Friday night the floor was cleared, and the com
pany entered into the dance. 1t was kept up until
after midnight when the company dispersed highly
pleased with the nights entertainment and amuse-
ment.
FRE.-Last night shortly after 10 o'c clock fire
was discovered in the centre building of row OF
three three-story unfinished dwelling houses, stu
ated on the West side of Greenmount avenue, OPP
posite the cemetery. Owing to the distance from
any ire-alarm box, some delay was occasioned in
giving an alarm, which was done from box 62, OPP
posite the pententary. When the Fire Depart
ment arrived on the ground the building in which
the fire originated was nearly entirely burnt out,
and before the flames were extingushed nearly the
entire row was destroyed, owing to the difficulty OF
getting water. The houses were owned by Mr..
Charles r. Taylor, upon which he had carpen-
ters insurance risk, nearly covering the loss which
will be about 81 900. The premises were designedly
fired.
BURGLARIEs.-About o'clock on Saturday morn
ing, the dwellings Nos 500 and 5O4 West Fayette
street respectively occupied by Mr.Thos. Davis and
Mr.. Mortimer Osborn, were burglari0usly entered
and robbed From the house of Mr.. Davis were
taken two overcoats, lot of silver spoons, forks,
&C., and quantity of calico. The thieves stole
from Mr.. Osborn, an oVefcoat anu SHAWL, anu Il lou
of silver-ware. Entrance was effected by cutting
out the stats of a rear window-shutter and pushing
back the fastenings. The thieves got off without
detection.
BALL OF THE JACKSON GUARD.-A grand military
and civil Ball will take place this evening, under
the auspices of the Jackson Guard, in the New As
sembly Rooms. The military balls this winter have
been the most elegant of the kind given for many
wears in this city, and doubt the one to night
will compare favorable with those which have pre-
ceded One great advantage offered by the militia
nv balls of the city, is the that the best
of decorum will prevail. Excellent music will be
provided.
MOVEMENT OF TRooPs.-A company of United
States artillery, from West Point, under command
of Lieutenant Gifin arrived here early on Satur-
day morning by special train from Philadelphia,
and proceeded direct to Washington, They pum-
bered seventy men and four officers They had
with them seventy five horses, ard several pieces
of ordnance.
ISoUEsr.-Coroncr Greentree yesterday morning
held an inquest the body of a male child of
Joseph F. Michael, living at As Boyd street. which
was found dead in the bed lying beside its mother
1t appeared the child in its usual health when
the parents retired for the night. The jury render
ed a verdict of "death from natural causes"
Property SALEs.-On Saturday, j. B. Cannon,
auctioneer, sold at the Merchants Exchange sales
rooms lot of ground, in fee simple, on the South
side of Franklin street, near Park, having front
of 25 feet inches, and depth of 140 feet to 20
foot alley. Improved by a three-story brick build
ing. Purchased by Johnston Bros, for $4,000.
Acknowledgements Sache was arrested on Sat
urday, by officer Chisholm, charged with stealing
lot of hardware valued at Sl.5O, the property OF
Messrs benson & Buck, Light street wharf. JUS
D. haId ity hn rii in nj