Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1869-08-28

Ii. Clay Reed, oil Sandy hoo"' a"u
placed in The Hagersiown Jail Tor trial.
which took place at The August term. re-
suI,ins in the acqui.lal of Johnson. be
lowing was the testimony in the case
taken from the Hagersto"n Herald:
State of Maryland VS.. James Johnson
colo charged with the murder oil ii. Clay
Reed.
On the night of the ls' OF May Of the
presen, yeartWo boats were coming Gown
the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal, in the
vicinity of the Big Pool, the one in front
under the command Of II. Clay Reed, the
other under the command Of Peter Moose.
Reed was walking on the tow path drlv-
ing his team consisting Of one horse and
QUE mule. Moses boat was drawn by
four mules which we're driven by two
colored boys, the older aged about 10,
and named James johnson, the younger,
aged Is and named Henry Johnson.
Capt. Moose having the strongest team
ordered his drivers 10 pass Reeds boat.
There appears 10 be sort of custom on
The canal that slow boat must make way
for faster boat, and that the tow line
must be dropped to allow the boat to pass.
When the two boats were nearly over
tapping each other the teams stopped and
there was wranglc between the drivers.
Nobody saw anything of this difficulty,
except the deceased, the prisoner. and
prisoners brother, who could not be
found. Milton Ward, who was steers.
man on Reeds boat, testified that Reed
called him TO come 10 his assistance,
"that both niggers were on him." The
boat being too far from the tow-palh for
him to reach The land by jumping, he did
not 90. Moose testified that he also
heard Reed call TO Ward to come and
help him, but at the same time his driver,
James Johnson, (lhe prsoner) called TO
him TO come and drive the team himself,
that Reed was after him and his brother,
aud ,hey were going to leave, they were
afraid Of him. The boys ran away, and
Moose went on the tow.palh and drove
his team himself. In mean time he pass.
ed Reeds boat. The two colored boys
ian down the bank and disappeared.
Abou, mile from this place the boys
came to Capt. Moose as he was driving
along the tow-palh, and told him that
Reed was after them, and that he said be
was going TO kill them. Moose tod the
boys that Reed was only joking, that he
had no intention OF killing them, and in
sisted that they should take their teams
and drive along as usual and Reed would
not modest them. They, however, again
took fright aud ran away and Moose saw
nothing more Of them until he came 10
Four Locks, about or miles from
where the frs, difficulty took place, 1t
was then between three and four o'clock
in the morning. At the second lock, Reed
came forward 10 Capt. Moses boat. He
had pistol in one hand and club IN the
other. He asked Moose where the mig
gers" were. AT the third lock the boys
returned TO The boat. Two OF the mules
were detached from the team, and put in
the boat. The youngest colored boy
was ordered 10 drive the team NOW re-
duced to two nules.) Capt Moose told
James Johnson (lhe prisoner) that be had
better stay on the boa, as Reed was after
him, and might hurt him. The negro
boy wen, into the boat with The mules
and in minute or two Reed again aP-
peared. Moose did not see him have
pistol in his band, although lie had club
He ssked for the "ngger" and said he
was going to kill him. He said the mig
ger" had called him son Of a 6-h, snd
he would have revenge if he was 10 die
for i, himself, man nigh. as well die
one time as another. Moose told him he
did not want him 10 raise any "trSe" and
that he had better not go on the boat
Reed stepped on to the boat and Moose
saw nothing more uptil the prisoner came
running from the boat and said "he had
killed Reed as dead as the Devil" Moose
wen, to the boat and saw Reed lying be-
tween the boat and the wall Of the lock
where he had been stamped in. He male
the prisoner help TO lift him up and laid
him on the wall. Moose then started
back for Mr.. Knowl, his steersman, who
had got off the boat 10 look for dog that
had Jumped ashore. He said that after
he bad gone ten yards, he Saw the prise
ner take something that looked like a
large stone and strike Reed four or .fue
times in the head as he lag on the acaH.
He said nothing and made go efor. 10
prevent il.
Dr.. Perry was sen, for, who dressed
Reeds wounds and he was taken 10 hIs
fathers house near Sandy Hook. DR..
o. Donnel Of Harper's Ferry testified
that he attended Reed Until his death,
which occurred about six weeks after he
had received the blows on his head. lie
said that there were three or four princl.
pal wounds on the top and back part OF
the head and a number Of small cuts.
The cuts had been dressed before he saw
them and he did not interfere with them.
There was a fracture on the back part OF
the skull which had been made with a
blum, instrument. DR.. Weistl had exam
ined the wounds OF deceased when he
was brought TO Williamson, on the after
noon OF the dav lie was struck. He said
there were two GUS OH the top OF The head
which had already been dressed, and
confession on the back part Of the skull.
but he could not see that the skull was
fractured. The wound was very much
swollen.
Johnson gave himself up and was COM