The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1871-01-21

THE PERRY COUNTY MURDER.-The trial of
Thomas ]. Boyer for the murder of his father,
mother, sister and brother, in Perry county, on
Saturday morning December Sd, 1870, began at
New Bloomfield, before his Honor Judge Graham,
on Wednesday last The prisoner, who resides in
New Bloomfield, staid at his fathers house,
several miles from New Bloomfield, on the night
of December, I'd, and before day on the fol-
lowing morning the house was consumed by fire,
Thomas ]. Boyer only escaping--all the other
members of the family being burned. The MEM
bers of the family were seen lying in their beds,
in room on the first floor, before the fire reach
ed them; though the smoke and flames prevented
those in the outside from rescuing them, and the
most peculiar circumstance of the case is that the
inmates of that room lay perfectly motonless and
apparently insensibe Notwithstanding all the eff
forts to arouse them. This gave rise to the sus-
pcion that they were under some Supplying in
fluence and that some narcotic had been ad-
minisered to them by the incendiary before the
house was set on fire.
John Rouse occasionally attended the medical
office of DR.. Ard, in New Bloomfield. Thomas
j. Boyer lived directly opposite the doctors Of
fee, and on Saturday November Goth came to
the Office and asked what the contents of GER
tain bottle were. He was told it was chloroform.
Boyer then said "That will put man to sleep,
wont tP' and Bouse answered, "Yes, and if you
take enough, it would kill you" Mrs. David
Clark testified that on the Friday following
Thanksgiving day she went into DR.. Ards office,
and there found Boyer alone. DR.. Ard testified
that he was absent from home the evening Of
Thanksgiving day until the Tuesday following;
on Wednesday evening November 30th, he FIRST
looked for his chloroform bottle, and did not
find it. He visited Boyer in prison. Boyer said:
tDoc, You are my friend amt you 2" Ard said
ttCertainlv | am and ALWAYS have been ~ he
then said "Come and take seat alongside of
me-" Che was sitting on the bed j Ard took a
seat alongside of him he then said "Could
you not replace that 2 Tor bottle, dom know
which word J that is the only thing that will
save me if send to Philadelphia for physi-
clan it will cost me $500, and l would sooner
give that to you; l will give that to you if you
replace the bottle or have some one to do it,
Ard said to him, "Tom, are you not aware of the
weight of the crime would be committing
would have to get up in court and identity the
same" Then he remarked, every good that is
all that will save me; | will give you $50 cash
and $50 per month until it is paid !" he then
went on persuading Ard in the strongest Ian
guage, and Ard then got up and walked out =
and as he was going out said, Il will consider
the matter; !" Boyer remarked, as Ard was leav-
ing the room, "For Gods sake don't say any
thing about this ~
These are nearly all the important facts in the
case. 1t was submitted to the jury at ten o'clock
on Monday evening and at twenty minutes
after one the jury returned with verdict of &C
quittal. This verdict seemed to meet the ap-
prevail of the court, the members of the bar and
the public generally, for while the circumstances
were such as to throw strong suspicion upon
Boyer, the evidence was not sufficient to justify
a verdict of guilty York True Democrat.