The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1874-08-14

ATTEMPT TO BREAK JAIL.-Last Satur-
day night three prisoners, Dorsey, Williams,
and Jackson, made strong effort to break
JAIL but were discovered in time to Illustrate
their schemes. An unusual noise was heard
in the Jail, shortly after dark, and upon the
Sheriff going in the prisoners were heard
scamperng to their cells, and they were
found snugly ensconced in their beds, appar-
emily asleep. Upon examination, however,
it was found that Dorsey and Williams the
colorcd men charged with the murder of
Steve Wallace, at Aberdeen, a few weeks ago,
had broken through the ceiling of their cell,
which was on the lower floor and had gain
ed acct ~ To the cell above. in which a white
man named Jackson was confined. The three
then endcav0rcl to wrench the bar from the
door of the cell, which would have limited
them into the passage whence they might
have broken through the wall and escaped
Their designs were frustrated by The timely
arrival of the Sheriff. The ceiling ioists of
tile cell in which Dorsey and Williams were
Kept, are so rotten that pieces can easily I've
paled off with the hand. Some former mi on
res, it is stated, had made hole in The cei'-
ing, which had never been repaired, and these
men only enlarged the opening. The only
tools they had to work with were railroad
spike and pair Of old scissors.
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THE MURDER OF MIR. j. w. Ross IN VIR.
GtNIA.-We gave. last week, a short account
OFT murder of Mr.. J, w. Ross, formerly
OF this county, which occurred in Middle.
SEX county, Va, ON the 18th of July hst.-
Mr.. Robert Ross, brother of the murdered
man, has recently retired from Virginia, and
furnishes some additional particulars in rea-
ton to the tragedy. Mr.. Ross states that his
brother was engaged in oysterng, and had
large beds planted in the Rappahannock
river. Being much annoyed by persons
stealing his oysters lie watched the beds at
night, and discovered n man named Fisher
with some companions, taking them. Ac-
cordingly on the morning of the 10Th of July
he went to IL neighbours to borrow horse to
carry him to Saluda, the county for
the purpose of lodging information against
Fisher and his party. On his way home,
while walking along n path bordcred by
thick bushes, he was fired at from ambush, n
load of buckshot piercing his heart Living
in n secluded spot, he was not missed by his
neighbors Three days after his death, some
boys who were fishing discovered the body,
and it was brought ashore. 1t had been dis
embowclcd, to prevent it from rising to
the surface, but the water was too shallow
to entirely conceal it. Suspicion of the muir
der fell mt once upon Fishcrand man named
Wallace, who with three negroes, former
slaves of Fisher, were arrested. One of the
negroes turned States evidence, and while
denying having any hand in the murder,
acknowledged that Fisher had paid him So
to assist in carrying the body to the river.
! The negro, upon cross examination, told
that Fisher hid himself in II thicket, and cut
away the bushes sufficiently la take aim ut
his victim rs he passed along the road only u
few steps off. Ross, when the fatal shot was
fired died instantly. He is supposed to have
had II considerably quantity of money, and
was robbed of everything before his body
was thrown into the river.
uAvRE DE GRACE AFFAIRs.-The town
/ Commissioners of Havre de Grace have ap-
/ pointed Messrs. Thomas Nj. Sumption and
William +. Woodhouse TO make II new as
seSsment of the property of that town.
The Town Commissioners have passed
an ordinance fOrbidding goats 10 run at large
/ in the streets after September list, 1874.