The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1874-10-16
A Brutal Murder i'm Hartford County.

OF TIE AFFAIR.
One Of the most horrible and brutal murders
that has ever occurred in the State of Maryland
was perpetrated on Monday morning in Hartford
county. about three miles from Aberdeen station
on the Philadelphia, Wilmington and Baltimore
railroad, and about thirty-two miles from Bali-
more, the victim being Miss Susan Taylor UNI
married, of means, and about 4S years of aye.
She was killed within few yards of her resi-
dence, in broad daylight, by colored man
named Joshua Griffin, armed with u club, who
knocked her down after great resistance on her
part and beat in her skull, after which her body
was thrown into cattle stall, at the end of the
barn, and the house ransacked for plumber
Joshua Griffin, the accused murderer, is about
twenty-three years of age.
After an exciting pursuit and near es-
cape from lynehing, he was arrested, charged
with the commission of the deed and lodged in
the county Jail at Bel Air.
THE TAYLOR FAMILY.
Miss Taylor was the daughter of JAS. TAYLOR
and the sister of Mr.. Henry l.. Taylor, large
land owner of Hartford county. Among the col
ored people Miss Susan Taylor was reputcd to
have large amounts of gold seereted about her
house. She lived with her brother, Joseph Tay-
lor, 3 miles from Aberdeen, on the Neck road
two children, Fanny and jeff, orphans Of de-
ceased brother, james, living with them. The
accused was taken when an infant from his
mother in the county Jail, and raised by Miss
Taylor He had lived on the place until Il
year ago, when bad habits carried him away.
He is a short, slender, but muscular, very black
and rcpulsivc looking fellow. Grinn's mother
lives short distance from Mr.. Tuylor'S.
THE MURDER AND ITS DISCOVERY
The murder, it is supposed, occurred between
the hours of and O'Clock in the morning
Mr. Joseph Taylor had gone out to work with
the hands in the field after breakfast. which was
served ut G19 A. NJ. The children, Fanny, aged
twelve, and jeff, aged fifteen years, were gone
to school some distance off.
AT about half past ten O'Clock VIM. johnson, a
..l.,r.1
place, at Pcton Hill, Bush River Neck, came
to the house where Miss Taylor lived having
been engaged to do some work there that day
Passing the barn, lie saw the body of Miss Tay
lor, lying in the cattle stall referred to, which
adjoins the cattle yard. Her clothing was
greatly disarlangcd, her head cut and mashed ey-
identity with a club, and there were marks of fin
gers on the murdered woman's throat The ev.
licences OF terrible struggle were seen in the
cattle yard, about twenty yards from where the
body was found.
Miss Taylor had gone to the yard to milk the
cows, and it is conjecturcd that she was there
attacked by the negro, who first choked her, and
failing to kill her in that way he beat her cruel.
~ overt the head with rung, about six feet in
length, taken from cattle rack in he yard Sue
cccding at last in killing her, he dragged her by
the feet across the Intervening space to the place
where johnson discovered the body. The posi-
ton of the body, the disposition of her clothing
and the marks on the ground clearly show that
he did this.
johnson, upon discovering the body, drew il
out, found it was yet warm, and started to alarm
Joseph Taylor and the farmers whom he had
passed in Il distant field. lie quickly returned
with two of Miss Tuylor's brothers, Henry and
Joseph Taylor
The doors of the house were found locked,
and upon examining the person of the murdered
woman to find the keys the pockets in her
dress were discovered turned inside out
Upon going to the door of the house, Griffin
was met, in the act of coming out The MUIR
derer drew back and locked the door in their
faces
ESCAPE AND PURSUIT.
Al this juucture Il window in the second story
at the rear was raised, and Joshua Griffin was
seen to step out to the roof of the yerauda and
lcapto the ground, distance of over twelve
feet, and ran to the woods, pursued by the MUIR
dcred womans brother and several farm hands
In the woods he was lost sight Of and the party
returned to the house, and from thence went to
Aberdeen, where the alarm was given and every
available man started to scour the county,
Some were on horseback and some on foot and
dividing into squads they went in various dircc-
tions. 1t was believed that tile murderer would
endeayor TO reach some station on the railroad
below, and kilograms were sent to every place
About noon Marshal Gray received Il telegraph
despatch in Baltimore describing the accused,
anu the sergeants OF police in this city and the
iull force of detectives were Immediately order
cd TO watch the dcpots and turnpike roads.
THE ARREST.
ADonl hall-past two O'Clock Monday after
noon number of countrymcn discovered Grit
fin in the woods near the bay Shore and gave
chase. They ran him along the neck road to-
ward Aberdeen, when at Il point about one mile
from the scene of the tragedy he was again lost
sight OF, but was subsequently found, and ar
rested by Constable Sunderland. who took him
to Aberdeen. When arrested he had, it is al.
legged, changed his clothing, and under the bed
up stairs, in his mothers house, was found a
shirt and coat, each marked with blood in
several places. He could give no account of
himself, but denied having done the deed or
jumped from the window.
THREATS OF LYNCHISG.
At Aberdeen the greatest excitement pre-
vailed, and it was with the utmost difficulty the
constable could retain possess ion of his pris.
oner, A rope was produced, and shouts Of
"hang him, "lynch him." and ''kill the muir
dcrcr," were frequent
THE CORoNER's VERDICT.
Squire George Harris, coroner, summoned
jury of inquest, of which John james, propric-
tor of the hotel at Aberdeen, was foreman, and
at which Henry l.. Taylor, Joseph Taylor, Mary
Taylor, Fanny ana JEFF Taylor, VIM johnson,
colored, and james Michael, Il storekccper,
among Others, testified.
DR.. Freeman testified TO the wounds on the
deceased, stating that her skull was mashed in
III several places, and that there were fearful
bruises on her right shoulder and left arm, re
eeivcd probably in walding Off blows. DR..
Freeman had also discovered several dcep, fresh
scratches on the face ofthe accused.
The summary of facts indicated by the testi-
mony was that the accused had beaten Miss
Taylor to death, and that she had fought cx.
tremely hard for her life.
After hearing all the testimony the Jury rem
dercd verdict that 'Susan TAYLOR came to her
death by blows on the head from club in the
hands of Joshua Griffin, colored."
THE BLOODY CLUB.
Among the evidences before the jury was u
thick club of sweet gum wood, which had been
six feet long. This was found in the barn
broken III twelve pieces, on each of which there
were clots of blood. The way in which the club
was broken would indicate that it was first bro.
ken in half over the lady's head, and then one
of the broken halves taken up and broken in
portions at the top with each successive blow
From the barn to the cattle stall, where the
body was found, the ground was marked, show.
ms the path oyer which the body of the murder
cd woman was dragged.
OBJECT OF THE DEED.
1t was developed at the inquest that the ac-
cused had taken the keys from Miss Laylor's
pocket, opened the front door and locked him
self in. An examination of the house showed
that several doors had been broken open aud
bureaus and closets ransacked, and it is alleged
THAT over $500 in gold and currency contained |
IN Miss Iaylor's room was taken. Mr.. Joseph |
Taylor had considerable amount of money
hidden, 1t was stated, in the cellar, but that it
was not disturbed. They were accustomed to |
keep unusually large sums of money on their
premises
TAKEN TO JAIL.
AT the conclusion of the verdict the accused |
was handcuiled, and conveyed to the Jail at Bel |
Air. Miss Taylor, the murdered lady, was very
kindly in her disposition and much esteemed.
She was tall and robust weighing over two hum
dred and twenty pounds, and must have fought
desperately with her murderer.
The funeral Of Miss Taylor took place
on Tuesday afternoon.
The above account is mainly from the Balti-
more SIN, but we are indebted, for some i'm
portant corrections, to Deputy Sheriff Cairncs,
who with j. T. q. Hopkins Esq, States At