Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1875-03-26
Lynch Law in Maryland.

/
Monday night shocking outrage was per-
| peirared in Prince George county, Md. on
the wife of Mr. Edgar A. Nelson by negro
named John Scott, who afterwards shot him
self out Of reporse; WAS arrested and sHbse-
quently, while on his way 10 Jail at Upper
Marlboro was taken by crowd Of citizens,
whites and blacks from lie hands Of his legal
custodian and hanged to a tree. The negro
was employed on the farm Of Mr.. Nelson,
| known as the Motley Hall estate, which Mr..
Nelson, who came from the North, purchased
n few years ago in Prince Gtorge's county,
nearly opposite Alexandria, Va, and seven
miles below Washington city. A similar
case Of this kind occurred some two years ago
for the sumo oiiense.
A Sun correspondent visited the residence
of Mr.. Edgar A Nelson, al Motley Hall, yes
ierday evening, ana ascertained the Facts IN
| relation 10 the lynching To lie us follows : Mr..
Nelson left his home Monday evening for
| Washington intending 10 return next morning
| He left his wife Al home, as also The colored
man, named John Henry Scott The room
occupied by Scott WAS in the lower part OF the
! house. About twelve o'clock on Monday
| night while Mrs Nelson was sleeping he en-
tered her room with lamp 10 his hand She
WAS awakened By the noise and rising mp in
bed asked him what he wanted Al Ibis he
pointed a revolver at her head and informed
her of his purpose. saying that If she refused
he would kill her and her baby, which lay by
her side, " hich is eighteen months Of age.
She tried by every possible effort 10 make him
deSiSt but was unsuccessful. BY main force
holding the revolver in his hand he accom-
plshed his purpose and left The room, leaving
Mrs Nelson in an unconscious state. He re-
Turned to her room about an hour after and
said he intended to kill her child and herself
and then himself as he was tired Of living. rs
his sister had become the mother Of an illegili-
mate child, and that he was disgraced thereby
lie ther told her he intended to outrage her
again, and by the same threats succeeded.
Then leaving the red he said he knew he
would be killed for his acts and hat he would
save her husband The trouble by shooting him
self, which he did, shooting hmselfin the left
breast. Mrs. Nelson, taking advantage OF
this, ran out Of the house in her night-clothes
with her infant in her arms. and informed
neighbor, colored man. residing near by.
This man, named Morris, Immediately ran
TO the house, where he fonnd Scott snlfer-
ing from his wound Mrs. Nelson was unable
TO say anything except that - john shot him
SELF Morris then ran after DR. Bayne who
lives near by, and also Justice r. W. Brooke,
who with DR.. Bayne soon arrived III the house
Towards daylight Mrs Nelson regained her
senses and told what Occurred, when Mr.
The cummi ment OF Scott to Marlboro iail
and depulized Curtis Smith 10 take him
there. Mr.. Smith started with the prisoner
shortly after eight O'clock when he was met
1T the door by n crowd Of al least one hundred
persons, colored and " hite, nll OF whom were
masked They Told Mr. Smith Of their pur-
pose, and took Scott away from him Pac-
ing him on a horse they rode him into II
hollow, When placing new manlla rope about
his neck, one end OF which wss tied to a
black walnut tree they drove the horse awav
leaving bis body swinging in the slarch wind
The crowd hen dispersed quietly The colored
peopein The crowd making arrangements 10
roast his holy. having gone 50 farms to collect
n quantity of wood and brush for that pur-
pose. This, however, was not allowed, aud
The body was lett hanging To the tree II was
cut down about three o clock, and coroner's
iurv summoned, who after hearing all the
evidence, returned verdict Shut the deceased
was hung by persons unknown to the jury"
The body was then placed in coffin ordered
from Alexandria, aud will be buried to-
morrow.
MIR Nelson has resided Mt Motley Hall for
FIVE years, and is greatly respected by all per-
sons, white ana colored in the neighhoih6od
Scott WAS twenty-three years of age, and had
resided with Mr.. Nelson for one year. He
had often been left in the house with Mrs
Nelson, having some months since stayed
there three weeks while Nj Nelson went 10
his home IN Madison county, New York, 10 at
tend the funeral Of his father. Mrs Nelson
last evening was in very nervous condition.
but on Of danger The affair has created the
greatest excitment in The neighborhood. Mr.
Nelson was one of The judges Of election of
Spnlding district, and republican in politics,
and has treated the negro with familiarity =
BaLo Sun.