The daily gazette., 1875-03-25
Lv,scn La,c TN Maryland.


OUTRAGE ON A LADY By A coLoRED MAN
--PERPETRATIoN OF A SHOCKING CRIME
ON DEFENsELEss woMAN-swIFr RE.
TRIBuTIoN.
(From the Baltimore Sum-
Monday night shocking outrage was
perpetrated in Prince Georges county,
| Md, on the wife of Mr.. Edgar A. Mel
afterwards shot himself out of remorse
was arrested, and subsequently, while on
his way to jail at upper Marlboro was ta-
ken by II crowd OF citizens, whites and
blacks, from the hands of his legal GUS
todian and hanged to tree. The negro
was employed on the farm of Mr.. Nell
son, known as the Motley Hall estate,
which Mr.. Nelson. who came from the
North, purchased few years ago in
Prince Georges county, nearly opposite
Alexandria, Va, and seven miles below
] Washington city. A similar case of this
kind occurred in the same community
some two years ago for the same offense
| A Sun correspondent visited the resi-.
dence of Mr.. Edgar A. Nelson, at Motley
Hall, yesterday evening, and ascertain
ed the facts in relation to the lynching
to be as follows: Mr.. Nelson left home
on Monday evening for Washington, in
tending to return next morning. He
left his wife at 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
Monday night, while Mrs. Nelson was
sleeping, he entered the room with a
lamp in his hand. She was awakened
| by the noise, and rising up in bed asked
him what he wanted. At this he point
ed a revolver at her head and informed
her of his purpose, saying that if she re-
fused he would kill her and her baby,
| which lay by her side and is 18 months
of age. She tried by every possible eff
| fort to make him desist, but was unsuc-
cessful. By main force, holding the re-
volver in his hand. he accomplished 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, as his sistershad become
| IL @ mother of an illegitimate child, and
that he was disgraced thereby. He then
| told her he intended to outrage her again
and by the same threats he succeeded.
Then leaving the bed he said he
knew he would be killed for his acts,
and that he would save her husband
thai trouble by -ooting himself,
which he did, shooting himself in the
left breast Mrs. Nelson, taking ad.
vantage of this, ran out of the house
in her night clothes with her infant in
her arms, and informed q neighbor, a
colored man, residing near by. Tins
Ian, named Morris, Immediately ran
to the house, where he found Scott
suffering from his wound. Mrs. Mel
son was unable to say anything, ex.
cept that "John shot himself" Nor
ris then ran after DIR. Bayre, who
lives near by, and also Justice R.
Walter Brooke, who with DR.. Bayne
soon arrived at the house. Towards
daylight Mrs. Nelson regained hei
senses and told what occurred, when
Mr.. Brooks took her affidavit. He
then ordered the commitment of Scott
to Marlboro Jail, and deputized Cur.
tbs Smith to take him there. Mr.
Smith started with the prisoner short
ly after eight O'Clock, when he was
met at the door by u crowd of at least
one hundred persons, colored and
white, all of whom were masked
They told Mr. Smith of their purpose
and took Scott away from him. Pla
cling him on a horse they rode him in
to hollow, when placing new man
lila rope about his neck, one end OF
which was tied to n black walnut tree
they drove the horse away, leaving
his body swinging in the March wind
The crowd then dispersed quietly, thu
; colored people in the crowd making
arrangements to roast the body, hav
ing gone so far as to collect a quantity
of wood and brush for that purpose
This, however, was not allowed, anC
the body was left hanging to the tree
1t was cut down about three o'clock
and coroner's jury summoned, who
after hearing all the evidence, return
cd verdict "that the deceased wa
hung by persons unknown to thu
jury" The body was then placed il
coffin ordered from Alexandria, an(
will be buried tomorrow.
Mr.. Nelson has resided at Motley
Hall for five years, and is greatly re
spected by all persons, white and col
ored, in the ncighborhood. Scott wa
twenty three years of age, and hat
resided with Mr. Nelson for one year
He had often been left in the houst
with Mrs. Nelson, having some month";
since stayed there three weeks Will,
Mr.. Nelson went to his home in Madi
son county, New York, to attend th'
funeral of his father. Mrs. Nelson
, last evening, was in very nervou
condition, but out of danger. Th
affair has created the greatest excite
ment in the neigborhood. Mr.. Mel
son was one of the judges of election
of Spalding district, and q republican
in politics, and had treated the negr,
with familiarity.