Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1877-06-30
UnrayeIing a Murder Mystery.


AND CONFESSION OF TIE MURDERER,
ETC.
Especial Dispatch to the Baltimore SUM-
HAGERsrowN, MD, June 25, 1871
Ever since the discovery OH the lst OF
June inst, of the body of Rev. John NJ.
Friday in the canal near Harpers Fer
nv. the citizens of Western Maryland
and Virginia have been greatly utter
ested in the discovery of the perpetra-
tor of the murder. Mr.. Friday was the
pastor of the Lutheran Church at Har-
per's Ferry. He had crossed over from
the Ferry to Maryland OIL the evening
of May 3lst to perform marriage cere-
mouy, and not returning to his friends
during the night, search was instituted
and the body was found in the canal.
a coroner's verdict was to the effect
that the drowning was accidental, but
there were suspicious Of foul play from
the first. These suspicious have been
daily strengthening into certainty, and
now one of two parties arrested at
Sandy Hook on Friday, 22d inst, has
confessed to participation in the death
of the clergyman.
Careful examination of the corpse on
June I'd disclosed the effects of several
blows on the head. 1t was believed
that the victim had been knocked sense
less before he fell into the water, as his
left hand was found as he was wont to
carry it when walking, slightly wrapped
| in his watch chain. 1t was believed
that if he had stumbled into the water
accidentally his hands would have been
thrown out, and besides, the water was
only four feet deep. The scene of the
occurrence was a lonely road, in a
neighborhood frequented by roughs and
tramps who hi ght desire to evade the
laws of West Virginia by crossing the
line into Maryland.
AS heretofore stated in The Sun,
which was the first paper to publish
anything in regard to the tragedy, the
minister went to this secluded place at
the earnest solicitation of a gentleman
from Halltown, West Va, who desired
to be married and the fact kept secret
for short time. AT his request, too,
Mr.. Friday remained behind fifteen
minutes after the ceremony, in order
that no suspicion might be awakened by
being seen in his company.
Mr.. Friday was much beloved. lie
was man of fine abilities, graduate
of the Pennsylvania College, Gettys~
burg, and entered the ministry in 1872.
Mention was made in letter to The
Sun yesterday from Hagerstown that
James Gardner and J. w. Grove had
been arrested on Friday night, 22d
inst, near Sandy Hook, on suspicion
of having caused the death of Mr.. Fri
day. The accused are now in Hagers-
town Jail, committed for hearing on
Wednesday. The case was worked up
by the Independent detective firm of
Smith 81 West, of Baltimore, who had
a man in the neighborhood for nearly
two weeks, associating daily with Gard
ner and Grove.
The arrest was made on Friday, be-
tween ten and twelve o'clock, by Depu-
ty Sheriff John Leggett, of Washington
county, snd detective d. Pinkney West,
of Baltimore. The man who had been
associated with them in the interest OF
the detectives was also arrested on
trumped up charge of being wanted by
the Pennsylvania authorities. The de-
coy was informed, in the presence of
the real prisoners, that he could remain
in the sheriffTs office until requisition,
which was expected for him by one
o'clock. When one o'clock came and
the requisiton did not arrive he went
around to the Jail and was put in cell
with Gardner. The prisoners were in
formed that the requisition had failed
to come. The decoy spent Saturday
afternoon and part of Sunday with
Gardner, who confessed to him. lie
said that Grove aud himself crossed the
bridge from Harper's Ferry Thursday
night and went to Sandy Hook, where
they stole some onions from MIR. Barn
hart. Coming up the railroad they
were about to pass Mr.. Reeds house
when they separated, not wishing to be
seen together. Gardner says he went
ahead ND Grove followed, with the
onions in bag over his shoulder
They met Rev. Mr. Friday standing on
the railroad track near the canal, look
ing into the water.
Gardner says he passed by the clergy
man, and Grove came up TO him and
struck him with the bag of onions,
knocking him into the canal. When
Grove rejoined him he asked his com
panion who it was that had been stand
ing there. Grove replied he did not
know, but he was gone. They both
then ran towards Harper's Ferry. Gard
ner and Grove have retained Mr.. Geo.
Freauer as their counsel. The investi-
cation Oh Wednesday morning before
Justice r. Z. Cook, it is expected, will
develop some additional details.
1t is supposed that neither Of the
murders had any intention of knocking
Mr.. Friday into the canal, which, in
deed, defeated their object of plumber,
and finding that he had been killed they
quickly ran away to Harper's Ferry.
Gardner is said to be native of
Washington county and Grove of Vir-
ginia. Both lived in the vicinity of the
affair. Grove is man of family, abou.
fifty years old. Gardner is unmarried
and about forty years old. The reputa-
ton of the men has been bad for some
time. Grove was confined at Hagers-