Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1877-10-26
LOCAL AFFAIR."
Alleged desperate Assault and

Alleged Desperate Assault ana
Highway Robbery Suspected Suicide -
Ga Sunday moruing last man calling him
self Jacob Smith, Of Gne appearance, with
dark hair, rudy complexion, dark coarse
full suit of whiskers reaching below the chest,
well dressed, about FIVE feet ten inches in
height, and his general makeup gave him
cast Of respectability-was conveyed to this
town from he place where he alleged he had
been shot and robbed near the late residence OF
Wesley Magruder, on the Georgetown and
Rockville turnpike, by Mr.. Hughes, present
occupant of he said deceased S residence, who
applied for and obtained permission from one
of the Trustees to carry the unfortunate man
10 the Aims House Dr.. A. II. Sommers was
summoned without delay to dress the wounds
One shot in the right side Of the head, above
the temple which, on examination, proved TO
have impierced the first and lodged in the
second chamber OF the skull, the other in the
centre of the forehead which only broke the
skin nd rebounded On visit to the Aims
House, on Monday morning, with the Doctor
Smith was found in a warm room in bed with
watery blood was ooziug from the wound
He conversed willingly, though indisinctly
from broken English and sore jaws. In an
swer to the inlerrogatories with respect to his
individual career and the calamity with which
he met few nights previous the following
information and circumstances were gathered
"Ie has no family, German by descent
and had not long been in this country. Was
jeweler by trade and had worked in New
York City and Newark, N. j., didn't want
any of bis friends names Of either city pull
lshed by reason that the establishments that
he had worked in were now closed and it could
not rebound to his Advantage. Came 10 Al
exandria Va, sometime since looking for
work, but did not know any one there. While
in Alexandra received registered letter from
Rockville about fourteen days ago from
friend by the name of Smith, n farm-renter
in the vicinity OF this town, Of the same
nationality but no kin, containing twenty
dollars. The money was sent through pure
friendship. On Saturday last he started from
Alexandria by steamer TO Washington. From
there, coming in this direction, he undertook to
tramp it, but shortly overlook a market wagon
and rode to this town. Did not learn the
name of the owner of the wagon with
whom he rode. Arrived 10 town little he
fore dusk, and could not find his friend,
the purpose for which he came, started again
on his return to Washington city. When
within a distance, something less than an hun
dred yards OF Magruder's place, between the
hours Of eight and nine and a-haf O'Clock,
p ~, he was confronted by two men, one
white and the other colored The white man
was short and stout, and wore heavy, sandy
Inoustache. The negro was low in build he
could describe him in no other particular
His money was demanded by the white man,
ana he denied having any The negro drew
revolver and shot him in the right side Of
the head. he was knocked senseless and
knew notbins Of the other shot or anything
else until an hour afterwards, when be found
he had been robbed Of his gold watch and IF
teen dollars. No one had set been alarmed
by the report Of the pistol. lie went then to
Hughes residence and filled in the attempt to
awaken ANYBODY about the house, but there
remained under lie porch from the weather
until morning, when he related his sad story
Returning TO the srot whore he WAS shot he
found the revolver from which he received the
wounds It was a seven barrel revolver, Two
of which had been discharged lie was fed
and cleansed Of The blood, which gushed from
the wound on his clothing, and brought where
be now ia
The Doctor gave itas his opinion that the
wounds were not fatal.
Many believe that he attempted sucile, and
was frustrated by some unaceountable event
since he has given several contradictory state
ments concerning the circumstances Of The
affair.