Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1878-06-28
THE GALLOWS.

in April, IT. The execution took place in
the rain at Frederick Costley's narrative Of
the crime is as follows:
''lt was clear, bright morning in the early
spring, on the 4th day of April, 1877. | was
helping Soloman Costley to grub in the gar.
den, my feelings were in accord with surround
ing nature, hope ran high in my bosom and
was soon to break through the trammels of
poverty and become rich in the possession of
my share of the plumber in the Wall ST. jew
elry Robbery. Neither Of US had been saying
much, Soloman being engaged with his work
and busy with my own thoughts, and count
ing the days intervening between that time
and the fifteenth day of May. broke silence
by saying 10 Solomon, 81 must lake that gun
home now that borro we'd yesterday, | sup
pose you can spare me-" Solomon said, "No
Ned, don't go now, wait until after dinner,
| am going to town then and well go togelh.
err. But thought that | ought to take i.
home then, but as Solomon seemed so reuc-
tant TO lei me go | consented to remain until
after dinner. Between two and three o'clock
as we were about TO start, Solomon's wife said
to him, Sol, you must not stay away late, /
will not stay here all alone at night: if you
do, will come to town myself. Then they
had little wrange for about ten minutes, af-
ter which we started for Liberty Solomon
and | were walking side by side, with the
gun over my left shoulder. When we reached
gap in the fence, Solomon said TO me, eve
will go across here, this is a mile nearer" but
objected aud told Solomon would rather
go round by the road, as had low quartered
shoes on and did not want TO spoil them by
running through the swamps and besides, take
a cold by getting my feet. Solomon turned
around and said, You are much afraid of get
ting the oacking rubbed off your shoes. =
We'll, ! said TO Solomon, what is the use to
run through all those country swamps when
we have plenty of time aud can avoid them,
He said, oh come along, Ned, what are you
afraid Of told him Nothing We'll, come
this way and show me that you are not
followed Solomon and went through the gap,
he turned around and asked me If | was going
TO take Louisa Champion to church that night.
said 10 him, You must think that am in a
great deal Of trouble about Louisa, because she
is good looking woman. ! have associated
with her superiors ip every particular, but |
will tell you ! promised to take her to church
tonight, and am going to be as goad as my
word; but you ought not 10 stay to church
to light, Solomon, you know what yeur wife
said to you before we left home-'that she was
not going to stay there by herself "Look
here, Ned said Solomon, it seems to me you
have great deal ofinterest in Georgiana you
appear to defend and justify her on all occa-
sions, | don't like that kind of business,
noticed that ever since you have been in Mary
land well, then, said /, all you have to
do is to say so and | can go elsewhere; am
not beholding to you, as you are man am
with you at your special request; and although
am out of money just now, ] had plenty of
II when | come here, and have had money sen.
to me here; and who got the benefit of it,
your family Solomon. you know it did, SOL
onion made no reply and continued. Il can
get money now, if | wish, but as have made
arrangements for considerable amount, |
might as well wait until the 18th day of May.
When ceased speaking Solomon said, well,
always thought you and Georgianna were a
little too intimate replied, 4 am surprised
that you should be jealous of me, your own
cousin, and | thought you had more respect
for me. ] certainly had for you Solomon
said, This won't do, Ned, ! do not believe
any such stuff as that | said, well then,
Solomon, shall not ask you to believe me
any more No, it's no use, Ned, he replied
q have but one opinion We had now reached
little woods and were rot far from the log
spoken of in my trial, where the body of SOL
ONION was found. Look here, Solomon |
said, i do not want TO quarrel with you but
If you say that have demeaned mysel while
in your house, any other wav than gentle
man, you are a G-D-Liar' As if al
Iicipationg my words he struck me almost be-
fore | was done speaking. was knocked
down by the blow. Sooman being a very
strong man When fell the gun ! suppose
fell eight feet from mo near log, Soloman
jumped on me and commenced to choke me,
struggled to get up and told Solomon to
let me up aud have fair fight lie said,
Let You up hell
lie raised himself to his feet, his hand still on
my throat, and commenced to kick me in the
side, struggled to get up, and Soloman, |
suppose, was afraid that would shoot him.
at any rate, he let 60 his hold and stopped
kicking me aud ran for the gun. Quick as
thought | OWNED his int en,ions, he was no
sooner at the spot where the gun laid than |
was BY his side, we both grabbed the gun to-
gether he grabbed il al or near the hammer
and al the foot OF the stock, kept the muZ-
zle on the ground, he raised The hammer then
found that he would shoot me- ] then
struggled desperately. | tried several times
during the struggle to discharge the gun with
out hurting either one Of us In a stand off
fight think was the best man, but 10
rough and tumble fight, he being the strongest
man Ia better man than was, besides, was
encountered with heavy overcoat. | began
TO think Solomon would get the better of me,
4
and sent him spinning around and tearing my
pants against the log, | fred without raising
the gun to my shoulder-not knowing whet her
it would hit or miss-the fash of the gun
blinded my eyes and Illuminated the woods
Solomon fell TO the ground with groan, and
knew then that the leaden messengers had
completed their errands of death. When
| thought Of the terrible deed had done, hor-
ror stricken AMI appalled, at the sight of
Solomon lying there 10 the last agonies of
death, invountarilv ran down the hill 10
the hollow and there meditated on what had
done. Murder with all it's atrocity was on nv
soul. thought it would not do to remain
there until the 18th of May, and not even re-
main, and write sooner for money. just then
happened TO think Solomon always had
money about him, went back aud took out
OF his pocket twenty dollars; that was all the
money got from him. then went to Lib
erty, and returned the gun and gave thanks
for its use. started out of Liberty for
Frederick, and met two friends and they
asked me 10 treat; told them all right would
stand the drink; we all turned around and
went to Liberty and bought some liquor.
run my hand in my pocket to pay for it, with
out looking, handed the salesman what
supposed was half dollar piece. he told me
that it was not; looked and when | saw il
was an old copper piece, apoogised aud
threw him down silver half dollar. did
not drink, thought had better not, as
drunken men tell some things they should not,
so once more started for Frederick, and saw
Louisa Champion, she called me to her, and
went to the house, and told her that ! was going
to New York, she said, why, thought you
told me that you was not going until the ff.
tenth OF May, you told me you would take
me with you then Neddie. Ihope you are not
going back on your word, besides, yon