The Findlay Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Hancock County, Ohio) 1870-1881, 1878-11-01
Crimson CRIME!!
"BaltiinOre Bili'S" Blasted
Badness.
His Sinful, Straying Soul Sent
Suddenly Skyward,
Meets It's Maker at the MuzzIe of a
DoubIe-BarreIed Shot Gun.
The Uneared for Body. Rough Boxed,
Probably Hustled Under Ground
without Mourner.
The Boy ExecutiOner Released
Without a Trial.
Verbatim Report of Testimony Before
the CorOner-Card from the Prose.
cutting Attorney, Et Caetera-


tragedy which has taken place in this
vicinity within the last six months, the
cause of which can be traced almost
directly 10 that arch enemy of peace and
whiskey The afternoon
previous to the above date the we'll
known desperado, William Burroughs,
or Baltimore Bill as he was more fire.
quently called was released from Jail,
where he had been incarcerated for as
sault and battery. He had been indie
ted for assault with intent to kill, but
when the case came to trial Mrs. Corbin
the prosecuting witness, failed to appear
against him and he was allowed to plead
guilty of assault and battery, for which
he was imprisoned ten days in the
county Jail. Immediately upon being
released from Jail he proceeded to get
crazy drunk. About eight or nine
o'clock in the evening he went to Mrs.
Corbin's house, and from that time on
he abused, followed and threatened her
until her son, Francis NJ. Blair, goaded
by desperation and fear for his own and
mothers life, fired the fatal shot which
so hurriedly ushered the soul of the
poor, misguided, dissolute wretch, with
out a seconds preparation. into the pre-
sence of it's Creator and Judge.
Baltimore Bill" was mere boy in
years (being only twenty-four years Of
age according to his own story but old
il immortality and crime. For over a
year past, when not in prison, he has
lived, or boarded" as she says, with
Mrs. Sarah A. Corbin, who is supposed
to have been his mistress. He has fire.
quently appeared in the Police Court
for various misdemeanors which have
occurred at this woman's house and
elsewhere, and has threatened the lives
of others besides Mrs Corbin and her
son.
Mrs. Sarah A. Corbin is woman of
I
perhaps thirty FIVE, and is as we'll known
as Baltimore Bill himself was. She
says she has been married three times,
first to a man named Blair, then to
WilliGm Corbin, and lastly to his half
brother Thomas Corbin. From neither
Of these three men has she ever had q
divorce. and we believe they are all liv
ing.
Below will be found verbatim report
of the testimony given before the Coro
ner TUESDAY last. The witnesses were
called and sworn in the order given.
Mrs. Sarah Corbin.-William Bur
roughs first came to my front door op
South side of house on West Crawford
street in Findlay, Hancock county,
Ohio, about s to 9 o'clock in the even
ing of the 2Sth day of October, 1878.
| Was abed when he came / asked
who is there He said frie nd. / said
no one can get in here and he said let
me in or will break in. 1 told him
tC go to the back door. He went to
the back door and as / opened it he
pressed himself right in. After he got
in he said now | have just got you
where l want TO. You had me before
the CRATES and now | am free and will
show you what / can do. He then
caught hold of me and threw me back
on the bed and said to me now Kate l
will murder you and drew a revolver
out of his pocket. l said don't Bur
rougbs l reprieved you from the peni-
tentiary and don't use me So He said
just let NE talk minute with you SO
you car prepare yourself for Heaven.
| said will SET on chair and talk
with you as long as you talk with
reason. | sat down on a chair and he
few up and got mad and / said Bur
roughs | am not mad. Let NE get
ont and 90 up to the stable and will
get money aud go away and you can
stay here dressed and went cd to
VIM. Messengers stable and he follow
ed. l told Francis Blair, my son, 7
wanted S5 as wanted to go away as
Burroughs was abusing me. Bur
roughs made all kinds of threats while
there in the presence of Francis, Viii
lie Messenger aud John Abrams.
Fraucis went out into the stable sepa-
rate from the Office and 1 went out and
talked with him. Francis and I walked
to the Office door and heard him say
| will fix her aud her son before day
light. went into Office at stable with
Francis. Night watch came shortly
after. He was abusing me all this time
in the Office Night watch, Philip
Eckert, said TO Burroughs you can't
stay in the stable and you must get out
OF here. Night watch took him out
and brought him to Elmes' corner. 1
told Francis to come down with me as
I was afraid of Burroughs. told him
to go and get his shot gun and bring It
down as Burroughs had been abusing
ne so much, and If he did not behave
himself there was a way to make bim
behave. guess he (F. had shot gun in
stable. He went out of the office then
and got it. l don't know where be got
it. John Abrams and Willie Messenger
were then preeent. We then came
home. Francis did not come all the
way with me. told Francis to stay
back and Francis stepped with his gun
at the coal house at corner of Shaler's
store. / came to Elmes' corner. Eek
ert and Burroughs were standing there
together. Eckert told Burroughs to
stand there and he would take me
home. Burroughs said he wouldn't do |
it. said be was going along, too. Bur
roughs came aloag with me and Eckert. |
l told him l would go and get his |
clothes up stairs and he should stay |
down stairs. He said no will 90 and |
get them myself and he commenced |
cursing and swearing around here. I,
picked up the lamp. started up stairs
and he followed. got bis vest and he
then caught me and said Kate, l will
choke you to death right here. L
jerked away and came down stairs.
He came down and put on his vest and
he cursed and damned and went on to
Mr. Eckert about me. Eckert told
him to get ready and come and get out
of here. He said he wouldn't go until
he took that chrome picture on the
wall. Eckert took hold of him anG
jerked him out of doors. They went
away together. He came back in ten
or fifteen minutes and he came to front
door again. He said a friend and l
said waat friend. l told him to leave
door or would nse rough means with
him. l said / won't open door for you,
go away, 60 quietly. He said If did
not open up he would kick door in.
de gave door a kick. He said If hi
would let him in he would behave II
himself, ne woni19't do any harm. Ill
let him in. After be got in be sat
down. He commenced abusing me II
with his tongue. He sat here about ami Z
hour and abused me. / started ND al {
nre In the stove. He said he was dry q
and L told him no water here. I told G