The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1878-09-28
The Port Deposit Conspiracy,
DIRTY LINEN WASHED IN PUBLIC.
The County Furnishes the Soap.

The Fort DEPOSIT cowhidinr case, in
which eight of the residents Of that town
were indicted for conspiracy To assault
John l.. Oldham OF that place, ON the
2.nd "i February last, and which created
much excitement 1T the time, WAS called
on Wednesday:
DuIIrg the trial the court room was
cr"wdrc: the magnitude of the case the
unusual character of the uifense aud the
eminent counsel engaged III It. all tending
tn create great desire To hear it. The
Toll wing are the Eaincs of the parties in
dIcied Tor conspiracy To commit an assault
upon John l.. Oldham: Lewis Todd. Philip
Nir'ut. john L. Nndolph, VIM. j. Steb-
hIng, Marion Moore aud Edward Boyuton.
some persons, 1t seems, had told VIM H.
h#aGEt that Oldham had been circulating
siai.d"T"uh reports about his sister. and IN
tina; Way induced Knight IL cowhide him.
Others alIrSc that the cowhidIug was the
result of a conspiracy between certain par
ties IN Port Deposit, who were cuemies and
business rivals uf Oldham, to drive him
from that town, and vino induced Knight
tn cowh!de hl:fi, Us before stated 10 effect
The purpose they had in view, namely, To
run him out al the town.
| lac State was represented by Clinton
."'N "'''"1H' Isl, 't.lc Al tnEhcy, ] odu
and Ntrout were defended by lion. A. Evans:
Stebbiug and Moore 10y Albert Ccus, able.
ksq and Boyn;on by Hon. !. \. J. Crcs-
well. Nludolph employed no counsel, but
had the benefit OF those employed by the
other parties.
Early in the case Mr. Constable, counsel
for James r. Miller, who was Jointly ill.,
dIcted with the above parties, moved for a
s"vcrcnce upon the ground that much of
the evidence which would be produced
""uiu not De arplicibie To his case, and
tEat IL wouid Thereby lie prcludiciaI To him.
he seNeTence was granted, and Miller Will
be tired seFaTaiely-It tried at ail,-whIch
depends upon toe result OF the trial of The
other parties. hcreupon Mr.. y. Evans,
Is counsel Tor Todd and Strout; and Mr..
''eS"'''' ''S c""hsei Tor b"ynton, likewise
n."de similar Applications III behalf OF their
G!iehis' "Hich tue Court refused TO grant.
me jury was th.h linpahneird ana sworn.
a. TAU T. NJ, on Wednesday last, the
tii"' commenced when The State Attorney
/ proposed !" SCI the case, so Tar As 1t related
4 tn YIN. IL. hniEht, which was opposed by
vi. Oies"eIi and the other counsel, ON the
ground that IL ieit the ci>e open, ana the
c'"eh0c "''th ol me party, whose case II
WAS proposed TO d'f. might be used against
/ himself and tor that reason he could not
/ ue an uGp''Judiccd witness. Counsel
were beginning I" consult the authorities
/ upon Tie pi"p!iety OF stating the case, when
The Court suggested that tins State Attor-
ucy enter plea "i not guilty III the case of
. Knight, which Was agreed to, and The jury,
under ihe instruction oil the Court, rendered
verdict oil not guilty IA his case. The
inject "i tins was Ia use Knight as a States
( witness, aud lie WAS accordingly summoned
a. snch.
Inc H'a,t Attorney thcn made his
. opening statement ana to!d the jury that
T 'Hc hti"|dAhl> were indicted Tor entering
INTO 4 conspiracy to commit an assault and
battery upon Oldham, and defined the ma
ture al a conspiracy lie stated that Old
/ nam hau started liFfry stable IN the town
. "i Fort Deposit ana thus incurred the dis
pleasure oi the parties indicted for the con-
srIracy, who lad induced knight to com
/ init the assault. That frequent meetings
/ of the cuGsplratnrs Were held and written
communications upon the subject passed
/ between them, and that they induced him
. ~ visit the place where the assault was
] committed.
Hon. y. Evaus then addressed the Court
u and raised the point that the Indictment
/ did not ;uly set forth the ACCOMPLISHMENT
Of the otiec. FOR which the alleged con
/ >riEacy WAS formed. aud that from the de
. iective nature oi the indictment the cnuu-
sci FOR the defense could not dernur 10 it,
which they Otherwise would do The Court,
. however, decided that the point was not
well takc.,. and the STATE called
Wa. hirriH, who testified "A follows
I Was in the billiard room in the second
I story OF MIllcr's hotel PLAYING billiards. on
[ tie nigh; the assault was committed; a
man whom the witness did not know came
- the door aud sad. 4" BOYS. It's all right"
+ went "ui aud went up the street; saw Old.
. ham come down tia, street: saw " iudolph
/ hat him aud cutdr into conversation with
him; SAW Struut aud Todd have hold of
him. aud saw Knight whip him: there was
a crowd At the scene of the whipping when
II commenced, which was about ) or .
. 4" clock T.. Il.
/ N,hry B9cherdiHs testified rs follows
Met knight while going to Miller's hotel;
Knight told him tie was going to cowhide
oldham went on to the hotel and saw
/ hoynton, StcbbInE, Knight, Todd and
Strout IN room on the first floor: heard
Stcboing tel! Knight not 10 shoot Oldham.
hut to whip him ike the devil; witness
tEch went out oil the h"nse Tor about hiteen
minutes returned and went upstairs and
81" boyhtou' whose lace was blacheneh,
ana VINO told him he did not want his
grandmother I" see EIm IN the crowd; WIN
/ ".ph was IN The room; he took the cow
! HiHc ihd HiInci himself on the thiEh aud
remarked: e. Ny God. how 1t stings; wish
!, was over | want I" go meme. lliiam
'i' ''''.' 'A'n ',ooie VIZ ",s' ~
at,'.. - =. ou' " 80 t' '',
'. go 80" " -. pe'''.'s u ''o''' VI
Nm, -'.it' u'.S s.'.o anu saw
60 "' 49, ''t' S'''''' anu "e"'o
o'.,' ~ '',"'tn' ~" 8''"n' anu
80 .'i,., - "'. Vi oui'Si' aoouo
nan -" i.'"'' 'i'e' "'' u.s. 'hin' u'ately AFTER
"ii,1' 'Eiil ""ah !" co" moe hiuh.
D' wa. ms no. 'e'' "a S'' ''a'
,- ~ 81 T r.i,
"' "' ne' Gi'' 'he' VII
80 80 'o n''u - '''" "'i s''AE W COW
"'''e 'iuh"ii,, ana want you 10 come up
"'"cNS 'eF'''u, al iteh'' Will AFTER
""rHe' II, -
mr. ""'. u: L'9Ue was ~ MS stable on
'nt Tt'H'i. u 'ii' T""hI''hs' "hen moore
! ~" h"'Rn' cam" "'"hE "hu tenha'k eu l"
"''" ma, L"'s "eif gong 10 ilue 'iuhaih
on KAN 'ha' E'Eh'' al'ef"atd hau an IN