The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1878-09-21
The Hartenstein Case Again
Mr.. HcG"nigm Indignantly Denies
Mrs. MS Suspicious.
hcGouigal Absent IN Distant part OF the
state NJ The time of the Firo

hcGonigoi Absent IN a Distant part OF the
Htntp NJ The time of the Fro.
7 bnr rcI'icr> "ill doubtless remember that,
IN the issue of Tie Wig of the 10Th Of July
last, we published \ detailed account Of a
diaboiical act TO destroy Gy fire the sleep
ing family Of Peter IIartenstein. who lives
III Delaware, on the old turnpike about
three miles east of this town. The account
81 the burning of their dwelling, as then
published, was furnished us personally by
Mrs. ilartcnstcin. and was given to the
readers of TIE Wig simply as her story,
repeated To our reporter III our presence
aud that Of a number of reputable persons
| Having been influenced in taking the trou.
bic to interview Mrs. Hartensteiu, solely by
consideration for the public welfare, in
view Of the destruction by arson of the
liartcnstein property, we suppressed no
portion of her story, and published it in its
entirety, giving the name of the person
suspected by her as being the perpetrator
Of the crime. Upon this story no edito.
rial opinion was expressed and no comment
made 10y us touching the strength or weak
ness oi the Prescriptions upon which Mrs.
llartcustcin based her suspicious We re-
peated for the public benefit only her story
As She told it, and IN doing 80 had 10 per
sonal interest i'll the matter. nor individual
interests To SubServc. Shortly afterwards
Mr.. McGonIgal, the person suspected by
Mrs. llartenstcIu, came to ElktOn, accom-
panied 10y his counsel. and feeling himself
asgrieyed at the publication of his name in
connection with the Arson. took the pre-
liminary steps towards legal proceedings
/ against The Wig, without however having
learned from us either directly or Indirectly
the circumstances under which we had pub
lished the story and suspicious of Mrs. liar
tenstein. Aad 50 the matter stood until
Friday of last week, when Mr.. NcGOniral
called upon us ~ ,hc Office of Tie Hiig.
At the interview then had, and which, as
is well-kuuwn To the local magistrate upon
whom he had previously called, was solely
Of Mr.. MctIunigal's own seeking, we re.
pea.cd To him what is substantially above
stated. aud assured him that we had pub.
lishcd the story i'll good faith towards the
public, that We had no know ledge of him
personally ut the time of it's publication,
and held ourselves ready to do him any
rcparation in our power, by giving the
greatest publicity to his denial of the I'M
putatlpu cast upon his character by our
publication of the story of Mrs. Harlem
stein. On the following day Saturday
Mr. McGnuigal met us again at the depot
At Newark, Delaware. and informed us
. that he had abandoned his intention Of
proceeding legally against Tie Wing, and
let II Ia our discretion To make such pub
lie statement was due him. This we
now do =, III honor and duty bound, since
We are satisfied from abundant evidence
that Nj. McGnuigal was, on the night of
The burning of Mr. llaItcnSiciu' dwelling
IN distant part OF the State of Delaware
Dover. and further that there is no eyi
drucc connecting him either directly or ill.,
directly with the utierse. In a word we
thus publicly assert our belief that the sus-
piciun entertained by Mrs. Har,enstein was
unioundcd and is an injustice To him, and
which, III view of its PRONUNCIATION by The
Hhi1. II is our prescn; object 10 repair by
this willing publication OF our unrescrved
belief in his innocence of this crime.