The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1879-12-19
A Remarkable Case.

hemufkuDle Ease.
The trial of William Lloyd, negro, charged
with the murder of Elmer Redefer, white, in
August last, near the line of the Philadelphia,
Wilmington and Baltimore Railroad, in this
county, terminated on Saturday last in YER
dict of acquittal The case presented some
singular facts, as developed in the testimony.
A letter was found upon the person of the
deceased, addressed to his sister, who resides
in Cecil county, declaring his intention to
take his own life. This letter was identified
by the brother-in-law of Redefer to be in his
own handwriting. Upon this and other evil
dence adduced before them the coroner's jury
returned verdict of suicide in the case.
Suspicion afterwards attached to Lloyd and
white fellow tramp, named Sullivan, with
whom he was in company on the day of the
death of Redefer as being the murderers, and
they were arrested, on the following day, at
or near Back River bridge on the line of the
railroad, in Baltimore county. Upon their
arrest Lloyd charged that Sullivan did the
killing and he would prove it. Subsequently
in Baltimore city, whittier they had been Ia
ken, Lloyd confessed that he was the guilty
party and had shot the man, Rcdcfrr This
confession was repeated again at Edgcwood,
on the following day, and still again to the
brother of Redefer, who visited the prison
after he was brought to Bel Air and incarce-
rated in Jail here. 1t appeared, however,
that on the evening of the occurrence Lloyd
had stopped to rest at Chase's Station. Here
he was informed that man had been shot,
up the line of the railroad This was about
three and a-half hours after the finding of
Redefer by the conductor of freight train,
who first discovered him lying on the ground
near Bush River bridge, and took him to
Perrymansville, where he died some hours
afterwards Redcfer was unconscious from
the time he was found by the conductor until
his death. He walked about the station
house, however, before he died The wound
was inflicted with small pistol shot, neal
the right temple in the head.
1t was conceded at the trial that the comics.
\sions of Lloyd constituted the only ground
upon which he could be convicted 1t was
70 argued in his behalf that the confession
aicide found upon Redefer's body was en-
.ded to equal or superior weight, and the
jury acquitted the prisoner.
A pocket book containing small amount
of money, together with the aforementioned
letter, was found on Redefers person, and
also small pistol cartridge, but no trace o.
the pistol itself has been found.
Lloyd, in his confessions, told different sto
ries of the pistol and also professed to have
robbed the body of Rcdefer of small amount
of money. These, he said at first, he had
hidden in a pile of cross-tics, but on search
his statement was proved false. He then de
clarcd he had thrown them into the river.
The case was assuredly curious one, an(
enveloped in considerable mystery 1t is diff
ticult to conceive that man would under
any circumstances, implicate himself by con
fessions, in so grave charge as murder anG
yet, the other evidence in the case, in con
nccton with the declared intention TO com
nit suicide, rendered it extremely doubtful
that the prisoner really murdered the mar
Redefcr Altogether it was an extraordinary
affair, Lloyd left this place on Monday fol
his former home in Kent county. He appear
ell unmovcd during the progress of the trial
and gave his version of the facts in the case
on the witness stand, in an uncmbarrasseC
manner, denying that his confessions were
true, and claiming that they We're cxtortet
from him under promises that it would IL
better for him to confess the charge than de
ny it,
Hon. Henry w. Archer and George w
Richardson, Esq, were counsel for Lloyd
and Hon. Herman Stump assisted J. T. c
Hopkins, Esq, in behalf of the State
PRESIDENT OF TIE NATIONAL AGRICUL.
TURAL SoCIETY.-Ata meeting ofthc Nation
al Agricultural Association, in New York
on Monday, Hon. John Merryman, of Hay
fields, Baltimore county, Md, was unanimous
ly elected President of the society. We are
gratitied that the position has been given tC
a citizen Of Maryland, and especially that the
honor has been conferred upon one so able