The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1879-09-05
The Bush River Murder.

On Thursday of last week Justice VIM r. Cronin
| summoned jury ofinqucst in the case Of Elmer
| Rcdefer, who was found the day before beside the
railroad track one mile east of Bush river nscnsi
BILE with bullet hole in the right side ofhis head
| He was taken to Perrymansvillc but never re.
| gained consciousness and could tell nothing
about the affair before his death, which occurred
| at $50 P NJ. The body was discovered at P.
| NJ. DIR. John Tredick probcd the wound, but
| could not find the ball
The jury was composed of s. W. Raymond,
| foreman; r. Emory Taylor, j. NJ. Taylor John
G. Lay, b. II. Keen, r. Holloway, r. NJ. Taylor,
A. G. MORGAN, E. W. Gallup, W. H. Andrews,
| ID. w. Taylor, A. f. Hopkins. The following
letter being found in Elmer's pocket book, the
jury came to the conclusion that it was a case OF
| suicide and not murder:
"Dear Sister | take my pen in hand to let
| you know that ] am well at present and hone
| these few lines may find YOU the same. am
agoing to kill myself and then will not be in
| the road. You can send word up home and tell
them that kill myself. guess that this is al
| | have got to say. ELMER REDEFER."
The note was not addressed to any one, but
the writing was identified by Mr.. Ferguson OF
Fair Hill, Cecil county, his brothcrin- law as be.
ing that Of Rcdeter, and as it correspondent with
that upon the other papers in the pockct-book,
| the jury considered it as proper evidence of the
manner of his death
The SIN says that there is strong reason to be-
leye, however, that the jury allowed themselves
to be mislcd by a letter found upon the person
of the victim after he had died This letter,
bearing no date, expresses the intention of the
writer to kill himself, but as il was for his sis.
ter, it looks very much like he intended to
brighten and thus coercc her into some measure
he had in view But it satisfied the jury, and
they rendered their verdict suicide accordingly.
Two tramps, one white man and the other
colorcd, who were believed to be identified with
the killing of the young man, were arrested on
Thursday, at Bush river bridge
The colorcd man gave his name rs William
Harry Lloyd, aud the white man as Daniel Sulli
van. Lloyd's statement was that the white man
had shot II man near the bridge with seven
shooter, and had afterward robbed the man,
getting 50 from his pockets, declaring that he
Uloyd) had nothing to do with the shooting or
robbery. The statement ofSullivan was that he
knew nothing of the affair whatever He could
not say the colored man had done any shooting,
not having seen any pistol The colorcd man
left his company, stating he intended to 20 to
Wilmington, but had overtaken him after dark,
on the way to Baltimore, and they had slept to-
gether last night and the colored man had taken
n razor from his valise, and seemed to act to-
ward him In rough manner. The parties were
taken to the Eastern Station, Bait imore, md
Sheriff johnson, of Hartford county, was notified
of their arrest.
Lloyd also stated that he was from Chester
town, Md He is from 81 to 81 years old. Sui
Ivan is over 30 years old Both were roughly
dressed and rough-looking men. No pistol was
found on either, but some fishermen at Bush
river bridge, who saw them pass there, stated
that the colorcd man had "A pistol sticking out
of his pocket.
The colored man charged the white tramp
with the homicide, but subsequently confessed
that he had done the deed himself 1t will be
remembered that no pistol was found near the
victim; no burnt powder marked the skin, as
would have been the case had the man shot him
self Mr.. Ferguson testified that young Redefer
had been living with him for several weeks past
and did not appear to be in low spirits or give
any signs of an intention to end his life On
Tuesday last he left, saying that he was going
over to a neighbours to do some work, and would
return Saturday night After he left, witness,
having occasion to go to drawer in which he
kept Smith " Wesson seven shooter, noticed
that it had been taken away, and supposed TINT
Redefer must have taken it.