The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1880-07-14

DlDsmore followed the robbers and
attacked them again. The struggle
was renewed, and the younger of the
two desperadoes seized a butcher-knife
that lay in cupboard. and attempted
to stab the farmer. The latter warded
off the blows, and struggled desperately.
During the encounter, it was discovered
by the two female witnesses of the
atfray that the men were not negroes,
but were only disguised as such, the
black they had on their faces being rub.
bed off in the struggle, Finally, the
elder of the robbers drew revolver and
shot Dinsmore dead. The two men
then made their escape.
Assoon as the mem bers of Dinsmore's
family recovered sufficiently from their
terror, word was sent to the authorities
at Washington, and officers were sent
to investigate the affair. A boot heel
was found in the kitchen. This had
evidently been detached from boot b e
longing to one of the guilty men. The
ground was soft from recent rains. and
in the morning the tracks of the two
men were plainly seen leading away
from the house. The track made by the
boot without a heelwas easily followed.
It led to q house in the village of Wash
ington. A notorious rufian named
John Fogler boarded in the house. BE
was found in bed. A pair of muddy
boots stood by his bedside. One of the
boots was without heel. The heel
found in Dinsmore's kitchen was tried
to the boot. It fitted exactly. Fogler
was arrested at once. He was identified
rhy Mrs. Dinsmore and other members
Of her family as the man who had shot
her husband. 80.
. The leader of the Washington county
bar at that time was the Hon. William
Montgomery. He was q member of
Congress from 1856 to 1860, and earned
u national reputation by his debates on
te Lecompton question, taking Stephen
A. Douglas side of the matter, and
making the memorable reply to Curry,
of Alabama. His speeches on the
Nicaraguan question, in reply to Quit
man, Of Mississippi, were also widely
quoted and commended as mastery
presentations of international law. He
was delegate TO both the Charleston
amp Baltimore Democratic national con.
ventions in 1890. He was a man -ol
great wealth, and lived with bis wife
and son in an elegant homestead near
Washington village. His son was six.
teen years old in 1867, and although
we'll educated, having almost unlimited
means at his command, and having the
finest social and business prospects be-
fore him, was given to the companion
L. D0t1kn nhncn
habits.
After Fogler's arrest, search was made
for his companion in crime, but nc
trace of him could be found. 1t was
finally remarked that William Mont.
gomery, Jr., had not been seen around
the village for several days. 1t was
learned that he and Fogler had been to-
gether the nightof the murder, and that
he had left home a few hours after
Fogler's arrest " as announced. While
people generally could not bring them.
selves to believe that the boy was the
accomplice of Fogler, the authorities
were certain that he was. He Was
traced to West Virginia, and at last ar
rested and brought back to Washington
county. So great was the public SYM
pathy for the father of young Mont
gomery, that every member of the
Washington county bar volunteered to
defend his son. Prominent among
these were Col. R. NJ. Gibson and Will
liam McKennan, now Judge McKen.
nan, of the United States circuit court.
Fogler and Montgomery were given
separate trials. Fogler was tried first
I'd n
hanged. As Montgomery's trial ad;
vanced public opinion was turned
against him. Although Mrs. Dinsmore
and her family positively identified
the young man as the companion
of Fogler, and other circum.
stances pointed with terrible directness
to his guilt, he was acquitted on the
testimony of two witnesses who sWore
to an alibi. Fogler was hanged, and
on the gallows made confession in
which he solemnly averred that Mont
gomery was his accomplice. The com.
munity were entirely convinced of bis
guilt before that, and following his
acquittal an investigation into the man
ner in which the testimony as to tine
alibi was produced led to the disbar.
ment of two of Montgomery's counsel
Leroy Woods Taylor and James B.
Ruth-from their privileges as attor'
neys. They were promising and bril-
liant young men, and their disgrace
resulted in the death of both Of them II
the course of q few months. Young
Montgomery was Stunned by all classes
His father was broken down by tht
moral certainty that his son was muir
Gerer. and died in 1871. He left to hi
unfortunate boy fortune OF S75, ,O0O
mode of life he had chosen and 60 tt
some distant part of the country ant
become new man. The young man
mother, once The life of Washington
society, became almost recluse in he
elegant home, and lives there yet,
heart. broken, prematurely aged woman
During the trial Of Montgomery hi
counsel referred to him frequently il
addressing tue jury rs "this babe.
As soon as he was free Montgomer
plunged into all kinds Of excesses, an
from the allusion above was given tn
name of "Bahe" Montgomery by hi
vicious companions, and by tl!at nam
| lie HIS Decu UOlOllOuS as ~ tIlullus
throughout this part of Pennsylvani
and in the Ohio valley for the pas
thirteen years. He has figured n man
shooting atfrays in this city, Cincinnal
St. Louis and Indianapolis, and h
name appears on the police records {
Ill these cite; in connection wit
numerous petty crimes. No man th'
ever followed his course of life ev'
Used liquor in such excess as he. Du1
ing all this time Re used only a vel
small portion of his inheritance, ar
that only to settle some OF his mo
serious difficulties. He has forced
living out of his dissolutc companion
and was always known rs the "meane
man in the valley" On Wednesday
was in this city. He was exceeding
drunk. While taking q drink at II
White house he fell to the floor. L
was carried to the city hospital, and
ten minutes was corpse.
Some people admire the Chinese, b
a few minutes conversation with o
will convince you that he g a wish
| oh