The daily gazette., 1881-05-16

Mrs. Patty ward Denies Having
Confessed the Murder OF Dough-

O01AOBNgeA shAN Az 80 e@0. W ASSSoA@-
erty.
The GAZETTE, on Friday published
dispatch from Crisield, Md, stating that
Mis-. Patty Ward, living near that town,
had, on her death-bed, confessed 70 the
murder of mAn Damed AZariah Doug
erty, IN 1852, tor which orlme. two ne
gIoes named Bob Wilson and Ned Da-
Wis, we're tried and executed.
Dougherty was found murdered In bis
house, one morning, and The two ne
groes were arr ested on suspicion, Wilson
having pen-knife belonging TO the de-
ceased III his pocket al the time OF his
arrest. Last week 1t was reported that
Mrs. Patty Ward confessed to having
committed this murder, but later ac-
counts s y that she vigorously denies
confessing the murder or having any
thing " do with 1t. The Philadelphia
Times, in long history OF the whole
affair, says:
The trial which took place in Prin.
cess Anne, occupied several days. The
prisoners were ably defended by /. ID.
Jones and l.. Ii. Irving, the present
Chief Justice Of the Eastern Maryland
| District. The prosecution was conduct
| cu ny tnt OldJC AbbOLbCys AlbhuA SLlo-
field. The Jury was out but few min
utes when they made up u verdict OF
guilty. The only important evidence
Was, irs, the presence of Dougherty's
pocket-knifs IN Wilson's pocket, and,
second, The fact OF both OF the men hav-
ing been seen several times together.
From the TIME vi their conviction to
| the Time of their execution repeated
efforts were made by ministers and olh-
ers 10 get them TO confess but without
avail. They proclaimed their innocence
10 the last aud ON the seaffold, just be-
fore the drop fell from under Bob Will
son, be soleInnly raised his hand toward
heaven and said the real murderer
would be found out some day, and
| would be found to be not q black man
either. HIS words made deep impress
sion upon everybody, aud the forhsr
doubt as 10 the guilt vi tue I've men be-
came stronger after that.
The strangest part of all, was the &C
tion of Mrs. Patty ward Ia tue matter.
Never noted for her charity, after the
two men had been convicted, she SEEM
ed TO change utterly in this particular
and made journeys 10 Princess Anne sew
eral times week TO carry ediblss 10 th }
doomed men. When they were execu-
ted she seemed foremost OF all in pro-
claiming her belief In their innocence,
Stranger than all was her changed man.
ner tow ard her favoriLe sou. They be-
came almost inseparable companions af-
ter this. The mother went with the
sou everywhere aud would not allow
him out OF ner sight. He was engaged
TO be married, bat she broke of the en-
gagement on the plea that she could moi
allow him TO belong 10 any one but her.
Two years after the murder Of Azs-
riah Dougherty this son took suddenly
Ill aud died. Material for additiona
gossip aud speculation was furnished th,
neighboI hood by the story OF Elizabetl
Johnston, who was present in the room
OF ihe dying man when he expired. Tn,
sta ement OF this old lady was that tb'
son was anxious to communicate some
thing and had started to do 50 when the
mother interfered aud placing her haDt
over his mouth stopped him. This state
ment soon got out and became "history'
to the people of Crlsfeld, some of whom
received IL from the old lady's lips. Mrs
Johnston is now dead, but the belief IL
her story became more general anon
the people as time passed.
THE SENSATION RENEWED.
Last Friday week Crisfield aud th
whole lower part OF Somerset count
was thrown into q state of exctemen
by the report that Mrs. Ward, who is Of
|, her death bed from cancer on th
breast, had confessed to Rev. Mi
Holmes, OF the Methodist Episcopa
Church, that she and her son had com
; United the murder. The report sprea
like fire and was universally believed
Subsequent inquiries, however, 500
3 found that IL was erroneous. The VIC
: man has made no confession to Mi
} Holmes, who has only seen her once Il
his life aud that three months ago. Sine
, | Friday q week she has rallied and
, stronger than she has been for months
though unatle TO leave her bed. TIL
reports which have been published Il
, the newspapers about her alleged impli
cation in the crime have been read b
: her and they seem 10 have strange ei
feet. Instead offeeiing depressed owe
them she declares they have done be
good; that she mas not felt so well for
: long lime as she has since she read tn
statements connecting her with III
' crime.
3 Her explanation of this singular resul
/ Is that che is fully conscious Of her ow
3 innocence and that she knows that
these methods the Lord is preparing he
: by persecution to enter better state {
, life when she dies. She does not reseu
|, the idea at all OF her being suspected Q
: this crime. She simply begins TO reaso
; to show how she couldn't have had an
part in 1t. The chief reason In this lin
> Is that Aaariah Dougherty was alway
very accommodating to her and seld Q
the chickens and eggs for her that sh
choose to leave with him.
. "And why should a-killed him" Oh
: asks, 'when there was no money TO
4 got by itp Ifl'd q wanted to kill any
: body for muney why didn't 1 kill SOM
3 body else9"
t, She denies the statement that st
a stopped her son when he was about I
$ confess something; denies that she WI
D IN the room at the time he died. TIL
b statement is at variance with all tt
b statements Of Mrs. Johnston, who's
= truthfulness during her lifetime WI
never questioned. Mrs. Ward has bee
d In her bed since last fall and may liz
}. several months yet, especially since, 1
she says she feels much better and stroni
er since these reports got out. III
whole of Somerset county which has q
long believed that Mrs. Ward was col