Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1883-11-16
SECOND EDITI0 N.
FRIDAY EVENING, nov. 10. 1893.
HANGED.
, Ohm smith. a Notorious Desperate Hanged
at Oakland, Mo.-His nIonsuous
Crime.

John smith, q Notorious Desperate Hang sd
at Oakland, Mc.-His monsuous
Crimo.
OAKLAND, Md, Nov. 16.--Johu Smith
was hanged hero ut ID this afternoon.
Smith was q negro, and one OF tho most
notorious ruffians In the country. The
crime for which he to day mot his death
was a most brutal one.
n History OF tho Crime.
John Smith, the negro murderer Of 10.
siah Harden, lived in n hut near Elkins, q
small village in Carroll county, Maryland,
about fifteen miles southeast of Oakland.
He was dssolute and vicious character.
On the 10Th of May last he was in Elkins
and drinking freely. About o'clock in
the afternoon he remarked that he was
going to leave tho neighborhood, and be-
fore doing so would do something to mako
him remembered. He went directly to
Harden's house, about one half mile
distant, and reached IL shortly before z
o'clock. He remained until nearly 8
o'clock in the meantime inquiriug If Mr..
Harden's grown SOD, or son In law, would
be at homo that night. Receiving q mega.
tive reply he remarked that he had San
instrument in his pocket that would mako
nice music, but he could not have az much
fun as he expected because they were
away" He then LETT, but returned
In half an hour and the first notice
the family had OF his presence was
pistol shot fired through the window,
quickly followed by another. Harden
hurried his family up stairs and went TO
the door. Here Smith grappled with
Harden, who made an effort to defend
his family. A little daughter of Har.
den's saw Smith hold on to her father and
fire pistol at his head. Harden
broke loose from his murderer and stepped
outside the door, where he fell dead.
Smith then went up stairs, seized Mrs.
Harden and dragged her down stairs into
tho woods, where ho outraged her. Her
son, n small boy, won't to the rescue Of his
mother, but Smith drew a pistol aud
threatened to shoot him. After he had
murdered the father and outraged thI
mother Smith went to his hut on tho noun
tain side, but the alarm was sounded and
he was pursued. Finding his pursuers
close upon him he escaped up the chimney
and ran over the mountain. Four days
later he was seen in Winchester, Va, aud
arrested
After no was taken TO tho oakland jail
he endeavored to induce man named
Jefferson to procure witnesses who would
swear to an alibi for him, but did not
succeed. On tho 18th Of September last
he was put on trial and on the 2lst ho was
convicted OF murder in the first degree
and sentenced to be hanged. After tho
jury had rendered their verdict the mur
derer remarked: "Wcll, the circus IL
over, now wen have concert" After
his conviction ho procured kni'o with
which he said he intended to kill the
jailor.
On the 4th OF October, ult., while the
sheriff was awaiting the warrant OF tho
governor for the execution Gf tho mur.
derer, Smith called the jailor into his
cell, and rs soon az tho jailor entered ho
was knocked senseoss TO tho floor. Smith
then with n hatchet. which he hal
by some means secured, broke the
chain which held him to the floor, locked
the jaier in his cell and walked out with
the leg Bhackles still upon him. He re.
turned in few days and gave himself
up.