The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1883-05-19
A MURDER IN GARRETT COUNTY.
A Negro Kills White Man, and then
Outrages the Wife.
E1K1Ns. Md, May 10th, 1888.

O'Clock the citizens of our town were
aroused from their slumbers, and
startled by the intelligence that a
man by the name of Harding and
his son Bob were murdered by col
ored man by the name of John
Smith, at their home about one mile
East of this place, on the line of the
w. Va. G. & z. r. r. The majority
of our citizens at once repaired to the
scene of the murder. On arriving at
the place they found the body of
Josiah Harding lying on his face
about II feet from his own door cold
in death, with several bullet wounds
in his head. On investigation about
the place they found that his son
Bob was not injured, and also found
that the murderer had fred two shots
at his victim from the outside of the
house through window. They then
went on down the road to Jno.
! Smiths cabin, with the evident m
tention of arresting him at once.
| When they came to the cabin they
| found that Smith was on the inside.
Surrounding the door not knowing
that there was any other outlet to
| the house, they called to Smith to
come out, who made answer back
that he would; but instead of coming
| i Il
ney and made for the woods, and
thereby escaped his persuers.
The history of the murderer, John
Smith, is we'll known to the citizens
| of this place and he was regarded
IS a dangerous negro. ILe is about
5feet Z inches in height, broad should
cred, with an exceedingly large head
and thick lips, and weighs about 1870
or 1870 pounds. He is noted for break
ing into saloon at this place some
time last winter, stealing all the
money in the drawer, and a revolver;
and going through a drunken mans
pockets and robbing him OF $50. And
it was only on the eve of the murder
that he stole clock from an old
woman who keeps confectionery
here.
After due notification being sent to
the proper authorities respecting the
murder, States Attorney Veitch,
Justice Gender and Sheriff Jamison,
all of Oakland, came over and sum
moned the following Jury of Inquest:
j. Browning, Foreman; w. Brown
ing, j. NJ. White, James Seybolt,
jackson Shillingburg, j. w. Shilling
burg. James Grimes, M. Grayson,
B. Il. Miller, III. Halter, l.. Nydegger
and VIM Faherty.
Harriet Harding wife of deceased
testified that she was we'll acquainted
with Smith, that he often came there
to get his boots mended. That on the
evening of the murder he came there
about clock and stopped till about
eight O'Clock, but came back about
half past eight, at which tiIg6 Hard
ing had taken his boots off and was
preparing to go to bed when all at
once they were startled by the report
of two pistol shots in quick success
sion and glass from the window fly
ing around. Harding jumped up,
looked towards the window and call
ed out "for Gods sake, Jno. Smith,
don't do that" Harding then run
towards the door and endeavored to
bolt it, but Smith broke it in, grap-
pied Harding by the throat, and fired
three more shots, then silence pre-.
vailed for about a minute, when
Smith again came in ran up stairs
and grappled Mrs. H.. and dragged
her down stairs brought her up the
road about one hundred yards from
the house and committed an outrage
upon her person. On cross examina-
ton she testified that Harding was
opposed to Smith coming about the
house, and at one time he remarked
that he didn't see why so many Mig
gers AWere coming about his house.
Several other witnesses who were
in the house at the time of the MUIR
der, were examined, but the sum of
their evidence was in substance
confederation of the above. A post
norton examination was held on the
body, and it was found that the de-
ceased had been bruised considerable,
that one ball struck him in the left
shoulder, that he had deep wound
in the scalp evidently done by some
sharp instrument, that the oall that
proved fatal struck him in the neck
passing inward and downward. sey-
ering the carotid artery and jugular
vein, causing instant death. The Jury
rendered verdict that the deceased,
Josiah Harding, came to his death by
pistol shot in the neck, fired by
John Smith, in accordance with the
above. w, F,