The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1883-01-26

1t was reported that the body was
taken up Friday night and brought to Bel
Air, for dissection. The report, however, is
not altogether correct 1t is stated that the
body was exhumed, the brain removed and
the remains reinterred The examination dis
closed the fact that the neck was broken, and
that death resulted from this cause, not from
strangulation. The brain is said to have
weighed exactly 49, ounces. The average
weight of the human brain is from As to SO
ounces.
PREsToN's CONFESSION.
Preston has never denied the fact that he
took the colored woman's life He made
full and in Rev. Mr. Craighills opinion
truthful statement of all the facts connected
with the case. This did not differ in any es.
sential particular from the testimony given by
Preston, upon his trial at Towsontown. 1t
was, however, more complete. AS it con-
tanned statements calculated to do more harm
than good to the community, Mr.. CraIghil
very properly withholds certain portions of
it. Preston's evidence at the trial was as fol-
lows
He said he was born near Forest Hill, Hartford
county. Had worked for DR.. Munnikhuysen
three years Knew Mary Dorsey year and six
months before April IL, and went TO live with
her month after he met her. She worked for
MIR. Amos and for Mr.. John Alexander. met
her the night of Apri II at Mr.. Bakers gate she
was with John Hall. Spoke to her and said
wished TO see her. We went down to the room ;
/ got an axe from Collins, next door, to split
klndling wood to make fire. | made a fire
and we talked, then went to bed and slept
We had no quarrel during the night, but had
some words in the morning. told her was
going TO quit going with her, and she must 90
her own way She said if did not marry or or go
with her | would never do myself any good
One word brought on another. told her 7 was
going to leave her and going away. There was
a knife on the table; she came to me and took
the knife from her and threw it In the wood
She grabbed my pistol, which was on the table
took it from her and put it in my hip pocket !;
we were both angry | stopped down to look
out the window at a load of hay, and she grab.
bed the axe and made at me. Igrabbed her
hand and started to jerk the axe out of her
hand. l struck at her and did not wait TO see
what had done, but went down stairs. don't
remember how many times l struck her. | was
excited. She threw dishes out of the window,
which helped to start the quarrel.
In his statement to Mr. Craighll Preston
said they had quarrelled until after midnight
and that he had struck her twice with The
axe. He had not meant to kill her and was
greatly surprised when told that she was
dead.
None of Prestons relatives or friends of
his own color were present at the execution,
| except those named above
Sheriff Whiteford and his deputies carried
out the dreadful sentence of the law in an
orderly and decent manner, and it is credta-
BILE to our citizens that comparatively so few
of them appeared anxious 10 witness the ex.
ccution.
Preston's mother, a respectable colored
woman, is servant in the family of Mr.
Amos Hollingsworth near Fallston. She
had very little to say about her son, and ex.
pressed sense of relief when all was over
She had feared for long time that he would
get into trouble, and was afraid that in a mo.
ment of passion he might do bodily injury to
her