Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1885-01-01
a SENSATION ~ sOMsNs ,r.
Otto Meyher Relieved TO Have Been
Murdered-An Exciting Chase.

Baltimore sun epecisl.
PRINCESS ANNE, MD, Dec, rs --Th
history OF crime nearly q month AZ
was uursv~ltd in this county % day 3,
States Attorney Miles ard Constable
slemmens OF this toHn. 0n the 20 b o
November last Justice Furniss Cf Fair
mount district, IN this county, aotlpc 81
coroner, summoned jury OF inquiry tC
investigate tie death Of a young Germ AZ
named Otto Meyher whose body was ioaud
the night previous on the shore Of Msuo-
kin river, ia lower FaiEmcunt.
Meyher had been engaged az a drsdgt
hand on board of an oystsr sloop named
KvA, commanded by one John WIllisms
Of this county. The oaptsiu and crew had
landed tLs night hsiOrs the sitting Of the
jury Of inquest at the oyster. packing
house of Ford & Cox, situated on ths
above named rlvsr, They stated before
the ooroner's jury that Meyher o. the
| day Of their lRnjing had accidentally
fallen into the hold OF the vessel by
| stepping on the matches, which he'd bsen
carelessly arranged thAt he had been
seriously hurt, and they supposed got up
In the night in halt conscious condition
and walked seIoss the deck Of tae boat,
WhAoA was AAiyhpNhtt ~ k1E IlVHF e,
and lying directly by the aide Of the Eva,
to the point Ol shore where he was found
dead.
The jury and q physiOian who we're
present made an impsl feet examination
of the body, found no external svidenoss
OF violence, and accepted the theory sd-
vanoed by the crew aud returned YER
diot OF death from CONS esuse to ths Jury
unknown.
Two weeks Afterwards q rumor reached
this town that certain oystermen,
whose names were not given, had
witnessed what they supposed wss q
murder in Tangier sound, near Deals
Island. No names were given at first
either of the perpetrators Of the deed or
OF those who professed to be witnesses.
After the lapse of several days The states
attorney and Constable Slemmons, who
had been inquiring into the supposed
murder, learned the names of :he men
who 1t was said had Witnessed the sup
posed killing, and also the name Of tire
vessel.
Inquiry at the custom house In Cris-
field revealed the fact that a bost named
Eva was owned and manned by citizens
OF Fairmount. This information was re.
ceived on Monday last, and to-day tele-
gram was received by Mr.. Miles from
Justice Carroll of Westover, in which the
justice stated that he had obtained
information throwing new light upon
the probable cause Of Meyher's desth.
Messrs. Miles and Siemmons at once
drove to Westover, where they were told
by Justice Carroll that two Germans,
who had just bseh landed by Captain |
Williams OF the Rva, had by sigrs and |
broken English communicated to some
eolored men some vague ideas of foal
play that had occurred on board the Eva.
The Justice Of the peace and the two |
other officers drove 10 the house Of James |
MoClane, In Fairmount district, where |
they stopped to confer with .his,son Mr.. |
Isaac MeClaine, who is q const able for |
that district.
The elder MoClane informed them that
Williams was then in MoClane's house.
williams was summoned, but it was
found that he had left the house by the |
back door.
All Joined in pursuit Of the fugitive,
who, IL was learned, had escaped 70 4
woods q few hundred yards distant. This
was about O'Clock this afternoon.
Latest adyices report Williams as still at
large.
It is said that Williams several times
previous to the night when the dead
body was found ,oruelly beat Meyher, and
y Is charged, finally ended his life by
him with a stick on the shore
where he was found. II is bel eyed
Williams will soon be caught, as informa,
tion has bsen sent in every direction.
Captain John williams, who vas
Of the murder of the Gsrman
'ysterpan, Otto Meyher, and who
.bsconded to avoid arrest, was tracked
Town on Saturday and arrested near
fairmount, Somerset county, Md. He
vas taken to FAirmount and another in
quest held on the body of Meyher. Il
vas found that the Germans neck and
nose had been broken and that there
we're many bruises on the body. The
nate and two members of the Drew OF the
schooner have been held rs witnessed
'gainst WilliAms.