The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1886-06-25
George Spcer Released on Bail.
HABEAS CORPUS CASE.
HEAL RING RERnRE Iuncr WI a rrEnS

/ 0SorBe ID. Cplcer, inc young man VINO SnOt ana
killed his father, Caleb spicer, near Kellville, ON
| Wednesday night of last week, was brought be-
fore Judge WATERS Monday afternoon, on
writ of habeas corpus, obtained last Friday by
his counsel, Mr.. VIM. Young.
Mrs. Margaret A. Spicer, mother of the boy
testified that she and her son had been to Balti-
more together on Wednesday and returned at 6
| Spicer came home and turning his horse out
came to her room. He was very much under the
to h He ee ec the Pad
| her to read to him. She told him she would read
i the next day. Then he laid it upon her mouth,
put she removed 1t and placed 1t back of her
head on the pillow. Her husband went in and
| out OF her room several times, put his horse
away, stirred the swill in the slop barrel, and
lighting segar came up stairs smoking it. Her
son George had gone into his own room, adjoin-
ing hers. and closed and locked the door. Mr..
| Splcer kicked Georges door open and upon her
demonstrating her husband said he would break
both their heads. He brought a clock out of
George's room, and opening penknfe laid it on
| the bureau. Then he got his pipe, cameinto her
room, closed the door and smoked. She asked
him hint, to open the door, the SMOKE being Of
open the door when he pushed her against
the stove and threw something at her head,
to her son: George, GOMEZ Her husband
pushed her against the bed and braced
himself against the door to keep George out. He
caught him by the throat, pushing him against
the window; The lamp was knocked off the bu-
u.
Jetfy ran in behind his brother, and picking up
the lamp ran out with 1t, and threw 1t out Of
window; The moon was shining and she saw the
held him by the throat at the edge of the win
dow. She heard the shot and saw her husband
sink to the floor. She ran down stairs to get
light and when she returned her husband was
bleeding.
Her son had taken the pistol to the city that
day and had it in his hip-pocket when he came
home. Mrs. Spicer ran over to her sister-in-
laws, a quarter of mile distant; Nc. words
passed between George and his father when he
came in. The shooting occurred at about 20 or
- minutes after twelve. When she returned her
s Ss and her nephew came with her
neighbor, Mr.. Brazier and sent his cousin for
doctor Her husband had had ill-feelngs towards
George and the other children and to wards her.
He would throw them down whenever he could
once he attempted to throw her down stairs
The farm belonged to her father, but George.
with his fathers consent, had taken charge of
it, She had never known her son to threaten his
father. Her husband was in the habit of taking
Jamaica ginger, laudanum and peppermint.
Miss Gussie spcer daughter Of the deceased,
testified that she heard some one call and before
she could get out of bed she heard the pistol
shot. She ran to her mothers room and found
her father sitting by the window, with blood
coming from his mouth and nose. He reached
down for cane that was lying on the floor, but
| did not get it, and said to her brother, 20, you
dirty bugger." Her father she said, had abused
George great many times and George always
tried to get away from him. He had also ILL
treated her and other members of the family
She had never seen her brother under the infiu-
L
Constable John b. Price, who brought young
Spicer to Bel Air JAIL after the inquest, testified
that on the way up George, in reply to his re-
done and can't be helped. If l hadn't done it /
would not do it, but there's use crying over
spilled milk. He or had to die" The witness
knew of no i'll feeling between George and his
| father
S. L. Griffith, Emory Upton and Michael Pierce
| father.
:, BENJAMIN Stamford testified that George
Spicer worked for him from January to April of
this year, when he left. saying that he was going
home to take charge of the place.
DIR. Holmes S. Smith testified that the ball en-
tered on the left side of the neck, severing the
carotid artery.
| States Attorney Maynadier said 1t seemed thai
the father and son were not on good terms; that
| the fathers dissipation caused disturbance in
the family. The young man, it appears, was
perfectly rational and sober, and there was
nothing in the call he received from his mother
to justify his carrying deadly weapon into his
fathers room nor had he therght to use it. If the
father was in the condition testified to he was an
object to be restrained and not to be murdered.
The self-defense theory was not sustained by
the evidence. The pistol was used too soon and
with too deadly effect. That degree of force was
not necessary to preserve his mother, who was
not in immediate danger.
Judge Waters remarked that the evidence did
not snow Justlnaple homicide and therefore the
prisoner should not be absolutely discharged.
1t is a case that calls for an investigation by the
grand jury. The evidence would not, under any
circumstances, justify verdict of murderin the
first degree and if there is not further evidence
he did not think it a case of murder at all, and
he would therefore release young Spcer on 1000
bail for the action of the grand jury. The boys
grandfather, Capt. George +. Brown, of Balti-
more went his bail.