The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1886-04-10

Distressing Occurrence-A Young Man
Found Dead in the Woods.-Towsontown
was thrown into high state OF excitement De-
tween and o'clock on Monday morning last oy
the report that the body of man, who was sup
posed to have been murdered, had been found IN
Ridgely's woods, about one mile north OF Towson-
town short distance in the rear of the old Althier
property. colored man named Frank Burroughs
was picking up wood when he was startled by the
CHASTITY sight of man lying upon his BACK dead,
his face being terribly swollen and discoored ana
having evidences, as he thought. that he had been
murdered. Burroughs came to Towsontown as
fast as his legs could carry him and informed JUS
tice Herbert of his discovery. The Justice sum
moned a iury of inquest, with DR.. A. c. McCurdy,
foreman, and proceeded to the scene and were
shocked upon reaching it to find that the dead
man was Benjamin P. Cooper, son OF Mr.. Nelson
Cooper, of this place, and with whom all the men,
bers of the jury had been well acquainted. The
body was brought here and placed in the Towson
Guards armory. In the meantime it had become
known that Thomas Boylan and Charles Stetzer
had spent the day previous Sunday with cooper
and as it was thought they knew something OF the
causes which led to his death, both were arrested
and placed in jail, as was also man named Geo.
Tyson, who, it was said, had seen the men to-
gether the day before.
After viewing the body the inquest was ad-
journed to 7 p. M, and Drs. j. II. and Harry 5.
Jarrett proceeded to make post mortem examl-
nation. The scalp was removed and while much
clothed blood and some bruises we're found, there
were no abrasions of the skin-not even a scratch
and nothing to show that the deceased had come
to his death by maltreatment. The brain was
also examined and found to be in q healthy con-
dition.
At o'clock the jury assembled in the Court
room and almost every available space was oc-
cupied by persons eager to hear the unraveling OF
what appeared to be terrible mystery, but the
facts brought out showed that there was nothing
mysterious about the affair. The first witness
called was the colored man Burroughs, who testl.
fed to finding the body. Chas. Stetzer, who had
been with Cooper all day Sunday, and who was
in the custody of the Sheriff, was placed on the
stand and told to make his statement to the jury
He said that Cooper, Boylan and himself had been
drinking together Saturday night and parted, be-
I" ecu II duu Il vioonJ it'll 49, a. o
that they meet in front of Lees store at o'clock
Sunday morning. Boylan had provided himself
Saturday night with two pint bottles of whisky
and upon meeting on Sunday they very soon dis
posed of this and decided to start for Riders
Switch, where they expected to get another sup
ply. Going out the Joppa road they changed
their minds and started across the woods and fields
towards Luthervie. They all very drunk
and Cooper had become helpless, so that they were
obliged to carry him along. Stetzer went off and
colored man for another supply. They drank all
this and had become so drunk that they could not
remember what actually did take place. Cooper
was unable to walk without assistance and they
determined to bring him home. In crossing a
field he fell number of times and Stetzer, who
had hold of him, fell on top of him. Finally
they got him to the fence, and it now being near
ly dark, they started to look for wagon to bring
him home. They went to several places but could
not get one and then returned and tried again to
carry their companion. They got him over the
fence into the woods and were trying to reach the
pike, but the night being very dark and rainy
they were unable to proceed further with Cooper
and left him. They then tried to reach home but
got lost and next found themselves at Chambcrss,
below Lutherville. Johnny Chambers took a
lantern and showed them the road to the pike and
they got home some time during the night.
Thomas Boylan, one of the party, was the next
Witness and he corroborated Stetzer's story. He
said his wife said he got home at 10 o'clock and
that he told her they had left Cooper in the woods
When he got up on Monday morning his hrst
thoughts were for Cooper and he started up the
road to look for him. He met Patrick Cronn,
who told him man had been found dead in the
woods, and he at once exclaimed, "thats Ben
Cooper"
Johnny Chambers, boy about thirteen years
of age, testified to seeing the men in the field
they were all under the influence of liquor, one of
them so much so that he could not walk; that he
fell number of times and that his companions
rubbed his face and ears and cut him on the hands
with small switch in their efforts to revive him.
He also said that the two men came to his house
at night and that he took a lantern and showed
them the way to the pike.
DR.. J. II. Jarrett testified as to the post mortem
examination, making substantially the same state
ment as that given above He said that there was
nothing about Cooper to indicate that he had been
hoafo hat he clothed blood
might have been caused by falling. He also said
that the quantity of whisky the deceased had
drunk, in addition to the exposure of lying out in
the cold rain all night, sufficient to cause
DEATH
The jury then retired and returned in few
minutes with verdict that Cooper's death was
caused by intemperance and exposure. Boylap,
Stetzer and Tyson were then released
Benjamin P. Cooper, the victim Of this unfor-
quiet and industrious young mfr thu Re,ReS
upon the public roads, his farther being sub
supervisor. He leaves a wife-a daughter of the
late John Kennel, of Long Green Valley-and
three children, the oldest about five years of age
and the youngest less than six months old. Much
sympathy is expressed for the family of the I'M
fortunate young man, upon whom the blow falls
with crushing effect.
Boylan and Stetzer are both young married
men, the former, who is an Engishman, being
son-in-law of Richard G. Dunphy, and the latter
a son law of Thomas Bayne.
The funeral of young Cooper took place from
the residence of his parents on Wednesday after
noon, the services being conducted by Rev. W. II.
H. Powers, pastor of Trinity P. E. Church. In
terment was made in the family lot in Greenmount
Cemetery.
Signed by the Governor,-Among tho 1886
bills signed by Gov. Lloyd on Wednesday night
were the following local bills for Baltimore coun-
ty:
To require the County Commissioners to levy
sum of money to build school house at Habita-
ton, 9Th district
To pay the claim of John Smith, of the 10th
district for cattle killed to prevent the spread of
pleuro-pneumonia.
To prevent the sale of liquor at or near Emory
Grove camp ground.
For the relief of the School Commissioners.
For the better protection of persons and prop
erty.
For two additional constables.
authorizing the County Commissioners to make
q loan.
To amend the law relating to the collector of
taxes.
To compel the numbering of houses in the Belt
by the decimal system.
For public school house at Rayville, 9th dis
trict.
Relating to the livery of horses, &c.
For station house at Mt. Winans, 18th dis
trict.
Several Baltimore county bills had been previ-
or signed by the Governor.
Inc oily Baltimore county bills vetoed were
To enable the County Commissioners to alter
change the location of streets and width of
streets and avenues, and to prevent the formation
of gas companies in this county.
School Board Meeting.-The regular meet
ing of the County School Board was held on Tues
day, the president, Oregon R. Benson, ESQ.,, in
the chair.
A committee of gentlemen, headed by Gen. E.
B. Tyler, waited on the Board and urged the early
selection of lot and erection of the school house
at Calverton, as authorized by recent act of the
Legislature approptiating $4,000. The matter
was referred to the committee ON school houses
and school property.
An application for school for colored
pupils, to be opened at Crowdonsville, 18th dis
trict. was referred to the same committee.
An application was received from j. II. Medairy