The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1889-11-29
Court Proceedings.
The Wise DamaGh Case-w. Scott Standi-
ford on Trial for Murder

ty commissioners, for the destruction Of his mill
dam, near the Rocks Of Deer Creek during the great
August flood, in lsSj, by the washing away Of an
iron bridge fartherup Deer Greek After several
trials Mr.. Wise obtained, in Baltimore city. yer.
diet for $1,000 damages against the Commissioners.
Being indebted to Mr.. James H. Preston and Miss
c. j. Preston for balance OF purchase money about
500 for the mill property, the latter laid an attach
ment which which WAS resisted by Mr.. and Mrs.
Wise Col q. S. Lee and r. Il. Clendincn appear
ed for Mr. and Mrs. Wise. and ". W. Preston and
W. Beatty Harlan for Mr. Preston and his sister.
The plaintiffs asked for removal ofthe casc on the
ground of the absence of one OF the plaintiffs Mr.
Preston, who had become suddenly ndisposed. As
he was not present to make the affidavit required
Judge Waters decided that the case must go on.
motion was then made to continue the case
for the same reason but the court ordered the trial
to proceed on a motion to quaSh the attachment
The motion was sustained.
TRIAL OF W. SCOTT STAMFORD.
This case being disposed Of the case of W. Scott
Stamford, indicted for the murder Of his Scp-Son
Edward Spencer, in August last, was called
VIM. Young and $. A. Williams appeared for the
prisoner, States Attorney Webster being assisted
by Geo. Y. Maynadicr.
The jurymcn belonging to the regular panel were
called one by one. The first was A. jackson Wilcv
who said lie had formed an opinion from news
paper accounts Of the affair, but knew none of the
parties concerned. Judge Waters decided that
he was competent juror and he was sworn-
Mahlon Thompson. Amos II. Hughes IT. Samuel
Orr, VIM. f. Wilson. Henry W. Shurc John W.
Carver, Henry f. Mitchell, Duncan r. Mclaughlin.
Geo. A. Courtney, John Miller, Richard G.. Smith
and James Holly, were challenged. Hudson Bate
man, James McAfce, Robert Finney, ". Boyd Bell.
Amentis Patterson and Richard T. Mccoy were
disqualified, from connection with tile parties or
having expressed IN opinion On the ease Mr.. Nc
Coy from conscientious Scruplcs with regard to
capital punishment
j. Howard Scarf, James Thompson, Charles
Grail, John kcan of InO., Charles l.. Gorrcll and
George 7. Gcrwig were sworn.
The regular panel being exhausted Judge Wat
tiers ordered sheriff McGaw To summon twenty
talrsmcn and court adjourned until Tuesday morn
ing.
On Tuesday morning the examination of tales
men took place john :. Waun, j. Thos Kennedy
John W. Billngsra, Robert +. Hanna. Corbin VI.
Grafton. Alfred Mmnic, Joseph Lee and I,rchcuS
DeHow were challenged by the State, the most of
them having formed and expressed an opinion.
based upon ncwSpapcrrcportS Of the homicide
Il. Lamar Mccain, G. a. l.. McCann Charles X.
Blanry and Charles Budc were challenged by the
State.
The talcSmrn accepted and swarm were Philip G..
Hunter. Fillmore Rogers. Jacob Mnnick, Bruja.
min '. Preston and Robert b. FOrw0od Both
sides exhausted their challenges before the jury
was completed The jury cmpanncllrd was there
fore as follows:
\ jackson Wiley. j. Howard Scarf, James
Thompson, Charles Grail, John Kcau. o! .Imo
Charles l.. Gorrcll, GcOF Gcrwg Of the regular
psitunI. Ia,
Mlnnick, Benjamin V, Preston, Robert b. Forwood
talcSmcn.
The indicmcn; WAS then read by Deputy Clerk
Forwood. 1t charged the prisoner, W Scott
Stamford with MURDER in having shot and killed
Edward Spencer, on the 18th of August. lSs9 fclon.
iously. wl!ully and with malice aforcthought
The opening statement for the prosecution was
made by States Attorney Webster who first read
the common law definition of murder and lis diyi
sion INTO first and second degree &C. The facts the
state expected to prove were that Standford's
family consisted of his wife, two step SONS and two
or three children of their own On the 9th OF
August. the prisoner was in a bad humor Iii,
Step-Son Edward Spencer was about to feed the
COW and his mother gave him tin cup to get the
feed In. StandifOrd being on the porch saw the
boy with the tin cup and told him to put il down
and yet tin can. He put the cup down and look
eel for Il can. but not finding one said he could not
look all night for Il can. Stamford then spoke
roughly 10 him and ordered him to leave The
mother told the boy not to 90 as he was not WE'LL
stamford went into the store room and got Il stone
used to keep the door open and came out with it,
George Spencer, Edward 5 brother. told stamford
he ought to be ashamed to throw such stone ut the
boy Edward Spencer picked upa spike and Standi
ford threw the stone at him. Edward then dropped
Et .,t, all,
rs he was turning the corner Of the porch the ban
striking the boy in the right hip Stamford then
fired at George Spencer, who ran to the assistance
OF his brother The latter joined his brother an /.
stamford again fired at the two as hey,ycrc going
down the road. The boy was shot on the evening
o the 9th and died on the 3Oth from the effects of
the wound.
The defence reserved their statement until after
they could hcarthc States case
EVIDENCE FOR THE STATE.
TIE first witness called was George B. Surn.
ce', Il brother Of the Toy who was killed lie
testified that when he sat down to sumner he
huNrtd something was wrong. After supper,
while standing on the porch reading a news.
paper, ms brother Edward came out with 4
tin cup and got some oats from box on the
ruich. As the boy was going around the co :
Hcr To mix the COW, Scott told HIM to get some
salt. The boy replied That he had ried salt and
lii' NJN NbNlh llOl slhnU as well Tor salt for
oats. SinudiIuih lhcu told Edward to get Il
TN can lie srt The cup down and looking
around Tor eau remarked that he could not
mud ono aud cOuit Lave had the cow MIXED
while looking iurIt SrOtt cursed Edward and
tod MN II lac cou.d not do as he wanted HIM
l" get hIN cues "'d leave. Witness told The
hoy 10 20 INTO laG hUus" aud il would blow
over a. u had before. Witness said To SOFT .
wv Nv con YOU behave yourself and pr 4
man! scott then cursed htm, AID was tlllu.
to picka quarrel Win him. The bow went
III tic house aud told hls mother h.. Was r,,.
M To irnNc She 'a'd he must not 20, Ms h..
was tot very well. Ihc bpN TOOK - bucket and
gong out 10 milk The COW was met by Stairdi-
ford, who grabbed the huvl,rt OUT Of In. hand
aud ealing him M UPprUbuOus upmr sald he
dlGh care Il lht COW never got mln,d. The
boy resented the language. whri srnudi!Otd
repeated l., and Jdded 4: Al y III knt elk ,uur I'd
head oil Stamford went iutu tur store and
came out with ruck. Witness sid to Stand. =
ioiu You uughi 10 he IT, hniutd 1T yuurruli"
StandlloId then cursed witness, .a,irg tie won d
Int him. As lie drew back To hir W tness. h.,
brother, who Was on The ground, picked up
large iron bolt and said something which wiz.
ness did not hear Stamdifurd then threw the
rock at Edward Ii did not hit him. sand,
Look out, he has pistol" when Edward
dropped the bolt and ran. Before cou'd tuin
around the pis,o' went cir my brother crying
out, MY God, | am shot Standiiuid then
turned upon witness and said. 81 will give Won
the same too" ran md when rot TO the
corner of the house Stnndiioid shot at me
Witness overlook his brother and Sandiford
fired Al lin Tie second time HI brother laid
down III the woods, but witness got HIM III
and took him to Iotiman's house. Witness
went t. Abingdon for DR.. Oppermunil, aud tel.
eglaphcd 10 the Sheriff. Edward was 20 wears
old. lie fingered three days. The pi.toi was
kept in the store room. Mother hid II whrr-
ever she found IL. II wnsu British bull dur
six-shoo,er 32 calibre. staid away at neigh
boris until StandiOd was Taken to jail
Mrs, Mary NJ. Stamford, the wife Of III.
prisoner and mother Of the hoy who was shot,
testified that while at the supper table with her
son Edward, her husband came home with me
younger children, whom lie had brought from a
neigh nOIs 5. lie was very cross ami treated the
children roughly. George came IN from lorna
and sat down to supper The witness related
the story about the Tin can, the throw iily uf the
stouc 10y Standtord a. her son. She saw him
put his hand hchlnd him draw pistol and tire
at Edward. Shc told George 10 run after him
Standard went down To the bridge and SIM.
became frightened and went to a urEhboi's and
staid until the Sheriff came Staudifnrd said he
wasn't drunk when he fired the shot. When
she returned they were bringing her son home
Witness sad she was afintd of her hus band who
had frequently attempted aud threatened 10
XIII her. One night he ran her around the
house until two O'clock, with butcher kGiic.
W. Scott Stamford, Jr, u son of the pr,soo.
ers, was called 10 the stand, but VERY little
could he extracted from HIM, on urr0un, OF
his embarrassment and diiliiente
The ii st witness Gated, ON Wu.nrsA,y mor;-
ing, was Mr.. f. R.Wlliiums, who hat SURVEYED
the premises and who explained 10 the jury
Mat thereof