The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1891-04-25
THE RICHARDS TRAGEDY.
Bran Confident of His Ability to
Prove an AIibi, A Hearing Prob
ably Given Him To-day on
the Larceny Charge.
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE To HOLD Him
IN The RICHARDS CASE.

INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE To HOLD HIN
IN The RICHARDS CASE.
Conductor Halter Confronted with Bran
and is Positive He Saw Him at Perry
vile on the Morning of the Iurder
4 Probable Case Of Mis-
taken Identity.
Since our last issue iii which We gave
full and complete account OF the ter
rible tragedy which has Oycrtaken the
unfortunate family of Mr.. Granville
| Richards, OF this county, which has ont
| ragged society, and cast an uuweic0me
shadow over peacafui and prosperous
community of our county, public inter
est has noS abated iii every item of III
| terest, relative to it, or in the general de.
| sire to see its guilty perpetrators brough
to speedy just ice. l. would indeed he q
welcome duty OF our part could sc
| tIuthtullv report to our readers, that dI-
rect and positive evidence had been dis
covered which pointed t" the guilt
parties. Unfortunately however the traces
of the murdalerS were So indis;inct. aud
the clues to their discovery from the first
so discouragingly meagre, that nothing
but the Jealous industry OF the officials
engaged upon the ease, saved tnGm from
absolute discouragemeut at the outset.
No clue however mas been overlooked,
and no stone has been lei5 unturned iii
their communicable endeav0r To unGarth
the real criminals.
ANOTHER SUSPECT HELD.
Ga Saturday last Sheriff Boyd and
his deputy Mr.. Harvey Mackey, in COM
pany with a constable OF New Castle
man named Frank Ferguson who had
recently removed to this county from
Pennsylvania. Suspicion attached to him
from several circumstances which the
States officers thought Of weight. He
had suddenly left his home. and on Fri
night had gone to his brothers who lived
at Ggletown small village in New Cas-
tie county located about halt way be-
tween Newark and Christiaua Here lie
was apprehended by officer Colmery on
warrant from Lancaster county, Pa,
charging him with larceny. Ferguson
was taken before Magistrate Smith of
Newark on Saturday. and on his consent
ing to come to Maryland without The for
mality Of requsitioH WIS brought by
tie Delaware officer as TAR as the SAFE
line, aud there delivered 70 Sheriff
Boyd and HIS deputy vino lodged him
safely in their strong box at Elktou.
The detailed facts upon which Ferguson
is held are known only to the States
officers.
CONDUCTOR HAILER's TESTIMONY.
As heretofore very generally stated,
George Bram's confidence in hls ability
to establish an al6i, had not been ap.
p.rently contradicted until the evidence
of Conductor William I. Halter of Perry
vile was given to the public. B.am's
confident assertion Is that he had not
been in Cecil county Tor several weeks
before the murder. That he had been
uninterruptedly in Baltimore, until six
O'Clock on the evening of Monday the
day on which the murder was com
mitted. That he had lett that city on
the Oxford accommodation train about
four o'clock in the afternoon of that day
and had come directly to his home
where he was arrested the same night
The theory OF the State Ia 'cuuueclipg
Bran with the murder, was based
upon the theory thai 10 Lad taken d
train early on that day for Baltimore,
and to disarm suspicion. had returned
the same evening.
1t can be readily understood how i'm
portaat Conductor Hailer's evidence be
came, in support of this theory. Mr..
Halter confidently asserted that he had
seen a man at PerryviIle ABOUT eleven
o'clock on the Monday of the murder,
whom he did not at the time know as
Dir. Bran, but whom from subsequent
definite personal descriptions of him he
believed 10 be he. He described the man
as wearing a light suit OF clothes, with
black silk hat, generally known as a
stove pipe bat, and i light overcoat.
That when he saw him, he was walking
slowly and deliberately on the North
side Of the railroad station at Perry
vile, between the tracks Of the Phila-
delphia. Wilmington and Baltimore road,
and those of the Philadelphia and BaIt-
more Central, or what is known LEGALLY
as the Port Deposit junction track. That
the man he referred to be had never
known as Bran, although he had
frequently seen him on trains which lie
had in charge, and that he had often
seen him leave trains at PerTyville, Port
Deposit, and Octoraro Junction, the last
being the station where he would change
trains tor Rowlaudville.
CONDUCTOR HALLER AT THE JAIL.
Ga Sunday last Conductor Halter came
to Elkton, and for the first time looked
in the face of the man known rs George
Bran, aud knew into whose face he was
looking. The interview or rather meet
ing between Conductor Halter and Bran,
for the purpose of identification, was had
in the presence of Deputy Sheriff Harvey
Mackey, son and brother Of Sheriff
Boyd, and local reporter. Mr.. Mackey
stepped TO the j all door and called Bran.
He responded Immediately, and with Il
confident manner entered the room
where his interviewers awaited him. He
lifted his hat and was about to lay it
aside, when ne was requested by Mr..
Mackey to replace it on his head. The
deputy then asked him whether he had
ever seen either CT any Of gentlemen
present. Bran cColly scrutinized each,
and replied that he had seen Mr.. Boyd
and possibly the reporter, but looking at
Mr.. Halter thought be assembled a
photographer he had seen in Eikton, but
did not think him the same person.
After Brams Withdrawal from the
room, Conductor Halter reflected FOR a
few moments and then declared most
positively his conviction that Bran is
the man he saw at Perryvi!le.
Whether this is a case of mistaken