The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1893-01-28

replied that he had been told thathe
was to be hanged at O'Clock on Friday.
He was in no frame of mind to even
think of confession and said that when
called upon he would meet death with
cut fear and unfiuchingly. He did not
then express a desire for any particular
minister to attend him at his last hour.
He was visited by his oldest brother,
Alex. Stout on Wednesday and both
men were deeply affected.
He retired early on Wednesday night
and enjoyed sound sleep, awakening
| about five o'clock, when he could be
distinctly heard laughing aud talking in
| the portion Of the Jail occupied by the
sheriff and his family. He ate hearty
| breakfast and began the day in as cheer
! full mood as though no eventful Ocoa-
sion were near. His appetite still
remained good and he partoek of three
meals day with relish.
STORY OF THE CRIME.
The crime for which Stout suffered the
death penalty was one of the most brutal
and wanton murders ever committed in
Cecil county.
George Ditmar and wife, an aged
! German couple, resided on a small farm
| on Bohemia Manor a few miles below
Chesapeake City. They were inof1ensive
| people and lived modsstly in a comfort.
able two story frame dwelling.
Ga the night of Sunday, February LIST,
1891, Mr., Ditmar retired about nine
O'Clock, his wife Christine, remaining
down stairs to attend to soma domestic
| duties. But little time had elapsed
when she still sitting before the fire
down stairs, was startled by her husband
crying murder" Hurriedly seizing
lamp she started up the narrow stairway
leading to her husbands room, and had
scarcely reached the top when she was
felled by the blow from club, her head
being severely cut, and tho lamp she
carried shattered. She retreated down
the stairs taking refuge from fear in
the cellar, from which in few min
she emerged and running to neighbours,
gave the alarm.
They hurried to the scene and dis.
| covered Mr.. Ditmar, lying unconscious
on the floor Of the sitting room, where
he had dragged himself, the blood flow
ing profusely from his lace which had
been crushed and battered beyond recog
milton. The inhuman wretch had used as
a weapon piece of pine flooring, three
feet long Whitfield TO handle at one
end, aud which despatched with blood
was found on the premises. Subsequent
Investigation showed that the assailaut
had gained admission to the house by
breaking pane of glass from window
sash aud raising the latter, aad being
intent on plumber on the upper floor OF
the bouse, had come suddenly upon Mr..
Ditmar in bed where the assault was
committed.
Mr.. Ditmar's condition was so critical
that the attending physicians removed
him to the Peunsy lvania Hospital, Phila-
delphia, in which institution he died
after a short time.
Every bone in the patients face was
crushed. The two superior maxillary
bones, the TWO Molar bones, and all the
bones o: his nose were separated fro NJ
his head, leaving a triangular space
between the eyes and the point of his
nose which would admit an ordinary
hand. The physicians stated that it was
one of the worst cases ever treated at
the institution.
STOUT ARRESTED.
The news OF the assault created intense
excitement in the neighborhood, and
with the break of day began the search
for clues to lead to the apprehension OF
the perpretrator. The officers engaged
on the case traced deeply iudented foot
prints leading from the scene of the muir.
der across fields, the earth being soft
from recent rain, to house occupied
by Stout, about two miles distant.
The wearer of the shoes, after crossing
the fields, had taken them off at the
fence enclosing the house. These were
identified as the property of Stcut, and
blood was discovered upon the clothing
worn by him on the night OF the murder.
He was arrested ard lodged in the Elk
ton Jail and On the following Wednesday
given preliminary hearing before Jus
L l..
of circumstautial evidence had formed
arc uEd him.
Stout had previously been in the
employ of Mr.. Ditmar, and as in the case
of the murderer, was familiar with the
premises. Before the assault, the man
had gone to the barn and prepared his
club, by splitting piece of flooring,
cutting it down to handle, the whit
things being left lying IN pile On the
| floor. Nearby stood the other half of
| the ard from which the club had been
split. Here an important point was
secured, in the discovery of an ordinary
walking stick which had been left
behind by the murderer upon securing
| the club. Several witnesses testified as to
having seen this stick in the possession
of Stout.
Another important clue in fastening
the crime upon S;out was the discovery
Of the part of pocket handkerchief,
particularly torn and saturated with
blood, stuck among the woodwork of the
barn, the other half beiug found among
Stouts' clothing. Several other clues
we're obtained, which tended ooly to
incriminate him deeper and deeper.
A. the hearing ten witnesses appeared
against the prisoner, among the number
being Mrs. Ditmar, who testified that
she was unable to identify her assailant
The prisoner was held to await the
action CT the Grand Jury at the following
March term of Court when he was
indicted for the murder of George Dit
mar, and for an assault with intent to
kill Christine Ditmar. 4 presentment
for burglary was also made against him
His case was postponed until tee Sep
tember term OF Court when it was re-
moved to Hartford county and called for
trial during the February term, 1892.
The case was prosecuted by States
Attorney Austin L. CrOthers and w. T.
Warbursou, of Elkton, and States Attor-
uey, Walter W. Preston, of Hartford
county. Stouts' counsel were r. C.
Thscksry and c. c. Crothers, of Elkton.