Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1895-05-04
PRICE CONVICTED!
MUREER IN THE FIRST DE-
GREE WILL HANG.

Price was this afternoon found guilty
of the murder of Sallie T. Dean, in
the first degree, and will be brought
into court tomorrow for sentence. 1t
was not expected that the case would
end so soon, rs the defense had sum
moned large number of witnesses.
When the state rested its case early in
the afternoon, after hearing the testi-
mony of Grant Corkran, the counsel
for the prisoner had a lengthy consul
tation, after which il was announced
that they had no evidence to offer.
Beyond an unsuccessful attempt to
have the confession of Price excluded,
the legal battle went no further, and
the case was submitted 10 Judges
Wickes and stump, and the court
took recess for an hour and a-half.
COURT IN THE MASONIC TEMPLE.
Judges Stump and Wickes Tuesday
morning refused to accede to the pleas
of his counsel TO remove the case to
the courts OF Baltimore City or to the
courts of the other counties, and i'm.
mediately afterward the trial was be.
gun in Denton.
The trial is being held in the Ma
sonic Temple Hall, the old courthouse
having recently been partially torn
down. The hall is capable Of holding
about 400 people, and crowd three
times that number besieged the single
entrance.
When Price appeared at the Jail
door in the custody of score of deputy
sherifis the crowd made rush toward
him. He was handcufied and was
taken to the Temple at almost n run.
The people massed about the entrance
gave way reluctantly for the prisoner,
but he was finally landed safely inside
the hail. The mob tried to press in
after him, but were kept back until
court was opened, then they filed up
the hall in a jihy.
Seats were reserved for the family
of the murdered girl. Inside the rail
we're seated the lawyers for the prose-
cution and defense. The state was
represented by Edwin II. Brown.
States Attorney Robert J. Jump and
\. G. Towsers; the defense by George
NJ. Russum, Henry X. Lewis, j. Kemp
Stephens and Willard +. Taylor. Price
was given seat with his back to the
rail and directly facing the Judges.
He was handcufed and a deputy
sheriff sat on either side OF him. while
other deputies were grouped around
him.
PRICE PLEADS NOT GUILTY.
The prisoner was slightly pale. but
otherwise appeared natural. He was
dressed in dark clothes, with high
collar and snow-white cravat. He
was one Of the most respectfully attired
men i'll the courtroom. When Price
stood up to hear the indictment read
he placed his back against post and
remained in that position until the
reading was finished. The white hand
he held above his head did not trcmbIe
N the least. Through his counsel he
pleaded mot guilty"
During the trial he frequently CON
versed with his attorneys and once he
asked them If his wife or father we're
present. They were not. He sat all
through the day with his eyes fixed
on the witness stand and occasionally
a supercilious smile played around the
corners of his mouth at statement OF
some of the witnesses. While the
prisoner was being returned to Jail
this afternoon the crowd that follow
ed at his heels became very demon
strative. Some one cried out catch
him. and man did really try to
grab Price.
THE FATHERS TESTIMONY.
Mr.. Dean is typical Eastern
Shoreman, and while on the stand
made himself very much at home.
He crossed his legs and placed his feet
on the edge of the platform. and pro-
ceedied TO tell the story.
ION the Tuesday morning Sallie
was murdered" he said, "she babe me
goodbye. | went to my work on the
county road, leaving her at the house
getting ready for school. | got infor-
nation about 5 o'clock that she had
not been at school. NY wife told me.
My wife started to look for her, and
struck the first trace of Sallie in an
old iootpath leading from my house to
Corkrans. Grant Corkran was in the
field blowing between the footpath and
William II. Deans Fowling Creek
mill.
within % feet of the bridge over
Fowling Creek we discovered a foot
path, and there saw the impression Of
a heel turned in toward the place
where the baizes were cut. saw the
stump, they looked as if they had been
freshly cut
Just then Samuel X. Jangrell, the
mailcarrier from Preston to Denton,
turned into the path leading near the
place where my girl lay dead | first
saw the napkin, then tin bucket
half buried in the leaves. There was
a piece of checked apron under a
bush.
II knew my child was in there, bat
could not reach it at first for the brush
and briars. 1t was impossible for
anyone to get her there without being
dragged there, MS had to crawl in on
my hands and knees There was
lot Of grape vines near the scene, and
it looked as if SalIie had had her head
held back over them and her throat
cut. Besides the gaping wound in her
throat, there was bruise on her left
temple.
I a.. II