The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1896-04-04
TRUSS GUILTY.
OF THE MURDER OF CAPTAIN
CAMP, AT CHESAPEAKE CITY.
THE Prisoner Bears UP Well When the
Verdict of the Court Is Pro-
nOunced.

indicted for the murder OF Captain Thomas
Canp. mt Chesapeake City. was tried. last
week. delivered the opinion Of the court. on
Tuesday afternoon, ut half pact two O'Clock
when the prisoner was pronounced "Guilty
of Murder in the First Degree.
Judge wickes in his charge carefully went
over the circumstances in the case which had
led to his opinion-snd by his exhaustive
review of 1t at once snyc evidence that tho
Court had arrived Mt such conclusion only
after a iu ,lictous aud impartial consideration,
in which absolute fairness had been showa
the prisoner.
In delivering his decision Judge Wiekes
said in part:-l am now prepared TO render
the verdict Of this court in the case Of j.
Harry Truss, indicted for tho murder OF
Thomas Camp. In this Case the prisoner
waived trial by jury. and selected the Court.
This case has placed a .roat responsibility
upon me. On the one hand | must con-
slider the life OF the prisoner-on tho other
the safety and peace Of society. 1t is case
of circumstaatiul evidence. No one saw the
deed committed. 1t is the settled law In
such csses:-First-Tha the facts and cir
cumstances from which guilt is to be In
ferred should be proved beyond IL reasonable
doubt. Second-The party charged is pre-
sumed to be innocent, until the contrary
appears and that presumption OF innocence
must contribute as one OF the elements OF
proof. to produce that condition OF mind
called reasonable doubt. Third-Ihe acts
proved must not only be consistent with the
prisoners guilt. but must be inconsistent
with every other rational conclusion. These
are the rules by which l have been guided in
this case, and which l have applied to the
best Of my ability, TO the testimony.
do not deem it necessary to examine liz
detail the testimony in che oase. There was
much evidence and the case was elaborately
and fully argued. and | shall only state my
conclusions upon the several facts and cir
cumstances upon which the State relies to
prove tho guilt Of the prisoner.
IT was conclusively shown that the prisoner
knew Captain Camp. and by his own state
ment saw him several times on Thursday
afternoon. He also knew that Camp eI-
pected a friend by the midnight boat that
night 1t was clearly shown that the prisoner
left the dry dock 81 few minutes before
o'clock-that he got his supper few minutes
after 5, and left his house Immediately. am
satisfied that he returned at once TO the dry
deck reaching it between half past five and
six O'clock That he made fire IN the engine
house although it was mild night, remained
there until nearly eight O'clock and was neEt
seen at Mrs. Buckwith's calling his wife and
paying bill to Mr.. Miller, a merchant. Between
tho hours OF half past five and half past seven
Camp was murdered.
The engine house was found broken open
Friday morning before the prisoner returned
to the dry dock. l am satisfied that the
prisoner returned to the dry dock. | am
satisfied that the prisoner broke it open the
evening before. although he had the key and
left the sledgc hammer. shovel and old
blouse and gum boots with blood on them, to
direct suspicion from himself and make 1t ap-
pear that some other person had committed
the deed.
The stains on the hammer, shovel and
blouse, and on the prisoners shirt found at
his house, were proved by DR.. Worinley to be
blood stains. The pressionsi in the mud on the
handle of the spade were such as the priso-
ner's hand would make, having but Il thumb
and index finger, and the stumps OF two
other fingers.
The prisoner Informed Henry Jones and
Mrs. Deibert on Friday morning, before he
had gons to the dry dock, that the engine
house had been broken open.
1t is also clearly proved that the prisoner
was in debt and pressed for money, that he
had not paid any rent since June and other
creditors were making demands, upon him.
and he had been suspended from the society
to which he belonged for arrears Of dues.
Immediately after the beginning
Thursday night about eight o'clock he began
to pay his debts. There was found in the
possession OF his wife 500 and secreted under
the oil cloth $50. Friday morning ne sent
the money order for 81 80 to the witness
Lynch, paid Harry Miller S12. The amount
of money the prisoner had in his possession,
with the amounts paid to creditors within
"a hours after the murder corresponded with
Camps possession.
Although arrested the fourth day after the
murder he was unable to show where he was
between $50 and 8 o'clock Thursday evening.
First he said, that after fastening up the
engine house he returned home at once and
spent the evening there. Failing in this at the
hearing before the Justice of the Peace, he
then wrote letters to his wife and sister which
were intercepted by the sheriff, urging his
sister to swear that he was at her house from
half past five to 7.20, and saying that he
would give her $40 when he returned. This
she refused to do but testified at the trial that
he was not there. Nor do suppose for one
moment that he was in her house that even
ing, In those same letters he tells his wife
OF the money secreted under the oil cloth,
and to keep 1t secret and asks his sister to say
that he had told her in December, that he
had some money laid away, and that he
would not use it, and to tell his wife that she
knew it. Mrs. Savin, his sister, testified in the
case that she had no knowledge of the
money and that the prisoner never told her
that he had any put away. He endeavored
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