Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1896-06-12
Murder Near Sandy spring-or

Murder Near Sandy Spring.-Or
sunday last during the progress of an all
day meeting at Sharp Street Colored Meth.
odist Church, near Sandy Spring, this coun,
ty' row occurred among number of ne.
groes in attendance in which Clarence
Thornton was killed by blows with club
On Monday an inquest was held on the
body Of Thornton by Justice Murphy, Of
Spencerville, assisted by Justice Schierer, Of
Rockville. The jury was as follows: A. F
Fairall, Allan Farquhar,F D. Leizear, Fran.
els Snowden, Charles F. Brooke, John E
Hill, (colored) James S. NARROW, Gustav A.
Bulwer, James T. Henderson, Frank A.
Cooke, Warwick NJ Stabler and Richard
T. Leizear.
A large number of witnesses testified at
the inquest and from the evidence it appears
that the trouble arose over game of crap,
and in the fight that followed Archie Hop
kins was slashed with razor in the hands
OF Thornton, who then ran and was pur-
sued some distance by the crowd and killed
by blow from club in the hands of Perry
Alcorn
The verdict of the jury was that "Clar-
ence Thornton came to his death by being
hit on the head by a club in the hands of
Perry Alcorn-Samuel Bndd, Philip Hop
kins and Charles Hopkins being accesso-
ries." These men were brought here on
Monday night and committed to Jail.
1t has since developed that several other rs
engaged in the row were badly injured -
Peter Lewis, of Brighton, was assaulted by
the mob, struck with clubs and kicked until
insensible. He would have been killed had
it not been for the timely interference of sew.
eral colored men who came from the church.
Howard Thornton, brother of Clarence
Thornton, was shot in the leg.
Sam'l Budd, one of the prisoners brought
here, made the following statement of the
affair:
l attended the meeting at Sharp Street
Church on Sunday; was sitting alone on
the fence when the quarrel started. 1t was
about 200 yards from the church. heard
crowd hallooing and went to them.
Tom Carter called Howard Thornton a
liar, and Howard called him another. l
saw Perry Alcorn and Archy Hopkins COM
ing toward the crowd. Alcorn said: "Where
is the - of a -" and drew q revolver.
Hopkins said to Thornton: "What are you
going to do with that razor?" Hopkins
struck Thornton. Thornton threw out his
arm and cut Hopkins across the breast and
shoulder with razor. Hopkins picked up
half rail and struck at Thornton. Thorn
ton ran, followed by Archy Hopkins, Perry
Alcorn, q. Hopkins and Henry Hopkins.
Alcorn grabbed a stick of cord wood and
hit Thornton back of the head. Thornton
fell, and Arch Hopkins kicked him in the
head and said, "You - of a -, you cut
! me, and I'll kill you" Then Alcorn struck
Thornton and knocked him down. Hop
kins was kicking him, while Alcorn was
hitting him with club. AS they walked
away, Alcorn says: "Must l go hack and
finish the -of a -" Alcorn said, "If
the = niger can get off with what | put
on his head he gets away with me-"
On Wednesday afternoon Deputy Sheriff
Sullivan arrived here, having in charge Eli
Thomas and Elijah Hackett, two other ne.
groes charged with participation in the kill
ing of Thornton. They were committed to
jail by Justice Scheirer All ofthe accused
will be given preliminary hearing on Sat-
urday, should they demand it, otherwise they
will be held on the verdict of the coroner's
jury.