Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1896-10-01
Trial Of Wood Chase.

The trial Of NCot Chase, indicted Tor the
murder Of Elsie King and Isaac Dennis,
both colored, was begun at Leonardtown
on the "a uItimo. Judges Briscoe. Brooke
and Crane were on the bench. B. Harris
Camalier made the opening statement for
the State and Judge Blackstone, Of Acco-
mac, for the defense.
Capt John T. Hopkins, of Somerset, in
his testimony told the story Of the drown
ing Of the two negroes, but did not identify
Wood Chase as the man implicated in the
homicide. He said he saw a man in
boat with pole or an oar striking, but did
not know whether the boat or the negroes
in it were struck. Only one man pursued
the negroes. After the drowning captain
Hopkins talked to Wood Chase and asked
longs cOuSu Ue oDtaIneu VIII n. .ssss.as
catch the dr9y9Ed men. Chase answered !:
81 don't knSg!6nd i'll did. would not tell
you" Tooktwo of the men in boat. Dan.
Bailey swan ashore. He started down
bar. His brother met him at the point and
took him of. Man in boat pursued them
and had their boat partly filled when I
took them of.
William Bailey. colored, testified: 81
can't say knows Mr.. Chase; il has been
so long since seen him. Dat looks like
de man. OATS de man." pointing to the
prisoner. II didn't have no trouble; went
to mail some letters There was five head
of US, and five more came. AS we passed
the barn some white men commenced
chucking US. One gent run to the fence
aud pulled up stake and started 10 hit
one of our fellows We run. Got TO our
boat and got in. Wood Chase run around
and headed Us of. He pushed his skiff
out and struck with an oar and sunk us.
There was five head in our boat. They
were Elsie King, Isaac Dennis, Bob Bailey
Daniel Bailey aud me. Issac Dennis and
Elsie King were drowned Saw them
after they were taken out of the water
They were buried at the Catholic grave.
yard"
Describing the drowning Bailey said {:
1.-TWO men stayed a: the skiff and one
swan ashore. Captain Hopkins took us
two off the skiff. Chase struck at the men
overheard. When Isaac Dennis came up
he showed him down. Dennis was closer
to me. lie struck at the men until they
went down and stayed. After the drown.
ing, went after Daniel and started to strike
in boat, and Captain Hopkins told him not
TO do il; said he would 60 aboard and kill
the d niger. Came aboard and took
me out Of the cabin and beat me so |.
couldn't work any more that season beat
me with rope. Some wanted to stick
marlin spike in me. Our Captain stepped
in between US and said that was enough
1t happened in Britton's bay in about ten
feet Of water" On cross examination the
witness said he saw Wood Chase strike
Ell sic King in the face with an oar while
the man was struggling in the water.
Robert Bailey and Noel Fields both told
their versions Of the difficulty, agreeing
substantially with William Bailey's &C.
count. except that Fields did not see the
drowning, and Robert Bailey said that
pistol shot was fired by one of the negroes
and insisted that the man was in the water
when he fired.
George w. Cryer sworn. Am resident
Of st. Mary's. Was home on 18th of No
vember. 1891. Saw the drowning twas
near Newtown graveyard in Britton's bay.
Was in store within Is yards of the creek.
Opened door and saw Mr.. Chase running
5 colored men. They were standing up in
boat. He struck with pole and capsized
boat. After they were in water he kept on
striking to keep them down. Thought it
was pole, but won't be sure. While the
men were struggling he struck down
Men overheard were begging him to let
them alone Never stopped until they
were drowned. Whenever they put their
heads above water he would hit at them TO
make them 90 under. Didn't know the
men; saw them after they were drowned
Know Mr. Wood Chase. Am positive he
was the man. Five men in all. Captain
Hopkins, think his name was, saved two
One swan ashore, walked around a little
and jumped overheard and swan aboard
vessel. There was $50 or 200 men on
shore. Never heard Chase open his mouth
while he was drowning people. After
drowning was over Chase came up 10 store.
Joe Mattingly and myself were sitting on
box. Chase: seemed to be little bit excl.
ted. Didn't say anything to me. said
Wood, You have done something wrong
very bad. Took his hat off-a tarpaulin-
and showed hole in front part of hat,
and said they had shot at him. Looked to
me as If the hole was made with nail or
stick. Looked to me as If il was impossi-
bic for bullet to have gone in that hole
without going through his head. told
him that was no pistol ball. Said no more
Knew Capt. Hopkins boat The men
were going toward it. The men were
about yards from shore when Chase
pushed out for them. Am sure there was
but one man in his boat, and that was Mr..
Chase. Know him well.
On cross examination, said: Was stand
ing on shore about 10 or 90 or so yards
from where the men were drowned Was
in store when men passed and ran out.
WIT in direction of Mr.. Chase's boat
I9klttes End he were altogether. Mr..
CzS<e's boat was right in cove about IS
yards from where l was. Darkies boat
and Mr. Chase's boat were lying side by side.