Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-08-03
Charles County Takes Its Turn at a
Tragedy.
YOUNG MAN SHOT And KILLED
Young Irwin Was in Bed When
Death Came.
n E y r l. A P L A T A

Special Dispatch TO The Evening Star.
LA PLATA, Charles County, Md. August
3.-Affairs in Charles county have been un-
usually quiet since the lynchng of Joseph
Cooking, the Hill Top merchant accused of
the murder of his wife and sis.er-in- law.
but last night the good record was broken
Tor information reached here this morning
from Aliens Fresh of the HORT BILE murder
OF James Irwin, d prominent young man
OF the county No details of the affair
We're received A mounted messenger from
the village where the crime was commit
ted reached here about 1 o'clock to COM
muaicate the Information to Safes At
torney Adrian Posey and Sheriff Wade the
latter at Port Tobacco.
When the messenger reached the county
seat, all was in darkness except light in
the Eotel. and Capt Smoot the proprietor,
was aroused and told OF what had happen
ed In the village several miles away
states Attorney Posey was also aroused
and together with Capt. Sroot and the
mounted messenger he started for the
scene of the crime to make an investiga-
tion- Tne officials here are thoroughly
awe when prompt action is necessary, and
the people of the county are always ready
ana wiling 10 lend helping hand. States
In getting away from here and Sheriff
Wade and Deputy Sheriff Barbour were
also sooa OF their way 10 make an inves-
tiSd;ion-
Shot in Bed.
So far as was learned from the mounted
messenger. it appeared that Mr. Irwin
was shot through the head soon after he
had retired last night. He was a young
man, not thirty years old, but had been
married four or five years and had two or
three children When his wife had
finished putting the children to bed it was
nearly o'clock Soon afterward the hus-
band and wife retired and had hardly had
time to get TO sleep when the fatal sho.
was fired
The report of the pistol shot was heard
Dy other residents of the village who
tIrIed o1t and went to the house where
TIE crime had been committed. Consid-
cradle excitement was the natural result
OF the shooting. for Aliens Fresh mad been
Tree from such unfortunate occurrences
for many years Not since the murder of
Jack Wheeler, the school teacher. by John
Marshall Rye has that part OF the county
besn the scene of d murder until last night,
and even the Rye-W heeler tragedy oc-
CURED several miles from the scene of last
night affair The village Is situated on
the Nicomico river. and the Potomac river
steam from Washington land there 1t
Is one of the county's principal shipping
points, q great amount of tobacco being
shipped from there on the steamers to
baltimore There are not more than
twenty houses in the village. Besides the
post office there are two stores and a
blacksmith shop. Matt Irwin, brother of
the deceased, is the village blacksmith.
He is young man and his brother was in
SIeSted In business with him.
Many Theories.
The Irwins are prominent people In that
section of the county, and the death of the
blacksmith's brother proved a serious blow
to a host of friends
What could have been the murderer's mo-
tive cannot be imagined by the people here
because of the few particulars of the crime
that We're received this morning.
1t is not thought that it could have been
robbery, for. although the deceased was a
prosperous young man. it is not thought
that he had any great amount of money in
the house. surely not enough to have JUS
tilted burglar in taking such desperate
chances. for the penalty for burglary alone
is rather severe, and it is thought that not
more than few dollars would probably
have been found in the house.
Without knowing the details people here
are contrasting last nights crime with the
double tragedy at Hill Top. only few
months ago, and friend of the man who
was lynched only few weeks ago is en-
Geavorfng to make II appear that the ma n
who murdered Mr.. Irwin also committed
the Hill Top murders.
When States Attorney Posey and Can't
Smoot return this afternoon the full par
uculars VIII be learned Until then residents
OF this place Will have to content themselves
with discussing theories and possibilities
II Is stated that Mrs. Irwin who was in bed
beside her husband when he was killed. was
not injured.
Information Here.
Information Of the murder was received
at police Headquarters here today, but not
In an official way. There was TO request
for the arrest of the murderer received.
and nothing is known here concerning the
individual who committed the horrible
CRIME. Passengers on the local train from
Pope's creek this morning had heard Of the
murder, but noEe of them had heard full
particulars of the crime. One passenger
said he was told that the crime was com
mitted later than . o'clock, and that Irwin
was murdered just after he had extinguish-
ed the light and gone TO bed. AS he heard
the story, Irwin had no struggle of any
kind, and that the first his Wife knew CT
the shooting was when she heard the re-
port OF the pistol