The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1898-12-02
The Tucker-JOhnsOn Homicide Re.
NiVed

The long deferred and oft postponed case Of
Mrs. Ann E. johnson ct al. VS.. Eli Tucker,
which was removed from Hartford county to
Baltimore city for trial, was taken up in the
Court of Common Pleas on Tuesday, Judge
Harlan, presiding The plaintiff is represent
ed by Mr.. Thomas L. Clendinen, of Balti-
more and Messrs. James j. Archer and Ed
win II. Webster, of Hartford, while Mr.. Ed
gar Il. Cans, Of Baltimore and Messrs. VIM.
H. Harlan, George Y. Maynadier and j.
Thomas G. Hopkins, of Bel Air appear for the
defendant.
The action was brought by Mrs. johnson
for herself and in behalf of her children and
is for the purpose OF recovering damages for
the loss and deprivation of the husband and
father who was the only or chief means OF sup
port for the family. II is said to be the first
of It's kind which has ever been brought in
MARYLAND although similar cases have arisen
in other States. The suit was brought under
what is technically known as Lord Camp
bells Act,'' an old English statute which W as
| incorporated in the laws of Maryland in 1872,
in what is known as the general statute OF
negligence This law permits actions for
damages for the killing Of persons through
negligence or any wanton, wilful or unlawful
| act.
The case reYives interest in the homicide
which occurred at Bynum station on the Bal
timore and Lehigh Railway, small station
| about two miles north of Bel Air, on Satur-
day April 1st, 1898, and ranks among the
most prominent trial on the criminal records
of Hartford county. The trial took place dur
ing the May term OF 1893 and occupied about
five days. over sixty witnesses having been
examined. A great deal of difficulty was ex-
perienced in securing jury, ninety jurors
having been summoned, eighty talesmen be-
ing called before the panel was completed
The following were the iurymen who tried
the case: William l.. Gosweier, Basil Graf
ton, G. Worth Shrodes, James j. Wilson, j.
Wilson Galbreath, Harvey NJ. Wilkinson,
Owen Dorsey, j. Wiley Norris, E. Stanley
Patterson, William II. Hanna, j. Howard
Scarf and William T. Lilly.
| On June 8 the jury returned as their verdict
'sNot guilty of murder, but guilty of man
slaughter and the prisoner was sentenced tC
pay the costs of the case, amounting to owe
81 900, and confinement for six months in thu
county Jail. He was pardoned by Governo
Brown on December !, 1898. Attorney Gen
eral John z. Poe and Mr.. Edwin II. Webste
assisted States Attorney Walter w. Preston
in the prosecution, Tucker being represented
, by his counsel in the present case.
t The alleged facts of the case are, that on tn
p day previous to the shooting OF Uriah John
SON. the victim, and Andrew Reynolds,
+ brotber-in-Iaw of Tucker and assistant sts
= ton agent at Bynum, had had difficult
1 about some demurrage claimed to be due t
:, the railroad company, and on the Saturday {
h the homicide, the quarreling was renewed
and a fight ensued. They were separated b
t mutual friends. Tucker became engaged /
, the muss ami drawing pistol, commence
e firing. Two shots were fired, one of whic
d struck johnson on the hand the other enterin
s his right side, and causing his dea'h. JON
% son, after being shot got into his wagon ,whe
C. he was knocked to the ground by stoI
-, thrown by Tucker. He was brought to h
Air and Iaale dying deposition which WI
ri be offered in evidence.
re The defence claim that Tucker had no /
H. tcution of killing johnson but merely took
"a hand in the affair to protect or assist his rel
re tive, Reynolds. They assert that Johns'
IS. who kept blacksmith shop, and was at tn
hi. time engaged in canning, was vudictive Al
he quarre.ome and came to Bynum that $
of urdav. threatening TO "tix" Reynolds, a
of that he did assault the latter, striking b
over the head with hickory stick or club.