The evening times., 1899-11-25
MARYLAND's DOUBLE TRAGEDY.
4 Young Girls Murderer Ends His
own Life by Shooting.

own Life by Shooting.
ELKTON, Nd, Nov. 25.-The dead body
of Silas White. who murdered Miss Rhoda
Jackson Thursday evening, was found be-
meath cedar tree 100 yards from the home
of the murdered girl yesterday. There vas
a bullet hole in the left temple, and the
ball had lodged in the back part of the
head. White. after his terrible deed, had
evidently committed suicide The body of
the murderer and suicide was found by
Sheriff J. Ross Conoly and party of
young men who were assisting the sheriff
in his search.
The officials were at work upon the case
at an early hour yesterday. AS footprints
were found within a short distance of the
house in which the dead girl lay the Off
GERS suspected that White was in the
neighborhood. The footprints were follow
ed by the sheriff and his party, and when
about 100 yards from the residence of Mr..
Jackson lying beneath a cedar tree, with a
hole in his left temple the body was found.
From the condition of the body it was ap
parent that White had been dead for sew
eral hours. Beside him lay the weapon
which had been the means of putting an
end to two lives. The exact time White
killed himself is not known and Zone of the
farmers in the neighborhood remembers
hearing any pistol shots fired. The author
tiles are satisfied that White, after COM
mitting the murder, did not go far from
the scene OF the crime. but fingered in the
woods near the rear of the house. The
night was a dark one, and White would
have had no trouble in eluding arrest by
remaining in the bushes. While there he
could have heard all the conversation of
the people who had gathered about the
premises. The body of White was taken
! in charge by his brother and sister, and
will be buried in St. Marks Cemetery, rear
Perryville
White was about twenty eight years of
age and son of the late Capt. Edward
White. Both his father and mother are
dead. All the neighbors who knew White
say he was sober. industrious young man.
How he could commit such crime no Cne
can understand
Coroner William p. Dean. accompanied
by States Attorney William S. Evans. of
Elkton. went to the Jackson home yester-
day morning and summoned a jury of in
quest.
The most important witness before the
Jury was William Winchester the sixteen
year-old boy who was walking behind Miss
Jackson as she was returning home from
delivering milk 20 a neighbor and who saw
the fatal shots fired Winchester testified
that White was sitting on a rail by the
road side, and as the young girl approached
he jumped Gown. walked deliberately to-
ward her, caught her by the arm with his
left hand, drew a revolver and fired. the
bullets striking her in the side of the head.
near the temple. Winchester did not hear
White saying anything as he approached
the girl, but heard the girl cry cut as White
fired the first shot.
NJ Mrc Er,v L Toal 4ya
girls parents, testified to Whites desire to
visit their daughter Both had warned him
10 stay away from the house, as their
daughter did Eot wish his company, and
was much annoyed by his efforts to force
himself upon her society. The dead gir!
was their only child, they having lost son
several years ago, who was killed by the
kick of horse. The jury rendered YER
dict that "Rhoda Jackson came to her
death from two pistol shot wounds inflict-
ed in the right side Of the head by the
hands of Silas White
The coroner, then being notified that
Whites body had been discovered, impan-
eled the same jury, and after taking the
testimony Of a few witnesses the verdict of
the jury was that White came to his death
by wounds inflicted by his own hands"
The murder of the young girl, who was
favorite with all her neighbors, and the
suicide of White. who heretofore bore a
most excellent reputation, has thrown the
community into gloom, and there is gen.
eral sympathy With the parents Of the un-
fortunate girl.
That the motive for the crime was Jealousy
there is now but little doubt. White was
in love with Miss Jackson, and as she
positively refused to have anything to do
with him, he no doubt became crazed by
jealousy, and this led him to commit the
deed which resulted in the double tragedy.
The funeral arrangements for Miss Jack
son have not been completed. but she will
be buried at Asbury Methodist Episcopal
Church, of which she was member. The
Jackson home is near Aiken, in the Seventh
district of Cecil county.