Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1899-07-14
Browns Trial for Murder The

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trial of John Alfred Brown, one of the ne
groes charged with the murder of the Ro.
senstein family at Slidell, this county, In
May last, was commenced in the Circuit
Court for Frederick county on Tuesday
The evidence in the case was similar to that
given in the trial of Taylor, convicted of
the murder of Mrs Rosenten. A large
number of witnesses residing near the scene
of the tragedy were examined, among them
Mr. George Waters, who testified that Brown
was unusually late in arriving at the farm
of Mr.. John Knott where he worked, on
the morning of the murder. Others testI.
fed to seeing Brown pass along the road
in the vicinity of the Rosenstein house early
in the morning.
Armstead Taylor was the next witness
placed on the stand. He testified that on
the Saturday morning of the murder he
called Brown up and went out doors.
Brown got up and went down the road to-
wards Rosenstein's, carrying with him
bucket and an iron rod. Witness followed
behind Brown to the store, about fifteen or
twenty minutes behind. He got to the store
porch, and Garrett Linthcum passed and
witness said to him:
"These Jews don't get up until late, do
theyW Linthicum made no reply.
81 looked towards the kitchen door and
| said:
"'Brown, what you doingS'
HE says, oh, hush, Hump, come In here
Then Brown says, I've settled Rosenstein,
you tend to the woman
"Brown drew the rod from behind him
and handed it to me went up stairs and
struck Mrs. Rosenstein on side and top of
head Brown was right behind me.
HE passed me and went to Mrs. Rosen.
stein and got the keys out OF her clothes,
and opened the top drawer of the bureau
and got out four rolls of money and some
gold and silver. He gave me two rolls, some
gold pieces and a pocketbook that had sill
yer in it, Brown went down stairs and got
me pair of No 9 shoes, and then says to
me, Il will hide your boots; you skin out
He also gave me watch.
81 went to Boyd's and met Mr.. Linthi-
cum coming back. passed Thomas jack
son and spoke a few words to him. When
| got to Boyd's | bought pair of shoes
from Mr.. NJ. Lewis, No. 10, paid him 81 .25
for the shoes in 80 cent piece and three
quarters"
On cross examination of :he defense he
made some mistakes, but told the jury that
he was liable to make mis- takes, as he had
never been on witness stand before.
He said he was at Jackson City and gam
bled good deal at crap, poker, sweat and
other games, and lost good deal of money.
He was asked by the court if he gave any
money to be used in his defense to a woman
and he replied that he gave $l5 to his aunt,
Annie Nelson, but none to any lawyers, and
that he paid no money to his lawyers TO de-
iend him that they defended him for moth
ing. This statement was made voluntarily
A question was asked Taylor as to his
coming on the witness stand and he replied
that he came voluntarily He said that his
mind was made up To tell the truth. He
didn't want it on his mind any further. He
identified the iron rod AS the one that Brown
had and the one that he used on Mrs Rose1
stein.
While Taylor was telling his story Brown
sat detected and respondent. Taylor was
asked ii he was ever convicted OF burglary,
He replied attirmatively, and said that he
was sent to the penitentlary