Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1901-12-09
MARxIN RRoOKLYN.

Herbert Marx, who shot and killed
William z. Taylor, jr., aud William
Hefin and seriously wounded James
Q. Stiff last Tuesday night st his farm
near Oak Grove, Westmoreland coun-
ty, reached his home 10 Brooklyn yes
terday evening. He left Oak Grove
Immediately after bis exoneration by
the coroner's jury.
Abel BIsckmsr, of the firm OF Bald
win & Blackmsr, attorneys Tor Mr:
Marx, who went TO Westmoreland
after the shooting, say that after hear
ing his story of the shooting 1t was
decided that IL was best for him to 20
to Washington and call on Representa-
tive w. A. Jones, OF his home district,
aud give full account OF the case.
This he did. and put himself In the care
OF Mr.. Jones. Mr.. Blackmsn further
says: ernest Marx and myself drove
to Oak Grove and called upon the
Commonwealth Attorney, Col. Robert
J. Washington. After q conference
with Colonel Washington we decided
to inspect the premises where the
shooting occurred. We found that
Taylor evidently had fred two rifle
shots through the house. One OF these
had pierced the window OF the back
room on the ground floor and the other
went through the second story.
"When the first shot was fired Her
bert secured his pistol, threw open the
door and confronted man wearing q
mask. He called upon the man to
speak and say whether the affair was q
Joke. Receiving no answer, he fred.
The man, who afterward proved to be
Stiff. fell on the porch. Stiff ia said to
have stated that he was shot by one OF
his own party, but Herbert says he
shot him.
"Hefin fell next. After his second
shot Herbert started across the front
yard toward fence about 260 yards
away. After climbing the fence he
turned and saw another man carrying
a rifle. Herbert fred and this man al
so fell. The third man afterward prov
ed to be Taylor. who apparently had
crossed the yard and climbed the fence
on q parallel course with Marx.
"Herbert ran half mile to the house
of Mr.. Griffith, the nearest neighbor.
Securing a lantern, q party fastened
back to the scene OF the shooting and
found that Hefin and Stiff had crawled
into the front room, where both lay on
the floor unconscious. One mysterious
feature of the affair was that the lamp,
which had been burning 10 the back
room, had been removed to the front
room. Tsylor's body was not found IN
til sn hour later.
upon searching further about the
premises bag Of straw, g large bundle
OF rags and bottle of kerosene we're
found, together with large braided
whip. A quarter OF mile down the
road two buggies were found, In whicn
were can OF tar, a rope 20 feet long
and several rifle cartridges. A man
named Douglas was found 10 one OF the
buggies. He ran away, and, together
with George Thompson, was caught
later. Both declared that they knew
nothing OF the matter; both had been
pressed into the affair upon the essur-
ance tn 1t there was to be no shooting.
"Au examination OF Tsylor's rifle
showed that the magazine contained ID
undischarged cartridges. The ejector
of the rife was down and cartridge
was found jammed 10 the breech, pre-
venting further use of the weapon.
"Marx remained that night In the
house 10 the custody Of Mr.. Griffith,
who had been deputlzed as special con-
stable. Next morning an inquest was
held over Taylor's body. Thompson
testified that he had understood the
party intended to chastise Marx. He
had been picked up on the road and he
knew nothing else about the case.
Douglas told similar story to the
jury, on which we're two relatives of
one of the dead men. Colonel WASH
inRton told Marx be could make state.
ment to the jury if he desired, and Marx
did so. A verdict Of justifiable shooting
was OF once returned.
MARX was advised to leave the
county. He was taken to Leedstown,
on the Rappshannock, and boarded
boat for Fredericksburg, where we met
him.
"On Monday night, the night preced-
ing the shooting, Marx believes, the
first attempt was made to enter the
house. He was awakened by an un-
known man rspping on one OF the win.
dows. Marx opened the window and
the man asked for information as to the
road to Oak Grove, saying he was
travelling salesman. When told how to
reach the place the man insisted on be.
ing shown. Marx refused to come out
OF the house aud a moment afterward
heard the man 10 conversation with
another person. This put him on his
guard, and he is fully convinced that
the call on Tuesday night was made by
the same persons.
"Marx deeply deplores the publicity
given the young lady in the case, who
has since stated that he had never of.
fered her an insult"
Stifi's condition Ia about the same,
although surgeons at the Emergency
Hospital in Washington say there is
chance for his life. The ball and pieces
OF splintered bone, have been removed
but be is hopelessly psralyzsd.
CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION.
The Constitutional Convention de.
voted it's time on Saturday to @ discus
sion OF resolution offered by Mr..
Il II.