Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1901-12-06
THE wEsrMoRELAND TRAGEDY


Latest reports from the scene of the
shooting affrsy OF Tuesday night at
Oak Grove, Westnorelsnd county, 10
which two young mep were killed and
two Others wounded. state that excite
ment in the neighborhood OF the trag'
edy is running very high.
A dispatch from Warsaw says that
John Bird, q negro, circulated the re-
port oil improper conduct Oh the part OF
Marx toward Miss Taylor. He declar-
ed that on the night OF the alleged In
suit be saw Marx put his arm about
Miss Taylor and kiss her, as the couple
we're returning from church near Oak
Grove. Bird also says that Marx press
ed his attentions forcibly upon Mics
Taylor, trying to force her Into stable
and that she fought him Oh. This re-
port caused the attack upon the Marx
residence. This story was told last Sat
urdsy night 10 Stifi's store at OAK
Grove by the negro. Tolls reporl
reached the ears OF her cousin, w. 7.
Taylor, it,, who organized the party
that went to Marks house on thai
night. The young girl. Miss Rosa Tay-
lor, being Of q very retiring and modest
disposition, did not tell anyone what
had o.currsd, but last night, while she
will not give out any statement, &C
knowledged that Marx did make the
advances OF which he is accused. She
did not wish to obtain any publicity
and for that reason had not told any
one. The young men who composed
the party that Visited Marx desired 10
keep it q secret from the family Of the
young lady and they knew nothing
whatever OF the affair until the shoot
ing had occurred. Tue negro was en-
Joined by the young men to hold bis
tongue and the matter was husned up
for the time being.
Another report Is to the effect that
Miss Taylor made statement to DR..
Washington, OF Westmoreland county,
which exonerates Marx completely.
As heretofore stated Marx insists that
be had made no improper advances to-
ward the you q woman and that he
did not know who the young men were
when he shot them. They were mask
ed, and he thought they we're robbers.
Douglas and Thompskins, who accom-
panied the other young men to Marks
mouse, and who fed after the shooting,
have returned to their homes. The
sympathy of the community Ia APP
parently with Marx.
Z. II. Douglas, one of the party who
attacked the nome OF Marx, claims
| that several shots were fired from as
many different directions on himself
and his companions as they advanced
toward the house, thus indicating the
presence OF more than one person In or
| about the residence at the time OF the
tragedy.
Public sentiment Is much divided 81
| 20 wneth,r the corooer's jury acted
wisely 10 dischargiDg Marx, some hold
| log that be should have been held for
further investigation, ss 1t is believed
by many that Marx was not alone
wnen the shooting occurred, but tina
| be had others there who assisted him.
Acting on the advice of Mr.. Gutridge,
me actiog coroner, Mr.. Marx, under
heavy guard, left Wednesday nigh
for the Rappshannock river asd
took the steamer for Fredericksburg
ca route to New York city. At no
time after the shooting was Marx's life
| 10 danger, though is was thought best
for him to leave. Mr. Marx seemed
much affected by theawful tragedy and
| was suffering from the nervous
shock when he left for New York
Ernest Marx, a lawyer Of New York,
brother OF Herbert, and his brother
iu.law, also q lawyer, arrived from
New York yesterday morning and are
a. Oak Grove investigating the shoot
ing. Mr.. Marx Ia the son ofthe late Nj.
Marx, OF New York city, and who be-
| fore his death was large stakeholder
10 the Peoples Telephone Company, oil
that city. Young Marx was graduated
from the New York Law School recent
| ly, and for ak months has been in the
office of Baldwin & BIackmere, lawyers,
81 Nassau street. He 10 81 years of age
aud Ia described rs siDgulsrly modest
young N an of retiring disposition.
The Taylor aud Marx properties are
situated close to the estate OF Robert h.
Lee and the old home OF George Wash
ington. The Marx place was purchased
by the head of the Marx family some
IS years ago. Herbert Marx under
mined bis health by hard study at the
law school end went South recently to
recupsrate.
New York, Dec. 6.-Herbert Marx,
the young Brooklyn lawyer, who killed
Two men and fatally wounded third
while defending himself from cbastise-
ment at their hands, at his home at Oak
Grove, Va, last Tuesday night. Ia re-
ported to be back in Brooklyn. He
could not be found at his mother's home
by reporters.