Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-03-30
Story of the Crime.

The crime for which Winder paid the
death penalty was the murder of Frederick
| T. Rinehardt. an aged tolIgate keeper on
the Dulaney's Valley pike in Baltimore
county the night of December % last.
| The execution today marks the last chap
ter in case flied with unusual incidents.
On the day following the murder Winder
came to Baltimore and requested police
man 10 take him TO a hospital for treat
ment of an injury to his hand. Notwith-
standing the fact that the entire city po-
lice force had been ordered to keep q look
out for Winder, the policeman escorted the
fugitive murderer to a hospital, where the
pistol-shot wound was dressed and the ne
gro departed after thanking the officer for
his kindness. Several hours later the pO-
lceman in looking over his lookout sheet
became imbued with the idea that he had
acted as escort for Winder and promptly
notified ais district captain. This furnished
the nrSt DEFINITE clue to the whereabouts
of the murderer. Soon the police dragnet
was In operation and within day Wlnder
was prisoner at the northern police sta
ton, where he made a confession to Capt.
Schieigh and IN which he implicated his
cousin. VIII Winder who is now serving q
term in the penitentary for completely in
the murder
AT the January term of court at Towson
Isaac Winder was adjudged guilty of MUIR
der In the first degree by Judges Burke and
Duncan and sentenced to be hanged. He
was brought To Baltimore and confined IN
al Ntli HI the CITY jan. DIS lIe county llStl-
tuition was then undergoing repairs. Two
weeks later the condemned man was taken
back to Towson and placed in cell on the
first tier. Here he remained for several
weeks, to all appearances a model prisoner.
On Sunday night, March A. the discovery
was made that Winder had sawed through
one of the bars on his cell door, and this
was the first inkling the authorities had
that Winder was planning to escape and
that he was being aided by persons on the
outside. He was removed from the cell
and placed IN another on the second tier, In
full view Of the night watchman's post, and
likewise the warden's office.
On the night following Winder succeeded
in unlocking the cell door and opening a
window in the wardens office dropped
twelve feet to the ground and was free.
The escape was made in full view of the
warden. deputy warden and night watch
man. who stated that they were unable to
shoot the fleeing negro because of the fact
that they feared injuring one another.
From March until March 20 Wtnder
succeeded in Guiding number Of posses,
and Travelled practically over the entire
area of upper Baltimore county. About a
week after Winder's escape Hurricane
Branch and his bloodhounds were brought
here from Virginia and put on the trail.
The posses had by this time degenerated
into haif-drunken mobs. and after trailing
the negro for a day Branch withdrew his
dogs. giving reason therefor that he
would not engage in man hunt with
drunken crowd fearing that his animals
visit his relatives in the county, and also
paid a flying visit to Baltimore where he
remained an afternoon and night. Just az
the public interest had begun to wane and
it was generally accepted that Winder had
made good his escape came the announce
nent from ToWson that he had been caught
near Lock Raven by Chief Abraham
Street of the county force. Again lodged in
the Towson jail there came rumors OF
Iynching and Winder was again brought
to the Baltimore Jail
During his incarceration here petition
asking Gov Warield to commute the SEN
tence was circulated. and aroused a great
deal OF interest. Letters poured in upon
the executive mansion at Annapolis, some
asking clemency and others demanding that
the law be allowed to take its course.
Finally the aged mother of Winder. accom-
panied by the spiritual adviser of the con-
demned man. went to Annapolis and made
an appeal to the governor to commute her
sons sentence. The governor. however
declined to take any action.
The relatives OF Winder on realizing that
all hope of executive ciemency was past
conceived a plan to exhibit the dead body
of the murderer for the purpose of raising
money TO defray the funeral expenses. APP
plication was made at the license depart
ment for a permit which was promptly re-
fused by the city officials.