Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1906-11-16
Hunting An Inhuman Wretch.

Last week the County Commissioners, oil
this county, offered through the columns of
the SENTINEL $1,000 reward for evidence
leading to the conviction of the person or per-
sons who poisoned the cattle and horses and
burned the dwelling house of Mr.. Oliver g.
Henley. Mr.. Henley farms near Etchison
this county and in the course of two years
past he has had poisoned five or six head of
cattle and four horses and his house burned
by some miscreant unknown. The poison
ing has been done at three different times.
Recently two Of the horses were poisoned
in the stable with Paris green, which was
strewn about the stable in profusion. The
other stock was poisoned with Paris green
in the field on the farm. The house was
fired while Mr.. Henley and family were
attending an oyster-supper sociable in the
neighborhood, from which he returned to
his home to find the house in ashes.
To live in apprehensive fear Of such diabol.
ical crime as that related above is inhuman
torture; distracting ordeal which wears
away happiness, prosperity and finally life
itself, if life is left to the victim of these
criminal deeds, but it will not be left to him
if this inhuman perpetrator of these deeds
is allowed to run at liberty without justice
being dealt out to him. Unmolested by
the strong arm of the law, he has gone
on torturing humanity after successfully
killing unlawIully dumb beasts. Embolden-
ed by success and undetection, Mr.. Henley
lives in hourly dread of further onslaught
by this inhuman wretch.
This conduct so violently contrasts with
the admirable order that prevails in this
county and that is frequently referred TO by
Judge Henderson in his charge to the grand
jury that II is shocking, and demands that the
perpetrator shall be ferreted out and justly
dealt with under the laws against such
crimes. This county has up to this time,
with few exceptions, escaped the committal
of such crimes as are listed on the records
OF the penitentiary, and many of which are
repeated over all the country daily and to be
read in the daily papers. This brute must
not be allowed TO set such terrible exam
pie and go Tree. 1t is dumbfounding to the
moral sensibilities of all citizens of this
county, who love peace, virtue and man
hood.
To the present time this brute has left no
trace OF his guilt TO be detected that would
lead to his conviction. A reward was once
before offered for his conviction when the
first depreciation was committed, but no
evidence was developed by 1t. States At
tor ney Robert B. Peter has used his usual
energy to capture this brute. Besides bring.
ing the attention of the County Commits
soners to this unlawlulness and securing
the offer OF the 1000 reward he has called
Governor Warfield's attention to it through
letter and received favorable answer.
We would suggest that, perhaps, in looking
for nominating evidence against this brute,
direct evidence has been looked for alone
without success, and smaller circumstances
overlooked. The old proverb is that "the |
seed oil all crimes Turk in the punishment, |
and often sprout 10 the smallest circum- |
stance" Observing the advise given in the
above quotation some one circumstance may
be detected that will develop chain OF cir |
cumstances which will lead to the identity
of the brute and his conviction and satisfy
moral vengeance.
Judge Henderson In his charge to the
grand jury last Monday at the opening Of
Court called the attention of the jury to this
case, and very rightly in the course OF his
remarks stated with much earnestness that
the perpetrator Of these crimes deserved
hanging, and that he is suspected to be resi-
dent in the neighborhood where the deeds
have been committed and they were the re
suit of grudge held against the victim.
If it is so that he Is resident. and it is not
to be doubted, he should be ostracizeG from
society, scorned by the community ami final
ly driven IRON the neghborhood In that way,
II he Is not overtaken by the law in the mean
time