The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1907-02-19
.CLEW TO POISONER
Authorities After Man Who
Destroyed Live Stock.
CONDUCTOR IDENTIFIES HIM
Suspicion Aroused by Package Left
in Car-GOes to Rockville, Where
Case-Grand Jury Expected to Re-
turn Indictments In March.

Special to The Washington Herald
Rockville, Md. Feb. lS.-It is understood
that States Attorney Robert b. Peter has
recently received information which may
/ lead TO the arrest OF the person. who.
something moEe than a year ago. poisoned
a number of cattle and horses belonging
t to Oliver q. Henley, well-knOwn farmer
of the vicinity OF Etchison, this county.
! 1T viii be remembered that several
months after losing his cattle and horses
Mr. Henley's house was destroyed by fire
land. as It was generally supposed that the
/ burning and poisoning were the work OF
/ the same person, much indignation was
Icreated throughout the county.
| The county commissioners offered a re-
ward Of Sl0o0 for information leading Ia
! the arrest of tho guilty person. Gov
Warheld expressed deep interest in the
| case. and the grand jury for the Novem-
/ Der term of court devoted several days to
! making an investigation. failing, however
/ TO unearth sufficient evidence to justify
/ the finding OF an indictment, notwith-
standing the fact that the citizens of the
county generally agreed as to the perpe-
/ traitor
! II was thought that the possibility OF
! ever finding the guilty person had about
/ passed. but the sensational information
now in the possession of the States at
torney wii It is said, more than likely
result not only In the finding of an indict-
ment by the grand jury. which meets
/ here next month but in The conviction OF
/ the person concerned.
Suspicious Stranger on Car.
II IS stated that shortly before Mr.
/ Henley lost several of his cattle Jon
athan Magruder resident OF this
county, who Is. and for a number OF
years has been. employed as a conduc.
tor on one Of the Washington electric
railways, had as a passenger from Wash
ington to Georgetown d young man who
had every appearance of being from tbs
country. As the passenger started L
leave the car the conductor. Il is said
called his attention to a package he had
/ left on the seat and the young fellow as
/ he picked it up is reported to have re-
marked 81 mustn't leave that behind
| it's poison" When asked by the con-
ductor what he intended TO do with
poison. the young man Is said 10 have
/ replied: XIII cattle belonging 10 a fel-
/ low named Henley"
/ Magruder Is quoted as explaining that
while he saw mention IN the papers sew
/ eral months later of the burning of the
/ Henley home. the poisoning Of the cattle
/ being referred TO II the same time, u
/ did not at the time suggest To him tho
/ incident IN the car, but that It recently
dawned upon him that hts passenger
/ with the package or poison and the per-
son who poisoned Henley-s cattle were
one and the same person.
Find Suspect Driving Team.
\ short while ago Conductor Magruder
communicated his suspicious to his uncle.
Winfield Magruder. a welI-known farmer
of this vicinity. and several DAYS ago the
two drove 10 the Etchison nelghbQrhood
/ in the hope Of finding the young man re-
/ ferred 20, their idea being that if he COM
mitted the crime he was probably q resi-
dent OF that locality According TO the
story, almost the first person they saw
after reaching that section was the young
man they were looking for He was driv-
/ ing a team along the road. and as soon rs
I he placed his eyes on him Conductor
Magruder is said 10 have remarked: Hes
( the man Il Is stated that they stopped
/ the young man and asked him concerning
/ the residence OF q person they were osten-
sibly looking for, but that the young man
/ did not seem inclined TO talk. and hung
his head and almost Immediately pass
ed on.
More convinced than ever that he had
located tie p0isoner Magruder soon after
ward called upon States Attorney Peter
and told him what has been related. He
also told him the name Of the person. II.
as a result Of MagTudeT's disclosures. an
! indictment IS found. il will occasion no
surprise so far as the person is concerned.