Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1914-04-10

abusing the doctor about an unpaid

passed by on the other side, regarding
him as having blood on his hands
There was hardly citizen of b. but
pictured the popular physician follow
ed by the man to whom he owed
money, struck from behind and drag
ged into an empty field near the
house, where the sick man was wait
ing for HIM Curiosity to know how
Henderson had contrived to get rid
of the body here came in and added
fuel to the flame.
One morning just before dnybreak
Henderson's wife heard the sound of
horses hoofs without She awakened
her husband, who arose and, blocking
out through the window saw that the
house was surrounded by mounted
masked men. Then there was a rap at
the door.
Henderson went down to answer the
summons and asked what was wanted.
A man-leader OF the vigilance com
mittee- entered. forced Henderson TO
dress and despite the pleadngs Of his
wife and children took him from the
house and down the road for short
distance. where they stopped under
tree
Confess that you murdered DR.. At
water" said the leader.
81 did not"
A rope was produced, placed around
Henderson's neck and the other end
thrown over n limb Of the tree. The
gtrIt,.dN nI 10
but persisted In his innocence. He
was drawn up slowly until he became
unconscious, then lowered and when
revived called on again to confess.
Believing that he would not live
through another such ordeal, IIender-
son to gain time admitted that he had
murdered Atwater, but that two other
men We're implicated with him. If
they would give him II trial by law he
would make plain the whole scheme,
which was to force the doctor to tell
them where he had buried large sum
Of money.
The cOmmttee-th were ten of
them consulted together and agreed
that IL would be well TO get the whole
story and to do this had better stop
the proceedings. SO, taking Off their
masks which. now that Henderson
had confessed, were not necessary,
they took him to the jail and turned
him over TO the sheriff,
Henderson secured one delay after
another. while he sent out statements
of his case to editors all over the c0un.
Al
hope That DIR. Atwater would see II
and come back to save him. Several
months passed, and nothing came Of
this effort. At last Henderson could
find no excuse to put his trial Off long
err and made up his mind that. having
confessed, he would have to swing.
The trial came of. and, having in
vented the story duplicating others, he
confessed MS much. giving as reason
TINT had he not done so he would have
been put TO death.
The feeling ran 80 high against him
that, though the Judge charged the
jury that there was no real evidence
against the prisoner and though four
OF the twelve jurymen at first voted
- u" Nv l"''"'' 'p'"''' VI S"'''
was minded III by the FOREMAN
scarcely was the word spoken when
d man was seen elb0wlng his way
through the crowd, and when he broke
INTO the open sphce occupied by the
lawyers mn exclamation Of astOnish
ment burst forth. He was DR.. At
whter the supposedly murdered man
Atwhter hnd seen one or the notices
OF the position In when he had placed
the man VINO had Defriended bim ana
hhstehed 10 save MIN. Ihe reason or
his coming to u. and or his disap-
pehrhh'e from. there was llht he hhd
iau trouble WIN MS wire ana hnd been
"ie'''u u! l"e court 10 pay hef
aiiil"ny winch n"u iohueu nm WIN
ueot' 10 eScape from turther deinhnds
ne hnu gone west uhu prhetlceu MS
pro'essloh uhuer ah assumed mime.
me letter ne hhd received whlch hhd
uis,"n''I'eu MN was from ms Drother
nun 'ns mn, tnnt MS "iie ma lehrh.
Gu VI us "nereuDoutS' "heh ch'Ied
OUT Oh tne nient Oh ms disappearance
,"S,'"u VI poins !" 'isil t'e p"tieht he
hau 'rhve'ru WI morning, turning up
"i,er Se'elu' WEEKS snlitIhs' III I'M
''n'' 'o'"'y IN" uiiue' "not"er hni"e'
neio'e ,eu',ns lne Gourtnouse men
uei',i' en'eI"' uo''p,uint "s"lnst t,,e
ven l'ei as", VI tne ylsiinhce commit
~" LOT ,e'onIons "dtnck WIN intent 70
every one OF thein TOR DhrDarous ana