Year: 1859

" WE tTObK hg6nkI young GambrIT. q eh0Ff
time before that his brother John Gambrl. had been
charged with attempting 70 nre dwelling house in Penn.
syvans avenue Benton was the chief witness In that
case having caught the incendary IN the OF striking


the match, and bis subsequent murder attributed To
feeling OF revenge on the part Of Henry Gambril On


me Trial officer Rgdon was the only witness who fixed the
srlme OF assassination upon young Gambrill There
seme contradictory evidence but the jury believed In e
guilt Of the prisoner and rendered their verdict accord
ingly.


HENRY GAMBRILL


Was native Of this city, and about twenty years
Of age He was the leader of faction Of the American
party called the Plug Uges but had been known TO
have committed any crime previous the murder Of Off
Ger Benton. His parents respectable and influential
citizens, and his sisters especially, noted for their
beauty and graceful His political position
such that up the moment OF the execution he
manded host Of friends who worked day and night 70
him to procure pardon from the Governor. The nfu
ence that brought to bear the Executive
tOnishiDg, OF the rst In Baltimore being
The petitioners for Communication Of the sentence.


friend OF the condemned, named Harris wrote letter /,
Governor Hicks in relation TO the murder Of officer Ben
ton, in which he solemnly affirmed that he knew who
the real murderer and that Henry Gamurl tha
fact he ntmated that he the person who fire
the shot and that Gambrl was an innocent aud muc
injured man. Still the determination Of the Executive
not moved one particle Gambrll had been found guilty
Of the murder tn which he charged and Governor


Hicks decided that the law should take its The
Of the condemned, but all their efforts avaed nothing
No greater boon than repreve would be granted but
hardly had the Governor granted this request when the
murder Of policeman Rjgdon filed the community with
horror. GambrilPs fate sealed Although NO act OF
bis caused the murder of Rgdon still the community held
him morally responsible for the crime The following
letter. written few days after the murder shows que
plnDly that no one regretted the than
Gambrll:--


ia few words from unfortunate win be received
calmly and fairly udgsd desire 70 say to those who once
hood youth and early msphoodno for sake but in
behalf Of my gray haired ahsr and weeping mother that the
beart did that his bereaved widow Much as love
rents dTns reee Would sses %
death by Violence that Of The victim Of last Friday evening





qp FL aSse
The result is known and am IN the cell ou
s, hs vsss Ssd
cured my conviction was as unexpected to me az
could have been TO any one and as much by


Well might Gambrll regret the assassination of DO.


ceman Rgdon, for sealed his fate and left his friends
without hope Whatever chance Of pardon there might
have been before the last murder there certainly
been since. No. The effect of these murders was
such that the Governor dared not interfere There was
no alternative but to vndcae the law in all its majesty
or to give the city the brutal terrorism Of savage
outlaws and he chose the former.


THE MURDER OF POLICEMAN RIGDoN


Was, without exception, one of the most cold blooded
and atrocous acts ever perpetrated In Christian commu
nifty The dissemination occurred about eight o'clock on
the evening Of November 5, while deceased was in the
midst Of his family. The facts Of the case are briefly as
folows-On the evening in question officer Rigdon left
the Western station house for his home, in Baltimore,
Pearl street, and cautioned by Capt. Lneweaver
not to 60 out threats had been made against his life on
account of the testimony he had given 10 the of Gam
brill TO the effect that he should die the day that Gam
brill convicted These threats had also reached the
Of the deceased but he unable trace them TO
ary direct source and considered them as idle or drunken
IL mn M n
rect 10 his home, and 10 his sitting adjoining
store, talking TO his wife a the time Of his death At the
corner Of the sitting room email window opens into the
yard, and Mr. Rgdon standing leaning the mantel
piece, with his back to the window from which he was
lot two feet distant His wife sitting the other
side of the room, and little lost child, which he had
picked up in Tho street, sitting the carpet at his
ee. me ASSASSIN went up small alley at the side Of the
the window, heavy load OF sugs entering his right side
and causing instant death. He exclaimed only, az am
shot, and fell dead on the floor having ceased breathing
after heavy groan. large horse pistol with which
the deed was committed, was left lying in the yard. i'm
the opposite side of Baltimore street. hearing
the report Of the pistol started TO Mr. Rgdons
house, when man came running out Of the side
Ger Cook started TO arrest him he fired twice at him,
neither of which took effect. The officer Immediately
drew his revolver aud started in pursuit, firing twice q
the assassin as he up Baltimore street. On turning the
of Pine street the ASSASSIN and the officer again
exchanged shots without effect and continued the
TO Penn street, when officer Cook succeeded in knocking
him down with his pistol, and, with the assistance of off,
GERS Jamison and Higgins, carried him to the station
house 1t proved to be Peter Corrie butcher residing
the Hookstown road, and an associate of Gambrlls
Il should however be stated that this Corre was
IN the store pretending TO look at some shirts few
minutes before the fatal shot fired his object being
doubtless TO ascertain whether Mr. Rgdon was at home,
and If 80, in what part of the house he would be
by Mr. Pnkney, Immediately proceeded to the
Western station, where he found Marshal Herring
actively engaged in giving necessary orders The
Corre, to be brought before him, when he made full
confession of his participation In the murder, declaring
however, that he did not commit the deed himself but
that he renamed at the mouth the alley on Baltimore
street, whilst Marion Crop went up the alley aud
fired the plsto warrant Immediately issued for
the arrest of Crop, and the Mayor med Peter Cor
re az an accessory 10 the murder and also charged with
attempting the Ike Of officer Cook On examining the hat
by officer Cook had passed tbrough it, grazing bis head
The Mayor then went TO the Middle station when officers
McComas ard Carmichael brought in Marion Crop,
whom they had arrested nj Erasmus Levy tavern on
Holiday street. He brought before the Mayor, and
fully committed to jail on the charge Of murder. This
prisoner II is said, into the house Of Rigdon imme
diaey aer the shooting, along the crowd attracted
by the firing and seeing the body exclaimed would
IKE aa TO 70 60 JACK Kech & Tor the ~ who commit
ed, "Rg good fellow; he often loaned me q quarter
when was hard up" His conduct such TO have
removed any suspicion that might have attached TO him
II is supposed that he quietly out Of the alley eav
ing his weapon behind, when officer Cook started pur.
suit Of Corre When arrested he asked the officers the
charge against him, and they made reply. He then
asked II was for killing Robert Rgdon, and they told
him that was the charge.


MARION CROP


Had the reputation Of being Of the worst in this
city. He was well known character to the police and
had been arrested time and again charges Of riot
felonious assault drunkenness dsordory conduct
He was the leading spirit in the riot at Washington D. c.
in June, 1857, and commanded the party who had pos
session of the cannon. Crop tried to hre Off the
howtzer no less than Ave times happily without sue
cess Had he succeeded the oss Of life would have been
terrble for the weapon loaded 10 tho muzze with
grape shot Alter the rioters had been dispersed, he
hoor N conversing with some OF the upon the
supleot OF the riot Then watching favorable oppor
uny ne lett the premises and took the cars for this city
mnen 1smbrill was convicted Of the murder OF officer
pen'on crop put himself at the head of u gang of the
hp Rsps and Plug Uglies and made an aoortive
auempt 70 rescue the prisoner as he was being
conuuc'eo 70 JAIL This act Of lawessness was
followed up with the assassination Of policeman Redon
n THIS DIS last step In crime, Crop said he was as Sisted
Dy thira party not In custody, who fred the fatal sno
statement