Year: 1859




TowsoNTowN, January 18TH 1859
CIRCUIT COURT FOR BALTIMORE CoUNTY-EIon John
orney, prosecuting. Assisted by Arthur H. Machen Esq
William F. Preston, Esq, for the defence.


State rs. Peter COrre indicted for the murder of police
officer Robert NJ. Rgdon, by shooting him with pistol
on the 5th of November last


p After the opening of the Court this morning, Mr..
Preston and said that he of the
witnesses for the defence Called which done by the
clerk.


There sxysix witnesses summoned by the defence
out of this number only fifteen answered to the call


Miss Sarah Hall re called by the defenc..-Wness did
not say Mr. Mitchell that the prisoner was drunk the
conversation with Mr.. Mitchell was on another subject
Mitchell in the store at the time Rgdon shot
Mitchell was not standing anywhere he sitting down
near the door, he sitting the door, dividing
rooms; he was sitting in the where Rigdon was
witness don't know the size of the room Mr. Mitchell
was sitting in the of the Mr. Rgdon he
was to the door than Rgdon; to the
centre of the ROOM witness at the moment Rigdon
ry Gambrill don't know how long Mitchell remained he
said then till after kigdon dead; Mitchell there
came in and of course Mitchell there Butts
never have said to any that Corre drunk wit
ness said he appeared to be drunk
By Mr.. Machen.-Rgdon was sitting in the corner of
the with his face towards the Mitchell
sitting the partition with his back the parti
ton the door opens to the left and wide open Rig
don was sitting on the right hand side of the room.


Officer Mcdonald, recalled by the State When Corrie
and Crops left the Baltimore Paca streets
Crops ahead; Corric witness; one of
them said some of you will get murder in first degree
tonlgh don know who it was; it was either Corrie
Crops.


Reverdy Hays, swOrn-live at 469 West Baltimore
street. Mr. Hays related that the night of the
he heard the report of the pistol and coming
OF his house, he saw two men emerge from Rigdon's
alley one man dagonally the this
was small man; dressed in dark clothes; he kept
the north SHE he s a6d he twelve feet from the
alley, whom witness recognized Marion Crops; he
was going towards Pine street; witness some men
of the street.


The testimony of Mr.. HAYS substantially the same
Crops trial


Cross examined by Mr. Preston.-Winess standing
IN front of his house next to Blanks when he the
men come out witness knew Crops; he did not him
leave the north pavement witness him he was
opposite Eschech house. about four doors above witness
house.


By Mr.. Machen.-Witness noticed the men come out of
Blanks but did not follow them; witness Eoced Crops
and another man standing in front of Rgdon's window
locking IN about five minutes before the shot fired;
the man with Crops dressed in black he short
thick set man. witness saw this man soo down and turn
down his pantaoons and then him go Mrs Rig
dons store; witness Mrs. Rigdon take down some
goods which witness thought were under Shirts the
was on the left side of the store; witness him
over the goods with his left hand witness thinks the right
hand was in the pocket witness then the
to the right side of the store when witness could not
his movements, witness being east, in diagonal line
from Rgdon's house; witness Mrs Hall go in the
store and shut the door, and then witness into his
house.


Cross-examined by Mr. Preston.-Wtness was standing
the opposite side of Baltimore street; witness could
see the lining on the pantaoons he could that the
lining lighter than the dark cloth witness is the
same person who put upon the stand after the State
opened the in Crops trial witness did all
he has done because he not allowed to do so
he intended to tell the whole truth then and would have
done if he had not been stopped by the counsel for the
defence.


Mr. Machen here arose said that the inference in
tended to be drawn by Mr. Preston that the witness had
not stated the whole truth before upon Crops trial.
unfair. This witness had been called by the State on
Crops trial rebuttng witness and that his
mony confined to the space of five minutes in which
time the defence had attempted to set up dbi His
testimony therefore merely to rebut the evidence
produced by the defence which had attempted prove
abb.


Mr. Cuttings explained to the Court why it was that the





examination the State confined strictly by the Court
and the counsel for the defence to rebut by his evidence
merely the abb which had been set up. Mr.. Cuttings
thought it was his duty, when witness attacked in
this way, arise and defend the witness when any mpu
tation attempted to be cast upon his character.


Mr. Preston said he had right to examine witness
he thought fit, without the counsel for the State
interposing objections. The State would have oppor
unity of questioning the witness after he had concluded


Judge Price said the defence had the right to
anime The witness in its way


Witness continued.-Coud see these persons from the
opposite side of the street. recognized Cropps witness
was stopped by Mr.. Whyte when he going make
his statement; Mr.. Cuttings did not know what the tes
mony of witness was; witness interrupted by Mr.
Cuttings; asked some questions, and when witness
swered them Mr. Cuttings said, that will do; Mr.. Whyte
you have the Witness; the because witness
did not make all these statements because he had not
opportunity.


By Mr. Gittngs.-Wness called to the stand when
Mr. Machen making the opening address to the jury
after the testimony been closed witness sergeant
Eough and officer Brooks what he knew about the
case; witness asked by Mr.. Cuttings where
he saw Crops the night of the murder; Mr. Whyte
objected witness testimony before the
tion commenced by the Defence the examination was
confined to Cropps questions asked witness about
| Corrie


BY Mr.. Preston-Witness stated that he saw Crops
Rigdon, Stnchcomb and man unknown Standing on
Blanks pavement this about fifteen minutes before
witness saw Crops and the other in front of Rig
donS.


BY Mr.. Gttngs.-Witness saw lady come in the store
while Corre was there and shut the door, witness then
went into his own house.


By Mr Preston.-Was not examined before the
or before the Mayor was not at the coroners inquest
at the house.


Wnttan
that on the night of the murder he standing in his
store and Crops and another standing in front
of Rigdons he shut up his store and afterwards heard
the report OF pistol he ran out OF his gate and saw
man run across the street from Rgdon alley and go
Baltimore street, he chased him. and when Pine
street the turned and fired, either him
person behind witness; when witness got to Dr. Robin
sons he stopped and moved aside; he then turned
back to his house, and found pistol lying on the pave
ment between Dr. Robnsons office and lamp post
the curb stone that he picked it up and the barrel was
warm; that after that Crops and another came
across and requested him to give the pistol up which he


did and that afterwards he went to the station house.
then to his home.


THE testimony of this witness substantially the
same the trial of Crops
Cross,eXamined by Mr. Preston.-Winess went to the
station house before Corrie brought in and staid
there until after he came in witness did not give his tes
tmony station house witness did not tell any one
at the station house that he had found pistol and given
it to Cropp did not know of the examination before the
Mayor was summoned here the Friday before Cropps,
trial came witness the first chasing the
the south side, and officer Cook behind Witness
the man who fired the shot was about 20 feet ahead and
officer Cook about II feet behind when the shot
fired witness lessened his speed and officer Cook passed
him. tness went to the OF Pine street and did
not turn down Pine street; witness the crowd
ming down Pine street. witness heard six eight Shots
heard two three before he got to the about four
after he got to the corner witness did not the pistol
as he towards Pine street, he did stumble it,
Crops hallooed witness et that pistol lay witness
did not hear the pistol fall the pavement witness don't
know if person could have across the street and
laid the pistol down where witness found it, witness did
net ba any across @ oropp % saa
the pistol could have been laid there while witness
on the corner witness never the man, who came
across with Crops, before after that that
dressed in dark clothes and stouter than witness;
don't think could recognize the man. officer Hough no
fled witness that he would be summoned officer Hough
summoned witness.


Mr. Gittings 1"oaieer Hough was delegated by the


Witness continued-Went the station house; did not
go over to Rigdons knew Rgdon; knew him well.


By Mr. Gittngs-Witness found the pistol the
lamp post; witness had the pistol in his hand when
Crops witness did not any person pass
him on corner any body come across the street
before he picked up the pistol witness attention
fixed upon the man who was running, to if officer
Cook caught him.


Officer John Cook, sworn.-Ths witness related that
officer Higgins and himself started from the station house
to to the theatre that when they got to Paca street.
they changed their intention and went out Baltimore
street, and stopped at Blanks they had been in Blanks
some three minutes when shot fred they
of Blanks and he saw man in the street running to-
wards the south pavement that the gained the
pavement when he pursued him and chased him towards
Pine street, when Pine street. the turned
fired shot at him. that he then drew his revolver and
fired three shots at the Baltimore street and
|
Janson and himself chased him German street then
to Penn when the arrested that they conveyed
him to the watch house, and gave him up the officer
duty.


By Juror.-The prisoner at the bar is the man who
was captured that night toffcer Cooks testimony
precisely the that upon Crops trial.
| Cross ssexsmned by Mr.. Preston.-Witness was exam
ined before the and before Mayor
did not before the before the Mayor that
the fired two barrels of revolver witness;
ted that the fired twice at witness the best
ness knowledge; when officers Higgins and Jamison
up witness did not hear it said yes, he has got revov
er' the not searched to witness knowledge;
witness don't know if person put their hands in the
mans pocket the other side but certain witness
struck the which the of blood upon him.
witness struck him the head, struck him but wit
don't know if he inflicted the blow which broke the
nose; a handkerchief prisoners head
| chief.


| A Juror.-''What induced you to strike him?"


Witness-'1 returned the compliment for his shooting
| atme'


Witness continued-0fcer Hough rushed in the crowd
on Baltimore street. but witness can't say if, Hough
struck the man; witness the examination before
the Mayor-one of the examinationsthere were two
aminatons witness thinks; witness had five loads in his
revolver that night, he fired only four of them;
heard about eight shots fred witness did
Baltimore street, between him and the who
| running; witness did not two the
street from Rgdon's; witness could have them if
there had been witness the
saw but man and get the south pave
meut; the first shot witness heard very loud; could
distinguish the sound from that of revolver; there
great difference between the discharge revolver
that of horse pistol witness thinks he has said that the
second discharge which he heard like boarding
pisto witness can't remember exactly what he testified
to before the Coroner about the the pistols wit
heard shot in him after the man fired at
him; the man arrested in Penn street Cider
alley.


By Mr. Gtngs-The 6rst shot fred by the prisoner at
tNnnc .nA ~as 81