The Murder Trials

Patrick Gallagher – guilty/not-guilty

Patrick Gallagher, 30, was found guilty of murder in the 2nd degree of John Watson in January 27, 1835 and was sentenced to 18 years of hard labor in the Maryland penitentiary, and 1 year solitary confinement, until 27 Jan 1853. Gallagher was found not guilty of the murder of William Mercer was acquitted of those charges. He was pardoned on 1 June 1836.

Terence Coyle – guilty/guilty

Terence Coyle, 22, was found guilty of murder in the 2nddegree of William Mercer in January 1835 and the same verdict for the murder of John Watson in Dec 1835. He was sentenced to consecutive 18-year terms to be released until 27 Jan 1871. There is no indication of whether he served his full sentence.

A look through the Maryland penitentiary prisoner sentencing for 1830-1840 that included 31 murders including 3 death sentences (all commuted) shows that the maximum sentence for first degree murder was 18 years, so these sentences were serious.

Strong Statement by the Judge

Judge Kilgour, as he pronounced sentence on Owen Murphy, called the murder “one of unequalled and exampled atrocity”. He lectured Murphy and the court about this premeditated murder of strangers who never had business dealings or met each other before (contrary to newspaper reports). Judge Kilgour stated that:

“...on the morning of the twentieth day of November last, between the hours of twelve and one o’clock, the stillest, darkest hour of the night, you, together with some twenty or thirty associates, armed with clubs, muskets, and other instruments of death, stole forth from you dens in the execution of a plot long before meditated, to the houser, or as described by the witness, the shantee of the deceased on the rail road.”

“…breaking down the doors with a dreadful crash with the oft repeated cries of, Where is Watson? Where is Messer[sic, Mercer]? who turned out in the sequel to de selected objects of your pursuit and of your fell designs, the unfortunate inmates of who it appears there were 15 or 20 in number, unarmed, and without any means of resistance, aroused from their repose by this unusual and fearful noise, arising from an assault so violent & unexpected, finding themselves so suddenly in this scene of peril, or terror, and danger - some attempted to conceal themselves – some escape amidst the firing of guns levelled at them as they run – some are overtaken by their pursuers, knocked down, and brought back to the place of slaughter”.

The judge continues the story of the murder, and the confrontation with Watson and Mercer asked the attackers why they were doing this, that they were strangers to them, and begging the attackers to

“take our property, take everything we have, but, oh! spare our lives! This last appeal, which would have moved to pity and compassion any heart not hardened in cruelty and crime was answered by blows succeeding blows, until your victims fell prostrate and lifeless at your feet, beat and mangled until the fragments of their skulls are scattered around them”…

After more exposition, Judge Kilgour ended the sentencing, as we have seen in the movies, with the statement…

“It is the Judgment of the Court that you be taken hence to the public hail of Anne Arundel county, whence you came, and at the time which shall be duly appointed by the Executive of the State, then to the place of execution, and there be hanged by the neck until you are dead – and may the Lord have mercy on your soul.”

Why this sentence of death was never carried out probably the custom of the day where an 18-year sentence ended up being the maximum issued. Work was completed on the Washington Branch Rail Road in August of 1835 and has been an integral part of Howard County ever since, including as its eastern border. The violence and bloodshed that went into the making of this railroad should not be forgotten.