The Sun.
London, England, 1854-09-08 00:00:00

LIFE OF A MURDERER.

A writer in the Thomasville (U.S.) Watchman gives
the following singular biography of James Hightower,
recently convicted of manslaughter in that county.
Three years in dungeon, it seems, is nothing to what he
has endured :

" About towenty-one years ago a young lady of this
section of country, belonging to a respectable family,
became the victim of a vile seducer ; the fruit was a boy,
who is the subject of our narrative. His mother, as is
the case usually with those of her sex who are unfortu-
nate, married a man of low breeding, and in adverse
circumstances, consequently her son was destined to re-
ceive but a limited share of education or moral training.
At a tender age his character was peculiar, and in some
respects very extraordinary. When only seven years
old, he was attending a sugar-cane mill ; by some means
his left arm and hand were crushed, by which accident
he for ever lost the use of his hand.

"At the age of ten he was bitten by a rattlesnake ;1
being nearly alone on the place, he had to call to his aid
all the presence of mind of which he was master. Fortu-
nately he used the proper antidote, and thereby saved
his life. In the short space of a few months he was
again bitten by one of the same species of reptiles ; by
pursuing the same course as heretofore, her was again
rescued from the jaws of death.
"Between the age of 12 and 14 he made several
attempts to take the life of his stepfather, which show's
that he would not be imposed on. About that age he
also snapped, several times, a loaded musket at a neigh-
bour. When 14 years old he was knocked down by
lightning and did not recover for some time. At the
age of ld he was attacked, while hunting in the woods,
by a very large panther. The panther soon tore him
down—he exhibited great presence of mind by feigning
death. The panther then carried him into the swamp,
covered him up with sticks and grass, after which he
took his leave in search of more prey. Our hero, after
the panther's departure, arose and made his escape
home: He was badly torn—two of his jaw teeth were
bitten out, and many wounds were inflicted.
"But he was not thus to die, for he soon recovered,
and soon after his recovery gave his stepfather a severe
whipping and left him. Excepting another slight shock
by lightning his path was smooth until nineteen, when
he became enamoured of a young lady. Though figuring
in a higher sphere, his superior in 'intellect and family,
yet she was smitten by the boy of misfortune, and re-
solved to marry him, notwithstanding the opposition of
her relatives, who made severe threats against our hero.
But what cared he, who had successfully battled against
rattlesnakea, panthers, and even the high power of
heaven, for the threats of man Nothing daunted, he
continued to urge his claims ; after finding all his efforts
for a compromise unavailing, he commenced a deter-
mined course. He procured his license, placed a magis-
trate at a conspicuous point in the woods, and pro-
ceeded himself on foot to the house that sheltered her
whom he loved, secretly forced the door of her chamber,
and conducted her about five miles through the woods
to the place of rendezvous.

"Before arriving at the place upon which the hymeneal
altar had been temporarily erected, illuminated by the
blaze of lightwood knots and the pale rays of the moon
alone, our hero fell into his former path of bad luck, for
he was bitten by a moccason snake ; but he was too well
used to snake bites to suffer that occurrence to retard
his progress at such a momentous crisis ; and, like a
brave and undaunted boy, pursued his course, and in
accordance with his anticipations, was lawfully married
about twelve or one o'clock at night. His moccason
bite did not long keep him in bed, for he then possessed
a nurse of unceasing attention. After his final recovery
he carried his wife to the home which he had provided
for her, hoping that his cup of misfortune was then full,
and that he would then enjoy that bliss attending a mar-
ried life.

"But he was not destined long to enjoy that repose
which he so much sought. He soon became entangled
in a quarrel with one Mr. Wheeler ; the result was
Wheeler was killed, and our hero, after a regular trial
in a court of justice, was convicted of manslaughter, and
now, at the age of twenty, has gone—leaving his wife,
his anticipated babe, and his sweet home—to the peni-
tentiary, there to be incarcerated within its dismal walls
for the space of three years, which to him must seem
long, long. Who can contemplate his past life and not
say, surely he is the child of misfortune. Have his
misfortunes ended ? Alas ! who can tell ? That fact is
yet concealed by the dark curtain of futurity."

THE CELEBRATED WHITYNGTON.—A humble stone
monument has been recently erected by direction of the
parochial authorities of the parish of Islington at the
Highgate-hill, which is in that parish, where the cele-
brated Whityngton (thrice Lord Mayor of London)
stopped, as the legend states, when he heard the sound
of Bow bells, which he imagined prophesied his obtain-
ing the dignity of Lord Mayor of London: For many
years a large stone occupied the site, which had an in-
scription on one side of it, and which gave a brief re-
cord of his life, but which time bad nearly obliterated.
This was removed, and there were fears that there would
be no monument to perpetuate the memory of the event.
A plain stone about two feet high is now erected there,
which has chiselled on it the following brief history of
his life :—" Whityngton Stone. air R. Whityngton,
thrice Lord Mayor of London. 1397, Richard U.
1406, Henry IV. 1420, Henry V. sheriff, 1395.1