Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1804-10-10
HOPRiD MURDER.

1
state, depicts the depravity of the human
heart, and the imbeciiiiy of the human
mind, IN SO impressive a manner as TO
leave no doubt, thai without the protection
OF Divine Providence, man, left TO himself
becomes his own destroyer. The circum-
stances attending this inhuman and awful
murder, are marked in so peculiar a man
ner, us TO disarm the vain boast of self su(-
hciency and if this atrocious ACT is duly
considered, will direct US 10 look up to that
God from whom we have our being, as our
shield and defence from the seductive shares
oil our trail and deprayed natures. The
circumstances which attended the awful
catastrophe are as follow: The said David
Williams, when examined before the ma
gistratcs, after committing the horrid deed
declared that he was tired Of existence, and
determined to rid himself of the burthen
OF lile--and at first determined to commit
suicide; but the fear of future punish
ment alter this life, and self murder being
an offence against TIE Supreme Being,
that, it he died Instantly he would have no
time tor repentance, therefore thought, if
lie Killed another person he must neces-
sariiy undergo the forms of law before ex-
ecntion, which would afford him an oppor-
tunIty tor epentanCe.--After abandoning
the idea oil sell murder, for The reasons a.
bove stated, he sent for young woman of
his acquaintance, in the neighborhood, To
come TO his fathers house to see him (the
day he committed the tleed) or it would
be too late, after, that, for the purpose he
had IN view, by requesting the interview.
She having refused 10 come, he then de-
termined 10 Kill the first person that came
IN his way. Shortly after the refusal of the
young woman being made known To him,
The uniortupate Ira Lane, neighbor's
child, was going home frsn a school, and
saw Williams, with gun in his hand, near
the house of his (WiliiamsD father, and
tamliarly asked him &c ne was going to
shoot hawk: Williams replied in the al
frmative, and instantly discharged his gun
at the boy, which slightly wounded him
IN the abdomen--aIter which he carried
the boy into the house, and laid him on
bed. The boy called Tor his ialhcr--Wn-
Iiams told him ne would go and call him,
but went Tor his axe, bringing it concealed
behind him. The boy having followed
hm, he took him second time and put
him tohaCI and then struck him three blows
with the edge Of his axe, aiming at Lis
neck, the two first missing the same, man
sied his face prodigiously, but the third
cut oil his head after which Williams re-
ured within a wood near the fatal spot
awaiting Tor his pursuers, who shortly af
ter came up to him. Al their approach
he made no a,temptto escape, but surren-
dered himself without resistance. When
beng carried before magistrate, he con-
fessed the act, and assigned the foreeo-
ing reasons as the cause, exhibiting no
signs of sorrow or confusion Tor what he
had done.
He was committed to Canandaigua i.il,
there to await the sitting of The Supreme
Court. On being asked, if he was con-
demned to be hung, would he wish to be
reprieved, Unanswered in the negative, but
said lie wished not to be tried till he had
TIME to epent.-The reason he assigned
for selecting the child for the victim, wa.
his being young and innocent, and needed
no time for repentance.
Three things we infer from this mon.
sirous deed, tom the conduct OF the muir
derer-Firs;, the frajlty of human reason
SECONDLY, the total deprayiiy of the hu-
man heart-Thirdly, belief in a future
state, having great influence upon the
most abandoned, deter from the commits
sion Of crimes.--Take away the idea Of
future punishment, end the influence of re-
llgion on the human mind, and our eyes
would often behold murders, suicides, and
every species Of crimes, and sink man far
below the brute creation.
The Indian executed in the same coun-
tY for murder assigned the same reason
for committing the act.-It is worthy of
remark, in favor Of the population of the
country, that the spectators who attended
his execution were computed at 5000.
(Hcrkinier fialier.)
|. The secretary to the Mayoralty Of Rou-
en- has addressed letter to the editor Of
the Cromique del'Europe, published in that
city, from which it appears that on disseei-
ing the body Of a youth Of IA years of age a
human frtus was found in his stomach Of
very irregular form. The progress it
had made in Justification, the nature Of the
teeth, the quantity OF hair, of different