Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1806-07-19
FROM THE wssrrpA TKLEcRApHz.
TRIAL OF ABEL CLEMENTS,
For the Murder Of his wife and

indictment against Abel Clements, torthe
MURDER.of his wife and eight chiIdren.
Only one Jddge, (,he honorable Francis
Z. Brooke) being present, he petitioncd the
court, to permit bis trial to come on. APP
plica,ion was made bv him to the honora
bic ]. G.. jackson s. p. Doddridge, Esqrs.
to be his counsel but Mr.. Jackson and Mr.
Ooddridge differing in opinion with res
pe8 to the course proper to be pursued
in his defence, MIR. Doddridge declined
having any thing to do with it, and the
defence was conducted by Mr.. Jackson
alone.
On the second day of the term, Gle
ments was brought to the bar, and his Pc
ti,ion being read the Judge interrogated
him respecting its contents, and mis- sani-
ty of mind. He declared that he wished
his trial to come on, and that he was then
i'm his senses. He was Immediately ar.
raigped, and pleaded no, guilty. In Sc
leeting the Jury, he made his own chal,
ienge, his counsel being silent. He APP
peared anxious to select men Of the most
respectable and gentsel appearances.
Geo. Nicely, the first witness examined
by the prosecutor, testified, that he had
purchased the prisoners lease and crop,
and went TO his house early OH Monday
morning the --- of November, lsO5, TO
get permission Of the prisoner TO put the
corn on The upper floor, (the prisoner hay-
ing made arrangements TO depart with
his family for the state of Ohio, on the
Wednesday following.) He got TO the
prisoners house about sun up or little
after, and found the door shut. He heard
ma noise bu, knocked a; lhe door the
prisoner answered, wal, little and will
let youin directly." He stepped back from
the door three or four steps, and stood !;
be heard some person walking briskiy "a
cross the floor and heard the shaking of
clothes, as if some person was spreading
them. ~
In about seven or eight minutes The pri-
soner unboIted the door and lei the wit
ness in. a little girl, the niece of the
prisoner, was sitting by the fire. The pri-
soner stood by the fire place, and began
g rub his hands, and pick his clothes.
He unbutIonsd his trowsers, strips d them
down TO his heels, then buttoned them
again, took off his shoes and put them on,
then scraped some rotten wood from the
back log and rubbed his hands with IL.
The witness then remarked 10 him he
seemed 10 be in tnoubie--what was the
matter! He replied he had been in trou-
bile for some time. The witness suppos-
ed he was DISTURBED about moving from
the country, having frequently, in the
course of the last three or four weeks, seen
him in melancholy situation, wribging
his hands a3d mut,eriDg TO himself. He
began TO expos,ula:e with him, told him
j. vas useless to be uneasy, he would soon
get ever il. The prisoner became more
composed. The witness then asked, if
he might put the corn on the upper 6oor
prisoner replied he should not, he had
some rye and oats there, and the joists
bad been broke by putting corn there be-
fore, and said he should not be ready TO
move on Wednesday. While they were
taking, The prisoner took out pocket
knife and Whitfield stick. The witness
went from the house, took off his saddle,
aud turned his horse loose; went back 10
,he house. and asked the prisoner, who
was standing in the door. If he might put
his saddle in the house. Prisoner told
bim to brow ii behind the door, which he
did--When in the house, the winsss had
q view Of TWO beds from behind half
petition, the clothes were smooth upon
them, as ,ho' they had not been slept IN,
he saw no bloodoD the prisoner or about the
house. When the witness left The house,
he went on the road leading TO ,.isrks-
burgh about mile distant. On his way
hs met Isaac Clements The prisoners bro
Their riding ia brisk trot towards The phi.
soner's house, but did not speak to him.
Wuness went to J. G. JacksoD's ard ai-
ter sumo time heard Clements had MUIR
dered his family. He with Col. Jackson
Immediately ran to the house, where he
fou0d the prisoners brother Isaac, his
mother, aod his sister with her husband
and one or two more. The prisoner was
gone. The brother appeared much distres
sed but neither the mother nor sister were
greatly affe@ed. The bodies we're all
laid at their length, on their backs in beds,
and the witness thought their faces had
been wiped with wet cloth.
Isaac Clements testified, that he got 10
the house nc supposed about sunrise,
though he had met Nicely on the road.
The prisoner was sitting by the FIRE,
whiting stick. but stepped almost di-
reetly out Of the door. Witness saw some
appearance of blood, and asked the litIIc