Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1809-06-13

lowing account is truly distressing and
Irritating in its nature; at the place
where ithas happened, it has excited
a very general sensation; the cause
perhaps affords greater reason of COM
! riaint than either the unfortunate death
If Pierce, or the affair of the Chesa-
peake by the Leopard but we hope
it will not create SO much unreasona'
bic aninosity as either OF those cir
cumstances. When our school houses
are foroiblv broken and the teachers pi-
pioned, drove off and murdered (and
this BY regula.S,rmed fo.ce of officers
and soldiers of the United States) it
is certainly no small cause of COM
plant; and under these circumstances,
the inhabitants Of Elizabethtown have
done themselves honor, by their firm
and deliberate conduct In OBTAINING
captain Holmes and his vessel, till
they had obtained ample evidence OF
this most wanton and attrocious vio-
iation Of our national jurisdiction.
We understand that a proper state
ment of facts has been made to proper
authority.
Efza5efhtown, { Uhher Canada May 10.
Mr.. MowER-A most cruel murder ht-
wing been perpetrated in this place lately,
on the BODY of Isaac d. Cnderhiil, resi-"
dent here, deem It my duty, through the
channel of your paper, to lay before the
public statement OF this affair ana must
request you will, as early as possible, IN"
sert the following circumstances ana let
ters.
On the 1st instant, an American vessel,
said to be bound from Ogdensburg in the
state of New. York to Oswego, anchored in
bay Oh the British shore of the ST, Law
renee, having on board captain w illiam
Bennett, of the 9th United States regiment
of infantry, and some of his men Winnie
lying in the said bay, captain Bennett, who
had received Information OF An American
deserter being in our settlement teaching
school, ordering his sergeant, ny the name
of John Graces, to pursue and take MN
the sergeant and two OF his men then went
on shore, proceeded to the schooi-nouse,
took the said Underhill, tied lis hands De-
fore him, and drove hi u some distance
through the woods with their guns and
.bayenets pricking him continually in most
cruel manner to make him run, till they
Came to the kings highway, when the
said Underhill looking towards MT. rul
ford's house, where he boarded, felt w'sh
TO escape to it, and run he had not pro-
ceeded more than 4 or rods when he was
fired at by the said sergeant and ms men,
and on the second discharge OF gun, ne
was mortally wounded, when the sergeant
and his men ran up to him and were gong
TO blow his brains out, but ne oeySseu h,s
life, saying he had received his death
wound, and wanted "A few moments to MAKE
his peace with his maker on which the
soidiers left him, ran to the shore, went
Immediately on board the schooner, ana
from thence with their captain, Bennett,
fed Instantly to the American shore. On-
derhiiI, with assistance, reached Mr.. ful-
ford's house, where he lay in excruciatins
torture till Tuesday af ernoon, when he ex-
pred. The corouer's inquest sat on the
body the next day and brought in YER
dict of wILFuL MURDER, (.fter hearins
the testimony Of T rancis Davis and Robert
Hugenon, two seamen belonging To the YES
sci mentioned in their dispositions, also ma
nv other strong and convicting testiInonies)
The following letter from captain Bennett,
with my answer, will further elucidate the
matter.
am, sir your humble servent,
HENRY ARNOLD.