The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1823-10-03

u ~ WATTS sHN' " q EiidA ltflGfti. III
must raise or 8 feet more before they car
lind a passage.
Tie above named DUDE has lost IN
Island of ) arpruts, Which h. had on the
river. Another inhabtant named Hane.
lin, has also suffered loss Of land, wheat
and hay; and third named francs Cos
sett, has bad his hay and grain destroyed.
| .-sSs-..
ClBtJ MSTANTlAL EVIDENCE.
4 aiekly attempt to lessen the weight OF
cifcamstantial evidence III criminal cases.
Is How making in thp newspapers. A sto
~ Of the execution of John T.. Hamilton
| for the murder of DR.. Sanderson, in Ken
lucky, in isf3--of which crime h IS now
said To be lnnocent--is got mp for this pnr-
pose aud from the manner in which il is
told IS well calculated To awaken our SYM
paihies, and induce general sentiment of
pity for the unfortunate sufferer. Like
most Of our brother editors. we were i'm
posed upon by it, aud last week copied il
ito the Peruhican. We lave since had
Il conversation with gentleman Of this
county. who was IN kehturky ut the time.
of the trial, and has a diatinct recollection
ofall The circumstances of the TRANSACTIONS
He could not tnor will onr Ieadcrs) resist
the irresistible conviction that Hdeuilton
leas the murderer, and more diabnllea
murder has seldom been committed in our
country, or recorded in our annals.
Hamilton wis what is termed n horse
jockey, whose vocation letlsbim inlo Mis-
sissippi, where on one ne6asion,h he became
acquainted with DR. Sandersons lie was
confined by sicknt IS at his house, where he
remained some tune, receiving the grt Attest
Kindness from the family. Onhis recovery
he was inlelmrd hY Dir. S. thai he wished
To make a trip iuto kentucky To purchase
few additional negroes In work his cotton
plantation, and at the solicitation of H. he
agreed 10 take his lis, fathers house in
the way, Hamilton adding that negroes
could be had cheaper In his mel. hbnurhood
than any where else In kentuetV. They
remained together at the older iamiton's
a few DAYS, during which time II. formed
his diabolical purpose Of numbering his
benefattor, and borrowed gistoI ~ ,e'a-
Ior -, for that purpose. When all
things were ready for their journey, they
SET of together tn purchase the negroes,
Hamilton tahiag his ansa,pcctlng .lieud
through by path, under Il pretenee thai
they would reach the main road much
earlier. On their way, they passed ca
bin, when they were seen by woman,
and Hamilton recognized. On reaching
The place desgrd by Hamilton for his pnr-
pose, DR.. >. was SUPPOSED IL have been
little before, and H. to have fired his pistol,
aud the ball which entered the back part
of his head and came out Of his forehead.
Sanderson fell. and the horse ran back by
the cabin, followed by Hamilton. Who
overlook him, and returned IN his deadly
work. This was also seen by the woman,
who heard the report of the pistol, bul
supposed it WAS a hunter who fired, and
that the stranger had accidentally been
thrown. Hamilton is supposed to h ,vG
then beat out Sanderson's brains with the
but-tnd of the pistol, in dong which he
broke il, aud threw II away. After riling
the deceased he buried him in one of those
pts with which the country ahounds aud
rs by this time his panialoons hid become
btaody, he took them of, hid THIN in
hollow log, and returned home with both
horses. Some time passed OVER, and all
seemed Tranquil. Murder, however, will
caling at the older Hamlton's, saw DR..
IS. horse, and asked if il had sot belonged
to him. "On no, WAS the answer) that
is "A stray horse belonging to Mr.. -, mp
the river TIE man seemed satisfied, bul
Was far from 3eing So He made a Journey
up the river, to the house of the person
named, and learned from him that he hal
never lost II horse, This looked suspl-
cions. The circumstance was whispered
that Saudersdn had hren murdered. The
neighbours sailed out viii, alarrity, and IA
general search was made. They Ascertain
ed the direction taken on leaving tamil
ton's-came Ia the catn-heard the story
of the wnman--.continned the Search
found the identi Il pistol borrowed by
Hamilton of MAJOR =, hroken-httel
Wards found the bloody pantaloons then
found Sanderson's hal, in the crown of
which vas memorandum of the atnobnt
and description Of money in his possession)
and AZ last found thu body of the dcceacrd
in the pit where hr was buried war
ran, was Immediately issued, and Hamilton
arrested. H. WAS tried at the next assizes
for Barron county, and was deteaded by
A.e abb st counsel IN that country, il whom
he gave 1000 dollars, with Il condition thai
another thousand would he given II he sue
ceeded in clearing him. All, however would
not do. The.woman's testimony, Sander.
sons horse, the borrowed pistol the bloody
pantaoons. the memorandum in the hat,
which described, exactly the money at