American watchman and Delaware advertiser. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1822-1828, 1823-09-30
From the National Inteltigsnccr.
CIRCUMSTANTIAL TESTIMONY.

fUTTOWlng genIeInan
ia Virginia, Of the most respectable character and the sirc
test veraciy 1t due truth and justice publish
lit.
Gentlemen: was surprised to see in your paper
OF the Goth last month, that Hamilton, who murde&
red Doctor Sanderson, ives said to be innocent /
never knew OF a more ungraefuI murder and hang
ing, tfttnE, was too good for Hamilton. Please
excuse me while mention some OF the circum-
stances.
happened to be on my way home from Tennes-
see, and came through Barren county, Kentucky,
the week of Hamton's trial and il was the talk of
|every one saw. Hamilton horse Jockey, that
lis, he drove horses from Kentucky TO Orleans sell;
and it was said, on the last trip, he lost his money
jby gambling, and look sick at O,leans: On his way
home, he met with DIR. Sanderson, on the road be-
tween New Orleans and Natchez. Sanderson took
him to his house, Natchez, nursed him, and
lgot him we'll, and did not charge him any thing.
lSandcrson intended coming to Nashville shortly to
purchase slaves Tor his own use, and had collected
about or 5000 dollars. Hamilton waited for his
company, and when S. got to Nashville, he inten-
lded to rest himself and horse and look out for ne.
groes. But Hamilton persuaded him to so along
with him, far as his fathers, in Barren county,
Kentucky and rest himself and horse, free of cost
telling him that he knew OF negroes that might be
lgot cheap, &c. Sanderson went with him. Short
lily alter Hamilton went to GLASGOW, (the court house
Of Barren county,) and asked Major-(whose name
forget ii he could lend him pistol that was sure
fire that he was going jsurney, &c. The said
Major lent him pistol of sure FIRE. Hamilton
went with it to his fathers, who lived about 1o miles
from GLASGOW. When Sanderson wanted to look
out for negroes, Hamilton pretended he knew where
negroes could be got cheap, and he would go and
jshow him the road. He took Sanderson by.road,
which he said the nearest way, and by house,
the woman OF which happened to be milking her
cows when they rode by. A short distance from
IN ,nft IT.
timber blown down, and bushes grown up into
thicket, and the road became mere path. Whes
Hamilton got to place he liked. he rode behind.
and shot Sanderson in the back of his head. Sam
derson fell, and his horse ran back past the house
where the woman MIXED net COW. He struck San
Idefsoa on the temple with The butt end Of the pistol
It'll he dead, and the pistol broke OF by the
breeclt which he then threw away in the thcket--
went after the horse and brought him bsck---hid
Sanderson in sink -hole--hd his oyeralls, which
we're bloody, behind log, and thought all safe !;
had money pienty-paid off debts, sc. Some
weeks afterwards, neighbor of old MIR. Hamilton,
seeing SIS horse there, asked that was not the
horse that the gentleman from Natchcz rode. Old
H. said no it was stray horse, that belonged to
man up the river! But the nsighbor still thought
that it was Sandersons horse and, to satisfy his
mind, he to the man up the river that H. said
owned The horse, who informed him he had not lost
any horse. This gave rise 10 suspicion. This
man tells another and another -snd suspicion in
creases They went to HIS house, inquired when
Sanderson went away, and what course he went
found out the course Hamilton and Sanderson took,
and came TO the house aorenamed, by which they
had rode while the was milking her COW.
She told them what she had seen, and that she had
heard the report OF gun the morning II. and S.
went by, in such direction. The next Sunday,
all the neghbors gathered and spread themselves
to examine the extent OF the damage done by the
hurricane when they found Dr. S. in sink holes
and, not far from the path the pieces of the pistol,
and Sanderson's hat in the thicket; and behind a
log found Hamilton's everalls. Upon which they
had Hamilton arrested, and, at the Call Court, the
Major who lent the pistol swore he had lent it to
i I'll. and old Mr. Hamilton swore the ovcras were
his sons and the Ca-Court, having no doubt Of
the guilt ofyoung Hamilton, committed him for
trial at another Court, which was the Court that
was in session the week came through Barren
County. He employed Mr.. Rowen, great Law
yer, said to have been successful counsellor there
totore on the part of criminals who lived MAR
Beardstown. He gave him $1,000 in hand to- np-
derake his defence, and was 10 have given hilo ano-
Their $1,000 if successful
| When Hamilton got SIS money, he deposited
about half in the GLASGOW Bank aud the, other half
in the Nashville Bank. In the lining Of SIS hat was
found list OF the money in his possession. Upon
examining at the Banks, they found the amount of
money deposited by II. the as described in this
list.
DIR. Sandetson moved from J.fersoa county, Va.
am told he married daughter of Mr.. Kearsley,
an old and respectable merchant Of Shepherdstown,
aud moved TO The Natchez country to make a fer
tune in the cotton business.
Hamilton, the murderer, never saw. Ills ia
miiy is not The most respectable in society. His
fathers brother, John H. lived about mile from
my land IN Tennessee and kept ferry across the
Cumberland river, which frequently crossed. I
know, Of my own knowledge that he was not an
l,arest and had he sold ku r,laca