The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1824-11-23
who's. nnblic life ha. been always consis-
tent and invariably directed to tue security
of our republican Institutions.
From the Huntsville (Aiabamal Democrat, o
November 2

From the Huntsville (Aiabama) Democrat, oil
November ,.
TIE deads uiire, The lost IS found.
The most extraordinary case has just
b,pnened IA this country that has ever oe
cured within our recollection. Samuel
" S,andiler. of respectable connexions,
suddenly disappeared on Thursday evening I
the as, ultino, in way So mysterious as
to induce a igeneral belief in the nrIsi- |
bnrhood that he was murdt red. Suspicion
Immediately attached 10 his uncle jesse
Staudirer, an old aud highly respectable
citizen. "a It'll HON there was known 10 be
misunderstanding. But what gave color
ing 10 the supposition that ne was murder
ed. aud that his uncle was the perpctrater
oi the foul deed, was, that tae next morn
n5 the young mans horse, saddle and
bride, we're found al the old Senleman's
cntton gin, about two hundred yards from
his dwelling. Upon inspection, the saddle
and hrldl. were found to be stained with
blood the bride reins contained several
spots, and thr saddle was marked with
barge impressions, as if made with bloody
hand.
This discovery fixed the guilt ut once on
the unfortunate uncle, aud the whole neigh
buthood were excited To- an active inquiry
nto the circumstances. Ii were needless to
repeat til. many idle reports which imme
diately took wing on the occasion. Search
was made for several days for the murder
I'd man. but in vain, he was not To be found.
Guilt nevertheless WAS fixed upon his uncle,
and he was forthwith arrested, with his two
Sous, aud brought before a magistrate for
inquiry, when the following facts were dis
closed 1T was proved by the uncle that
the yunug man was seen by neighbor of
the first responsibility, on the evening of his
departure, riding on the road which leads
by the unclr's that after the young man
had passed his uncle's about two and Il half
miles, the witness, between and s O'Clock
At night overlook him a foot, stopped and
con, crs-d with him for several minutes
The witness, suspccilng from his conduct
that something was the matter, pressed
upon him IA disclosure, when the young
man, upon enjoinlng secrecy, stated that he
was ahouttO play trick, had abandoned
his horse, saddle and bride for that
purpose, and was then ON his way to
sumo distant place where he would never
b. heard from again. The witness descll
bed hts person, clothing, &c. and was posi-
! tive II. To the identity Of his person. Two
other Witnesses were examined on the part
ri the uncle, by whom it appeared that
young man, corresponding precisely with
the description of Samnel Standifrr, had
lodged in the house of one of them Oh that
| night, and related to them that he WAS by
the name of Standifer, aud nephew To the
accused. This evidence being 90 full and
explicit that the young man was still living,
the uncle and his SONS were Immediately
discharged.
The uncle and his friends, conscious of
their Innocence, and the more fully ~ &C.
quit themselves of the unjust in.putntion,
Immediately despatched messenger in
search of tie nephew. who, after ~ 10
days, found him near Florence, and bro't
him home, Gtiue, last Sunday evening"
Thereby giving an ocular demonstration
tn II jealous and htshly iucensrd cnmnnui-
~ that they had been charged fal5cly.-
II turns out that the young man rtsorted TO
tins nefarlou3 aud wicked stratagem To If
feet his unele's destruction 4; aud actually
CIT his own finger, stained his bride aud
saddle, and left them aud his horse at his
uncle's cotton yin for the express purpose
OF inducing the public to believe that his
uncle was the murderer. A most diaboli
cal scheme. But his plot failed, and hr is
oiou-ht b3ek To receive the punishment due
10 liis peItidy. In addition To the evidence
given On the trial of the uncle, il is proper
To mention that the ynung man, before his
departure, had made Il cunfdant of another
nnols, 10 whom he disclosed his wicked
Injections, and en-. oined upon him perpetual
secrecy, but when the intended victim was
found in jeopardy, the uncle inteIposed and
! Disclosed the whole scheme. The result
of this case adds another lesson Ia the ma
ny already given 10 The world, what little
confidence is Ia be placed in eircumstmtial
! testimony. Hundreds of innocent men. no
doubt, have suffered death in similar way,
and but for tue delivering hand Of Pro,i-
dcnce, the venerable jesse Standifrr might,
aud probably would have been sacrificed to
apprase the vengeance of an incensed com
munliy.
500
BALTIMoRE, Nov. I-Nrgro Jane a