The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1824-09-24
EXECUTIONS FOR MURDER,

! AT the iHlc term Ot the Bedford Superior
Court, Judge VIM. Daniel presidog, vii
liam Ferguson, of Franklin, (lram which
| county The trial had been ,rrmoved IN con
sequence of the stFonE current of prejudice
HGainst the pusuner,) WAS sentenced 10 b'
| hung, tor the murder of his wife on The 90lb
Of last February. We understand that he
va, defended on the ground of insanity,
bul the circumstances attending the muf
der did not satisfy the jury Of The justice
Of the defence, nor should they. Thu fol
lowing are the circumstances Ferguson,
| short time before day break, on toe nor-
mag of the murder, went 10 one of his
neighbors, aud informed him that his wifi
was SICK, aud tina, he expected she would
die in very short time unless She could
be relieved. The alarm vas i'm Al, tiatcly
given to some others of the ncishbUfs,
who found his wife dead and cold, and her
infant child crying by her side Ferguson
did not return with them, but WAS found
several days Afterwards wandrriss rbout
conscience stricken, with his clothes wei
md frozen upon his body. His wife wa
buried, and no suspicion excited that she
had been murdered, until the CLOTHES found
upon the dead body we're pvt INTO the hand
al the wlalrr-N oman, wlen ii uds DISCO
Ntred that there was hole through then,
aud that they were burapd with pow der.
The body was immediately dls;nterred,
aud IN inquest hrld, when II WAS discover
ed that she had been shot. Suspicion of
course fastened upon the husband, and a
traIn of providcntiA circumstances subse-
qosnlly combined to iy upon him. rs clear
as noon day, the guilt e the diabolleal
deed.--Thcre was peculiar barharity IN
rhr manne, of committing The muI der, ant
an ingenuity employed TO escape detection
which, hllc it precludcs an commseIa .
! for the richly deserved fate Of Ferguson
leaves 20 room TO doubt his suity al III,
moment the act was committed which has
brought him to the ,gallows In common
cases, when man murders his fcllo. VIII,
i II CONNECTED with him by any other liz
than that socil obligation imposed by III,
laws II nature andrxpedirncy, We shud1ei
al the fact, that "A wretch can he found 81
hardened in iniqaity ast imbrue his hand,
IN thu blood Of his fellow being, and send
him suddenly into the pr, srnce OF his judge
with al. his impcrf.ctions on his head ,
But, " hen brothrr, u father, or "A wife is
the .ictm-no language is strong rnousl
To depict the deed in it's true colors, or Ia
|
tiCiunt odium--nor is any punishment adc.
quate to the rnormlty OF the crime. NhoN,
all, he who can raise the weapon Of death
against onc buuud To him Ivy the sacred ties
which 20 human arm may sever with impu
nifty, must be cursed with a heart,
Black as the damuiug drops tina, fa'l
" From the deuouncIug Angels pen
! On Monday last, the county court o.
Amherst, sentenced negro woman sas,
10 be hung for the murder of her master
Robert Alien, about three weeks apo h'
entered the room while her master M.
asleep, and inflicted a h'ow upon his head
which severed his skull from the top TO the
hnttom. The woman we understand made
A full confession OF her guilt. Though the
shades Of darkness may conceal crime
from mortal Vision, there is 4 hand above
which ia ever employed in circums enting
the schemes of the nidnisht proNIer and
( assassin