The Litchfield County post., 1827-08-09

twenty minutes after the murder, saw Siranp a, tho
foot Of the stairs where the deceased law; when he
approached the deceased, his face turned white IA n
ghost, and witness Immediately suspected him The
family owned a dog, excellent watch dog which
would not permit strangers to approach the house and
even frequently kept away their hired men until he
became familiar with them. Five or six minutes after
the report of the rAcaw the dog the kitchen soop
the wcnch who lived in the family called him and he
would not move.
On his cross-eNannation, the witness said that ON
the evening Of the 9TH Nav he requested Strang 10
purchase oil of spikenard for him in town which
he saw in the kitchen the next morning. The dog
laid different side of the house from where the
shed was, on which the person stood who fired the
gum hat he was examined a witness OH the coro-
ners inquest, and did express his suspicons of
Strang, As he wished not to say any thing against him.
he being one of the family, although he suspected
him. On the night of the 18th, witness slept with
Suang.
Dinah Jackson, ia black woman aged about fifty
and servant TO Mrs Van Rensseaer testified ,tatslc
in the kitchen Of the house Cherry Hill on the
night of the 9TH May, and heard the gun fired She
went out, called the dog, and tried to send him after
the person who fired it, the dog laid on his bed and
refused to stir. The dog is very watchfuI dog and
never permits strangers to the house. Alter
the MURDER Strang at the front door witt,
a crowd of people. Previous to the murder heard
tang say there were people abuutthc house land that
they did not come for any good. Heard him and Mr..
Whlppe talk about shooting people who were about
the house at light. Whpple asked him why he did
not shoot them! Strang answered, suppose / should
and should shoot You, what would become of me -
Whppe replied, no fear of me; shall take care you
shan't shoot me.7"tnes was asked if the prisoner
had ever proposed to her to poison Mr. Whipple She
answered, that good while previous TO the murder
she was one day preparing dinner, and Strang was sit
ting in the kitchen, and asked her if she would poison
Mr.. WMPple She answered that she would not for
all the world-not for the whole state. He laughed
jumped up and went away. The circumstance had es-
capped her memory until inquiries respecting hadlate
y been made Other Some time in the spring. after the
M hnnn lad Il.
home certain day. he returned the next morning at
o'clock. On the day he absent, Mrs. Whpple left
home at four in the afternoon said she was going to
Fobes; she came back the next day at eleven. Prcv-
Gus to the murder she knew that Srang owned
rifle.
Edward Fay testified that he is gunsmi,h, and re-
sides IN Beaverstrcet. Not positive that he knows
the prisoner. After his commitment saw him in iaiI
ana recognized him as person to " ION he sold ri
lie, at about ten O'Clock the evening of the Sd MAY
last Rifle in court shown to him, which he identified
Inc person to whom he sold the rife gave him $40
bill, OF the Phoenix Bank of Hartford; he returned
s., retaining 1853, the price Of the rifle The b. he
received he paid to Spencer Stafford. The bore of
this rifle is not unusually small takes 80 balls to a
pound. The ball shewn to him, identified by Doct.
Wing; he said it would suit the rifle. He remarked
some pccuiarities in the purchaser on tie night he
sold the rifle. He did not make any particular maui
RES: ne only asked ft was a good rifle. Witness
asked sly as the Prce ofthe rifle. The purchaser Of
tered him SIS, which he agreed to accept; the pur-
chase was made and he vert off, the whole short
transaction.
Starr Foot testified that the I'D o3ay last he was
bar-keeper at Fobes' Columbian Hotel, and gave a
twenty dollar bill, of the Hartford Phoenix Bank, to
Mrs. Whipplc. Docs not recollcct the number of
the BILL and cannot identify it the bill he gave to
Mrs Hhpple he received from Mr.. Fobcs to deliver
10 her.
Phlander Fobes testified that nc keeps the Colun-
bian Hotel; and that the Sd day of MAY, about II
4: NJ he gave twenty dollar bill, Of the Hartford
Phoenix Bank, to Starr Foot to deliver to Mrs. Whip
Iin tho l, IL
it, and did not take the number of it, Don't rccol-
lect however, that he had bill Of that bank
and denomination before, and is sure that at that
time he had but bill of that bank and dcnomina
ton.
John Becker, ailor of the county prson,) testified
that he with MI. Pemberton when the rite spoken
otby him was found. 1t was found on the 10th June
last, in rise of ground in ravne, buried up in mud
and leaves; had it not been found, every shower by
the increase of aluyioD, would the more cfecuaIly
have concealed it. On the evening of the 18th June,
the prisoner described the place where the rifle could
be found. 1t could not have been found had he not
given information lie made Intellectual search for
1t after the prisoner described the place of its conceal
mcnt, returned to him, received a second dcscription
and on renewing the search, found it. The prisoner
also told him where he would find some poison and
on searching tho place described by him, which was
back-house, he found between the brace and the
weathcr-board, cautiously hid, paper containing
powder, said to be arsenic, which he delivered to the
district Attorney to Mr.. Cole, the police masis-
tratc.
William Wilson testified that he was a hired man,
and lived at Cherry Hill. Coming from the barn one
morning, the prisoner observed, pointing to the win
dow, that it fine place to shoot in. Winess an
swcred, it was foolish thing to think ofsuch thing.
At breakfast table, the next morning after the murder
witness asked the prisoner if he did recollect tho
conversation he had with him about shooting in the
window! he answered, Yes. Nothing further was
said The prisoner got up FROM the table and went out
of doors.
Francis Hill testified that she is the wife of James
liI, who keeps tavern onthe turnpike road between
Schenectady and Troy, about two and half miles
west OF the Nskcuna road. In April last, a man and
woman pu, up at their house. They arrived between
shutdown and dark. in one-horsc wagon. Ii had
rained that afternoon and it rained when they came
there. There remarkable thunder storm that
day. She said she thought she recognized the prison
or, but was afraid to swear hat the same person
who came to her house, When asked if she knew
the prisoner at the bar she turned to look at him. He
at first attempted to stare her out Of counenancc He
then began TO laugh, and had to stop his mouth with
his handkerchief The witness was confused aud
frightened. The week previous the court in June
last, she saw him in jail; when he was shewn to her
she thought it was the same person. Had not then
nor has she now any doubts that he is the man. The
woman that came with him she also saw in June who
she told was Mrs. Whipple, and she had no doubt
twas the person; she had no fear to swear that
she the same woman. The man and woman staid
all night and went off the next morning. In conse-
quence ofwhat Mrs. Whipp.c said witness conducted
them into the room to sleep. There were two
beds in the room, only one of which occupied du-
ring the night The prisoner had on the same dress
he now wears.
On her cross-oxamination, she said that she had
never the prisoner or Mrs. Whpple previous to
seeing them at her house. When taken TO iail she