Virginia statesman. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1828-1829, 1828-09-03

Our readers may Judge Of the shock re-
ceiyed by the poor mother, when she read
the contents, which were as follows
--, July 18Th, Isl.
AIADAu-Ihs viii inform you that your
son was lost overheard, on the LIST 4st. on
our passage from -to-. Wishing
you a long lie and happiness, am, very
respectfully, yours, sc.
It was on this occasion, that we visited
the disconsolate mother and sister. to lend
what little assistance we were able, and If
possible, to alleviate the overwhelming grief
consequent on this dreadful and uaexpect
ed intelligence. On perusiag the letter,
we were surprised at the cold breyity Of
the writer, who, we were informed became
master Of the vessel after the death of the
person above alluded to, There was some
thing that did not appear entirely right,
though we lorbore to make any mention Of
this circumstance. Nothing now was to
be done but to preserve the property Of the
deceased so soon as the vessel should ar
rive, which was daily expected, and this
duty we were respectfully requested by the
friends to take on ourselves, IN conjunction
with three others. We had learned that
be had sold both vessel and cargo, with
which he had originally commenced his
voyage, and reduced the principal portion
OF the proceeds to cash. AT the time of
his death, he was .o another's employ and
commanded the vessel which was to trans
port him home. An agent, therefore, was
Immediately despatched to meet the vessel
ON its arrival, and demand the property.
This was promty attended to by the person
selected for the purpose. As soon as the
ship came into harbour, he went ON board
and made known his business. The dit
tereut trunks and packages which were SAID
to cootain ali the property OF the deceased,
were produced by the master, and laid be
fore HIM, with the assurance that there was
no other ON board. The ohic.ous cabin
boy, however, ran to the cabin aad brought
forth a square wooden box, which he told
his master he must have forgotten, obsery-
ING that he well knew it to belong to the
former commander. The couutcuance of
the man changed to a deadly paIeness al
the sight of the box, and once or twice BIZ
attempted to clam it us his own property:
but the evidence Of its ideutIty coming SO
sudden, strong and conclusive, his he -
fancy did not prevent 1t from benz mma
dIately removed, with the Coz. o.. We
custom house officer, togetho. ,n thcrest
Of the baggage, all of which, Ia a few days
was safely transported to the dwe.al q.
the bereayed parent and sister. ewele.
present at the house when 1t was opened
1t was a sad sight to behold the poor lady
iwstfully examining the different articles of
apparel belonging to her sou many ofwhlch
she, herself, had with much labor put to
gether, while she's gave VENT many bitter
sob at the recolechons they had brought
to her mind of him she loved so we'll The
papers were all carefully filed in good or
der, although twas found that some leaves
had been cut from different books, relating
| TO business, which were written in the
manuscript of the deceased. There was.
however, no money to be found in any of
the trunks or packages, nor a document
which contained evidence of property.
These we supposed were slowed away IN
I the square box which we have before
mentioned. Accordingly the screws were
drawn Immediately from the cover and the
examination Of the inside submitted to the
sister. The poor girl bent over 1t, while
the BIC tears necessarily rolled down her
beautiful cheeks, and drew out one article
after another, which she recognized to be
the property of her dear brother. They
were articles of much more value than the
other in proportion to the bulk, consisting.
of a good watch and a variety of costly
triukets, but still no money appeared. At
length she came TO the bottom Of the box
and pulled out a piece of linen which was
very closely folded together and damned
in one corner. On looking at it her eve
caught the well known initials of her broth
er's name sewed on the edge Of the cloth.
thus" SAID she lis the identical SHIRT !
made for William Just prior to his depart
ure, and these, she proceeded to say, as