Martinsburg gazette and public advertiser. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1826-1833, 1828-02-21

ceased to be Robert Carlisle, that he
had resided in the state Of Kentucky,
and that the jury have returned YER
dict that the deceased came to his death
by hands of the negro Examiner.
LITTLE Rock, "a. T Dec. 18.
II most during Murder!-Was per.
petraled in this town, on Thursday
evening last, on the body OF Mr..
Isaac Watkins, one of our most USE
lul and enterprislng citizens, by fell
low named John Smith, a resident OF
the vicinity of this place. Between 3
and 4 O'Clock on that evening, while
Mr.. Watkins was sitting in the store
of Mr.. M'Lean, Smith came into the
store with his rifle 10 his hand, and
after talking a moment with Mr.. NJ
Lean, on some trivial business, step
ped back to the door, and, without
speaking a word TO his intended vic
tim, deliberately dropped his gun to a
charge, and discharged itscontents into
the breast of Mr.. Watkins, who was
sitting fronting him, asthe distance Of
about 10 feet. The ball entered his
left breast, near the nipple, and is
supposed 10 have ranged little up
wards, ard lodged near the back bone
Mr.. Watkins expired, 10 great agony,
in less than an hour after The fatal
shot.
So quick was the act performed and
so completely astounded were the by.
SANDERS, that, although there were
severa! persons in the store, and some
within an arms length of the assassin,
at the time il was committed, the
wretch succeeded in mounting his
horse, which stood ready at the door,
and made bis escape, before any one
could lay hands on him. Several per
sons sat cut in pursuit Of him, with as
little delay as possible. and others
started IN few minutes afterwards,
but he left the main road and lodged
INTO the woods, and by that means
obtained such start of his pursuers
that they could not even get within
sight of him. He went directly to
the residence oil his mother, Mrs.
Anna Smith, and OF his brother
Washington Smith, about three miles
from this place, and obtained from
the latter fresh and fleet horse; and
had left there some minutes before any
of bis pursuers came up
\ party who sat oct from here ear
ly on Friday morning, traced the as
sassin to the residence of Gen. Hogan,
living 10 the Settlement on the Man
melle, where he slept the preceding
night, and which place he left early in
the morning under the pretext of go
ing to Join party who were bunting
bears in thai neighborhood He had
told one or two individuals in that set
Element of the act which he had com
mitted, aud they mad communicated it
to others-but, disgraceiul to tell no
efforts were made by them to arres,
him! OR to afford any facilities, either
as assistants or guides. to the party in
parsuit of him, The consequence
was, the party were compelled 10 re =
turn, without accomplishing their ob
ject
A party sat oct for the south, on The
night the murder was committed, for
the purpose of intercepting Smith at
some OF the settlements up the Saline,
and also up The Washita, where some
of his connexions feside--but returned
yesterday without finding the object of
their pursuit.
This fellow, Smith, has long been
suspected OF being concerned with a
gang of horse thieves, who have been
lniesting the country for years past and
who usually harbor on the Washlta-
and TO have been in The habit Of killing
the hogs and cattle of the citizens of
this place and bringing them into town
and selling them. Mr.. Watkins had
charged him land no doubt very JUSTIFY
on the day previous to the murder, with
killing his hogs, and threatened to pro-
secute him for it; and there is no doubt
that this was the cause Of his commit
ting the murder.
A subscription was very laudably
set on foo. by the citizens OF this place,
for the nprnose OT offering reward