Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1828-1831, 1829-06-24

OIL Mrs. Stegal, raised party, pursued, and dscov
cred the cssasins. ON the day succeeding that afro
cious deed They came suddenly upon the uar-
pes that they had only time To y in different drec.
tons Accident aided the pursuers. One of the
farpcs was large, and the other small man: tho
nrst usually rode strong powerful horse, the other
neet hut much smaller annual, and i'm the hurry Of
Hight they had exchanged horses The chase was
long and hot; the smaller iiarpc escaped unnoice;
o,it tho other, who was kept ~ view. spurted the
noble animal which he rode, and which, ALREADY iaded
began TO Tail at the end ot five or six miles. Still
the mlscreaut pressed iorwar for although none of
ms porsuers were near but l.elpcr, who had outrd
den ms companions. he was not willing To risk u
comoat with u man as strong. and perhaps boldcr
man himself, vino was animated with noble spirit oi
Indignation against shocking AMI unmanly outrage.
Leipcr was mounted morse IL celebrated movers
which he had borrowed iyoui uciphbor for this oc-
cason AT the beginning, of the cha;c he bad press
cd his charger to the height or his speed carefully
Keeping ON the track of Iiarpc, of whom he some.
umes caugb, glimpse as TIC asccndcd the hills and
AGAIN lost sight the valleys and the brush But as
he gained on the foe, and became sure Of his victim
he sackcnod his pace cooked his rifle and deliberate.
~ pursued, sometimes calling upon the outlaw to
surrendcr AZ length, III lcuping ra,inc, Ijdrpc's
horse strained o limb, and Lcipcr overlook him
Both were armed with rites. I.eipcr fired and
wounded HaTpe III the body: the latter turned in his
sent, icveiicd hlS piece which missed fire, and he
dashed II tn The ground, swearing it was the frst
time 1t had ever deceived finn. lie then dew a
",
nothing daunted, unsheathed his long hunting knife
and rushed upon his desperate foe grapp,ed with
him, hurled him 10 the ground, and wrcsted his only
remaining weapon from his grasp. The PROSTATE
wretch-exhansted with The loss of blood, conquer
cd, but ursubducd IN spirt--now lay passive at the
feet of his adversary. Expecting every moment the
arrivao the rest of his Pursucrs, he cnGred If Ste
gal was one Of the party, aud being answered in
the Affirmative. Inc exclaimed, Then ain dead
mau9'
That would make no difference, replied Lei
per, calmly; you must die any rate. do not
wish I" xii YOU myself, but If nobody else will do
II. must Leiper was IA humane man, easy. slow
spoken, and not quickly excited. but thorough
soldier when reused. Without insulting the eNoj-
ring criminal, he questioned him as TO the motives of
his late atrocities. The murderer attempted not to
palsate or deny them, and confessed that he had
been actuated by no nducemcnt but settled hatred
ot his species, whom e had sworn To destroy without
distinction, in retaliation for some ilncicd imnrv-
he expressed regret for any Of his bloody deeds
except that which he confessed he had perpetrnted
upon one othis ch7n. 1t cried said he and kill.
ed 1t: had always told the woman, would have no
crying about me lie acknowledged that he had
amassed large of money, and described the
places OF concealment; but none was ever disco
vered II is presumed he did not declare the truth
I.sper had fired several times nj Harpe during the
chase and wounded him; and when the latter was
asked why, when he found Leiper pursuing him a.
lone ha did not dis'Dount and tdGe IN Is free from
behind which he could inevitable have shot him as
he approached he replied that hc had supposed
there was not horse in the country equal to the
one which he rode, and that he was confident of ma
king his escape. He thought, ALSO the pursuit
would be less eager, long as he abstained from
shedding the blood of any Of his pursucrs On the
arrival ofthc rest of the party, the wretch was des
patched, and he died he had lived in remorseless
guilt
The other Fiarpe made his way 70 the neigh
'ourhood of Natchez, where he joined gang of
robbers, headed by named Meason whose
vIlaInes were so notorious that n reward was offer
ed for hE head AZ that period vast regions along the
shorcs>of the OHIO and Mississippi were still unset
tied through which boats navigating those rivers
must necessarily PASS: aIa the traders who, after
selling their cargoes at New Orleans attempted to
-oturn by land, had TO immense w:dcrnesses |
oiaily destitute ofinhabitants. Meason who was a |
nan rather above the ordinary stamp infested these
ieserts. seldom committing murder, but robbing all
Who fell in his way. Sometimes he plnndered the |
lccendng boats; but more frequently he allowed |.
hesc to pass, prefrrlng to rob the owners of their
money as they returned, pleasantly observing TINT
those people were taking produce to market for him. !
tarpe took m opportunity, when the rest of hs
'anions were abscut, To Stay Mcason, and putting |
us head in bag carried it 10 Natchca, and claimed
he rrVsrd. The claim admitted; the head of
Neasou recognized; but also was the face of
iarpc, who was arrested, condemned, and eXecu |
ed"