Martinsburg gazette and public advertiser. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1826-1833, 1829-09-24
(WhoIe No. l545.

JeAa ~ RncAanan-f was down al Mrs.
Soott's. standing on The porch eoRscrsieg with
George and while there a woman went INTO
the house. and ftsid him she wss goiag 10 Ecu
hrs. scott thst that girl (Rzcheil ~as up lie
river, and that be had better pre pare hsrstH
with an excuse ! told him. | thought 4 would
l~create an unessiness with his w,fe sts a.osher.
lin-lav; he said he would provide himself with
an excuse. ! advised him 10 40 ia s.sd say
while she remained there. lie said he No, III.
Col. v N. Hi;iams IL feS days sitter vfs.
Scott and MIRA. S~earlngen left haergssswa
for Cumberland. I was waited upon by sons
gentlemen, who said they unslerstood snnse per.
sons intended to assault Sw~srngsn's house.
l went TO his Office, found him ,,eee aioae, aud
requested him 10 walk into hs house, had
something t. communicate. We ueat IN. told
HIM some men were going to sssauh HE i,ous,
that there wEs . general fumuus hat he had
Rachael Cunningham there lie - q shc was
not there. told him TO be csnd.d, tisss MS
bis friend. He then owl dgrd ste was
IN the house, that she vas up STARS, pew.
Gus to this, told him is frieads wers deter
mined 10 ascertain the fact. I told him 20
send her OIL, and that Il shc had not thc nnesrs
he rnust furnish them, and let her depsrsur~
be ms public ~ possible--to let her go 20 tie
stage Office. He then mentioned some plsea
in Virginia, where he would take her 10.
told him thst the place was too near, he had
better send her farther of; he then said shs
was in q dslcste sa~tustion, that che was prey.
( naut BY him; IL was bis child. When isfe
him l thought he intended 10 take her awav
privately. Il wss my impression. One snn,or
was the conduct OF q member Of his family
towards bis wife. Swesringen said Il ..s false.
He said she was not o good house keepers
that Erancis could not get hi- meals ~ re, silar
tme.-thst he could not re, accommodates
had great confidence 10 MIR. 8. while he was
my deputy.
Geo. Keathesv.-s. asked me IN his house. and
closed The door, when, In conversation he said
he wanted 10 take Rachael 10 virgsnis; that
Col Williams had advised him 10 TEX her away
in the stage that she had been frightened away
from the bridk house near Mr. S.nifs ss.sl had
10 go to . negroes house, that she ' ~ very
much distressed and could not stay -.l,at come
10 his house some time in the night. sad sha
was th~ere-wsnted ne to furnish him sisb q
saddle. Issid | thought I could. Teid him Z
would call sgain. ! called again and cd inn
would furnish him. ! saw them goieg awpy--t
furnished = saddle and birdie Asiswas eoiag
down street l saw some persons stapdu.g IL the
yard. When returned ssw . hoFse standing
at the stable. George, Frank and the girl wers
there, George on the horse, and Flank helped
The girl on: II was 10 O'Clock 81 night. At aGo-
,hcr conversation with s. spcski x Of Vie IA.
mors respecting the girl, he said !, y ~ nnples as
snt for him 10 sleep with ,h's wife Or lay with
her. that when he was lying VITA her there was
matter running from her, and IT w.s t,npieas.
Ant 10 him understood him aat he nesnt "A
was unpleasant t1him To lay with her told
him il was an unfortunate iectmstsacs, and
asked why he married her; be % dshe WAS rsr
susded to il, or advised 20 il. Eaher he or
made the observation, Because she was ricb,~-
lie told me he had an attachment for saoihsr
isdys and il wac opposed by his friends His
character stood very high as ahumaat aud char.
table man.
Bsrgess .Jfagrudsr - found q club ahs,s, 20
steps from The nesi--a bickary stick - sppesfed
TO have been cut with a pcaknife. three or four
days. I was there on N, nday after the death.
The stick about three and . hall Ecrt long, md
better than sn inch thick --Iosked rs u ii vas
cut in haste the limbs cut oil and left rnnvl,.
Nothing like hair or blood about the stick, ON.
the night Of the inquest ati.sne's, isaw Il man
come up the road 20 if he had crossed he lord.
tpg, whe, BY aAash ofthe light from rse open.
ing ct the door, ! discsvered 10 be ,swraringen
1-he turned his horse and rode up ii.s i.ti to-
yards the bridge.
Doctor N. Lawrence - was samaoned
on the night Of the i1,h September. 10 exam.
inc the body ct Mrs. Swearingen. v ills Doctors
s.P. Smith and James NJ. smith. She had beea
brought and depositedin the warehuuss &c sir.
Lane. Upon opening the cot9in 10 offensive
smell issued from Il, which From being closely
shut up was very offensive. There &ppcaaed .
wound on the side of the head. xeont the
temple or above il. OF q cen listed kitd. With
rough edges. which sppeated As II thsd been
inflicted by = stone or . iail on stones. Having
made . crucial incision OF eonseiersnla event
down TO the bone. on dtssces.ng toe fs =, dis.
covered no fracture ofthe beEe sacsp ~ y snaM
scale abont the size Of my little finger mil and
not quite as thick ~ the aait. 4 sn cling 40.
peared over the root of fiir oose. r~uoDing from
the eyebrow OF the left eye upwards aatequeIyg
raised about the thickness 81 lac bait "a, lfaesr.
about three fourths Of al iaeh broad ssel one
and q half inch long. Prom, its seuLdness, &c.
appeared - IL inflicted befere death, b3 -ome
hard substance--or as hi, rsegis DOT angutar.as
coniusions, infected after Lea4h. fumsess mine.
.diateiy,l are of q hat,cntd apkAevs zsr. A
number OF bruises appeared ~, tic extremsties.
but slight, mere abrasioas I The scarf s&ia. We
we're Of tho opinion thar none ~ he wounds CT
bruises had caused her death r exsnsne Il tta
stomach; the appearance ~ ~ { a. eisan so.
mach, externally viewed. wepe such s. VI usual
ly see in bodies that have b 90 deaA q few
days There was no Appearance ct d,seeio,a .ea
On the external walls OF the sDdess4ai ar ie.lt,
which before we opened 4 was IS whae - II a
had not been dead an hon The ssuns-eit was
nearly empty. The womb. Nbsell ~e Bes.E
proceeded TO axsmine. was sound, IA sritEy
had been Inflicted on II. thossgh It's Mails were
slightly tinged with . WIN a. nseNs ibe va
| gina was also uBipIaged-tte e~stefnAl pasls ~
generation were, towards tie lvaer parts. in
an offensive state, trim he Moisture, &c bus
not sweiled. il 10 probsbie tie ~s@vit as carr
RED away by the blood, dts.Isafge. @ksch ss ape
to appear much greater to bs s,snders Than 10
Those who ere a squ4inlea Nnh such spg,e~raa-
lces--Ws 90 consultation. did roa rs over any
Cause sufficient 10 pfoetc her sls.a h--bui Iu1-