Virginia free press & farmers' repository. [volume] (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1827-1832, 1832-06-07


li.riso. sos.sy. "a. wIna.. ~ Bsn.<ss ~ss
Iossd Guilty. q sAsssi.s. vish i.se~s 10 kli, HE
Nj sailnsn, nd vss se~sesscd
10 tve ye.rs' inpriss.ness N the praisrnsisry,-l
The Ciarksssry Esquirrr. spesaiag Of HE trial.
fss.ishssshs following iss<r~ssisg Psrs'ssisrs:
"The strseity Of the act -f which
he ~ss fessd gsilty, 10 aggravated BY
the r,slatises IN which he stesd 10 the
man whsss assassination he attempted.
Married 10 the only child u SilIman,
treating her With sniform kindness,
and living ea terms II intimscy, and,
20 oil appearance, in aaestioaste amity
with her parents aud other relatious-I
enjoying On sussllied character, with.
eat previous complaint sgaipss the in
tended victia 81 HE deadly passions,
he deliberately shoots him in broad
day. slmost On the thseshoId Of his
dwelling! There was m sudden pas
siou-no provocstion: bot parting ~ .
fiiend with Sillman on one day, he
steals upon him the next, and With un-
erring aim, attempts his life. We can
scarcely conceive the perfidy Of sech
an act, and nothing but the irresistible
clearness Of Mr.. Sillmau's testimony,
(which proved him 60 possess extraor-
binary fortitude and presence Of mind)
could have overcome our doubt that
under all the circumstances of the case,
Bennett could have been the perpetra-
tor ofa crime so abhorrent 10 the feel
ings Of civilized man.
We have heard but one surmise Of
the motives BY which he vas actuated
10 the deed--that the property Of Sill
man wosld, IN the right Of his wife,
(the only child Of Siliman,) fall into
his hands. But here again the end
seems scarcely sufficient to authorize
the means, even with the most grasp
Ing mind. Sillnan's possessions ere
represented % being quite inconsider.
able, consisting only Of farm Of about
hsty acres, aud les improvements.
There is an episode 70 the drama in
which Bennett has 6Kured, possessing
deep interest. His wife was from the
first. convinced Of his innocence, and,
40 We have been told, under the gener-
Gus delusion Of coniugaI affection, con-
adhered his arrest an unjust persecu-
ton. With this feeling she refused to
remain at her fathers house, and re-
sided until the latter part Of April ct
her husbands fathers. Her health,
delicats before, gradually gave way
under the burthen Of her sffiictions;
and after much suffering, she sent TO
her parents, requesting that she might
De brought hOme--fO die. She was
accordingly removed to her faiher's
house, and died on the same day
Her disease was q broken heart. II
10 said that Bennett, while in prison,
although in general exhibiting much
obduracy, was overcome by the news
Of his wife'S death, aud melted into
tears.
The distress Of the parents when
testlfying to the circumstances relative
to the death Of their daughter, was felt
BY all present at the trial.
Bennett 10 young man PRECISELY
not over IS. BY his act, although his
bloody purpose failed, he has rendered
his own home desolate, and blasted the
hopes Of q disconaOlste family"
+Te" aAe Lezs.stsn (Xy.I Reporter, .ASsy 60.
Horrible Murder. Mr.. Andrew
Young, Of Montgomery sesnty, and
his wife, were both murdered in . most
shocking end brutal manner on Sun.
day last, BY one Of HE own AegPO men.
HE circumstances SO far a. we have
been shle 60 learn them, are 90 follows:
Do the evening before the murder. the
negro. was about leaving home. and
was told by his master that ne rnusi
return early che next (Ssnday) snorn-
ing, 10 catch the horses Cor his mr..
Y's) daughters 10 rifle to q Methsslisl
camp meeting, and perhaps 10 20 with
them TO take care Of the horses ct the
meeting. He did net Tetuzn, however.
until 10 or ~ O'Clock, when he went
into the garden where Mrs. Youax wss
picking Strawberries, and on being
seeded By her aud threatened with
chastiSement, be took Up ~ sxe, ssruek
her to the ground, and continued his
blows antiI be severed her head from
her body. Hs then went ia the diree.
ton to meet hV. YOsng. who had been
come distance from the hoase aud was
returning, and told hin that he had
killed bic mistress and would kill hiu.
which fell PaFposs be too fatally exc.
eutsd By beating him with an sxe, tire
same used spon bis mistresal until his !
brains were knocked out and his hosv
saost horribly mangled. There vas |
no ether white person about the place
at the time 81 the msgdeE. The negro
had been raised abOet the hosss II Ms. |
foang, and was mash indulesd. he
says himself Zee stated cur iSEssmansl /
that his 'zsstsE had Get struck Aisa a.
upwards 81 6vo years. Tie Il new |
'aiely legged N the jsil Of Montgomery |
sopnty.