Martinsburg gazette and public advertiser. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1826-1833, 1832-11-08

oil bali crazed man, which il cost the good
natured owner nothing to crafty, and be was
suffered to have bis viii When compelled
to leave the house al last, Be did SO with la.
mentations which distr, ssed the sympathies
of TIE neigbborhood; and when told few
weeks ago, that it was to be torn down, he
said il was then time for him TO be torn down
also; and actually moved to an obscure nook
in one of the western counties, prolessedly
from inability to endure the destruction OF his
beloved domicil
About a fortnight ago, the house vas torn
down, and discovery made which has pro
duced no little excitement 10 that region, and,
In the imagination OF many, affords clue
both to the prosperity OF A. at the period
above spoken Of, and to his subsequent &C.
centricities. The house had no celler; and
the iloor was laid on large sleepers which rest
ed on the ground. Between two Of these
quantity Of earth had been filed 10, which,
IN consequence Of the settling Of the house
had caused rising in the floor directly above
1t. On removing this perfect human skele-
ton was found, laying on one side, with the
hip and knee joints slightly bent A coroner's
jury was Immediately called, and after exa-
mining several witnesses, adjourned for the
purpose Of sending for A., who was hunt
ed out. arrested, and brought TO the place
Just as our informant was about TO leave il.
He arrived 10 state of boisterous hilarity,
and seemed disposed to treat the matter as
an excellent joke As they were those Of an
Indian, which had been dug Up hard by, at
the time he was building the house. a per
son to whom he appealed recolected some
Indian bones having been dug up about that
time, but they were only the larger bones of
the frame, and even then much decayed;
while the skeleton found under the floor was
entire-each bone being not only well pre-
served. but placed in IFS proper position; a
circumstance hardly to be expected from
As limited knowledge Of anatomy.
:. But setting this aside, enough came to
hsh, before the jury 10 show beyond doubt
that human body must have been deposited
there since the building Of the house For
example, the floor was originally fastened
down With long ,srot.ght nails, and the part
directly over the skeleton has evidently been
forced up since. The nails remaining In the
sleepefs, the heads were drawn through the
boards. These appear to have been bent
down end driven into the wood: and the
boards when laid down again were fastened
with cut nails. Again: witness remember
ed conversation he had formerly had with
clerk id A.s store concerning the situation
Of the house; and to have expressed his sur
prise that cellar had not been dug under it
The reason given was, that the earth under
the house seemed 10 be imptesnated with
something which gave it strong smell Of
carrlon A physician Of the first respectfully
ity, who had attended sick person in the
house about the same period, recollccted the
offensive scent; and it is now ascsrtained that
the family actually quilted the house Tor
many months on the same account, and re-
sided in shop in the rear. Ia short, when
our informant left the place. facts were daily
coming TO light through the excited recollec-
tons of the older inhabitants; all con tributing
to the belief that foul murder had been
committed, and tending to fix the guilt on
the elder A., with the privity. ii not the par
ticipation Of bis brother. The most proba.
bic conjecture in regard to the victims is,
that il was either w. or the pedIar above
spoken Of, both Of whose fstes are involved
In so much uncertainty ~ +. Con. & Eng
Remarkable fact IN Natural History - The
Turf Register contains communication
from a gentleman in Virginia, from which
the following is extracted.
"A gentleman, Mr.. -, Of Cumberland
county, Va. has a pond well replenished with
what are denominated here James River, or
North Carolina Club; they are voracious
fish 10 disposition like the pike or jack They
feed on almost every kind Of fish which they
devour greedilY, and exterminate, like pirates,
every other fish that dares cut the liquid wa
tiers in their sovereign and aquatic jurisdic-
ton. | was at the house Of the gentleman
above mentioned, and BY a singular whistle.
and one peculiar TO himself, he can cali up
every fish, little and bfg, of h. caub Kind, to
the margin of his pond. where ne feeds them
with mlnnows, frogs, worms, and they are
so docile and SO well trained, that their own
er can pass und his pond, and allured by
his whistle. they wfll play IN ganbols, and
follow him in his circles. He can, after feed
Ing them, and they are disposed to ruminate,
titliate their sides while they are suspended,
apparently dosing on the surface OF the pond.
.asia Tho most singular feature in the
form Of the Asiatic continent, and one Of the
most remarkable on the surface Of our globe,
is the depression OF a very considerable por-
ton of the north west Of Il below the level
Of the sea- Between the Kouma, the Don,
the Wolga, the Ink, the .Obtchey syrt, Lake
Aksal and the Lower Slhoun, and along the.
Amoc, the whole country, including space
exceeding $4,000 square leagues, is depress-
ed below the general level Of the surface Of
the earth, and forms as it were an immense
basin, the lowest part Of which is occupied
by the Caspian Sea md Lake Aral, The
e,,.f..n ,e ,bs Has,,iap = a8y, fest hoto,v ft,a