Martinsburg gazette and public advertiser. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1826-1833, 1833-06-13

wrote. The driver oil the stage hfst saw
Mr.. Avery, coming toward the stable
where be was hitchiDg on his horses HI
was about opposite the post office, on the
opposite side OF the street He went from
the stable TO the door Of the hotel. where
he got on the stage and rode to Bristol
On this evidence, the white letter was
read as follows:
"FALL RIVER, December 9Th
will be here on the goth at the place
named, at 9 o'clock, if not pleasant the
next Monday eve say nothing"
Afterwards, just at the close Of the ex
animation Of the witnesses for Govern
ment, Mr. Leisure, swore that in Decem
Der last, he was assistant Post Master Al
Fall River, that he recoIlected having OH
one occasion, delivered ). VI. Cornell, a
one cent letter, and that the same letter
was dropped into the box, by man who
had previously been pointed out TO him,
AS Mr.. Avery. Moreover, that he had
lived at Fall River, that he mad frequently
talked about these letters, but had never
mentioned to any body his knowledge on
this point, till he mentioned it to the coun
sci for government about an hour before
his examination
Seth Darling testified that on the 10Th
OF November he acted as assistant post
master at Fall River. That the mail to
Bristol that day contained but one letter:
that it was the impression of his mind.
that letter was directed to Rev Mr. Av
cry, Bristol; that he had sort Of recolec.
ton that il was dropped at the same time
with another letter directed to Grindall
Rawson, Woodstock. That when first
examined at Bristol. he recolected nothing
about the Bristol letter being dropped in
at the same time with the other to
Rawson That when he heard Rawson 8
name at Bristol he recolected the circuu
stances.
The Bristol post master testified that it
appeared from the books Of his office. that
one. letter only came from Bristol on the
10Th. That SIX cents postage charges da-
ted the lath and 10Th were found on his
books against Mr.. Avery. One in his
hand writing, and one in that of his son
(The son swore both charges were in his
hand.) That it was his custom TO charge
letters when put into the boxes:
1t was proved, that when Mr.. Avery
first came to Bristol, there was a young
woman residing in his family named Bet
sey Hills Mr.. Avery was proved to have
been day or two at the four DAYS meet
ing at Fall River in October, and some
evidence was offered on the point that he
was seen walking with 5, NJ. Cornell on
Saturday evening meeting, at that time.
1t was proved that Mr.. Avery crossed the
Bristol ferry to the Rhode Island side
bout 2 O'Clock on Thursday afternoon
dec. 20th) and that he was lighted TO
bed at the ferry house at a quarter to ten
that night, 1t being too late to cross to
Bristol.
One witness saw tall man, that after
noon, with dark clothes and "A broad brim
med hat, crossing the fields, behind the
ferry house, towards cross road leaail z
TO Howland's bridge. Two young men in
wagon. met such sort of man about 3
o'clock on the road to the Bridge. Peleg
Cranston, the keeper of Hollands bridge
swore that man Of the same description
passed his bridge, on the way to Fall RI
yer, about three that afternoon. and that
when he saw Mr. Avery at Bristol, it
struck him that be was the man. He also
te.''tied that the gates of the bridge are
shut about nine in the evening; but that
persons can get down on the beach and
80 round the gate, and that on the morn
ing OF the 2lst he observed tracks appar
emily made the night before. Two other
witnesses living near the bridge saw a
man oil the above description coming from
the bridge on the Fall River road A tall
man with dark surtout and broad bsimm
ed hat was seen in the vicinity ofthe stack
yard by three witnesses;-by one, about
snnset;-by two others, half an hour later
When first seen by these witnesses, he
was sitting on wall in the fields; he slip
ped from it, and walked slowly off, in a
direction towards Fall River. A tall man
with dark aurtout and fiat fur cap had
tea at Lawton's tavern in T all River, a
bout six that evening.
Two witnesses were introduced who
heard screams that night in the direction
OF the stack yard, one about a quarter to
eight, and the other about quarter to
nine. One witness testified, that he had
walked from the stack yard to the Bristol
Terry ~ an hour and twenty nine minutes.
trottIns about half the way, and leaving
his coat on the road. The distance from
the stack yard TO Howland's bridge is six
miles.
1t appeared that the prisoner had given
the following account of the way in which
he had spent the afternoon and evening
That he went on to the Island TO see the
coal mines and to view the country. That
On his way TO the mines, across the fields
he met man with gun; that he passed
through certain white gate near the
mines, that from the mines he went down
the west side of the island to a Mr. Free
born's but learning from boy that Free
born was not at home, he kept down the
island for some distance, aud then steered
of IN westerly direction for Mr.. VIII
cox's. lie came out into the west road
near the Union meeting house about dark
when, as 1t was growing late, and he did
not know exactly the situation of WiIcox's