Litchfield enquirer., 1834-10-02
Ei1m 1le aplse6.la Rspnslican.

Urerne Court, consisting of Chief Justice SHAw, and Judges WILDE and PUTNAM, held n sDecial sessiOn, in this town, the past week, principally for the trial of two capital offences. The first vas that of Moses Elliot, aged about 10 wears. charged with the murder of Josiah BuckIand, aged about l3, by shooting him with a pistol, on the 5th day of April Iast.-i Josiah died on the liflh day after the occur. renee; the ball entered his lett breast anu came out at the back.
 The testimony in detail, would occupy sev- eral columns. We can only give the SUD stance, as near as we can recOIIect U from memory. Ca the part Of the Government, was shown that the boys had formed the Pian to run away together, to which JOs'an sa'o he was prompted by Moses: that they had tired at q nDalk on Saturday m0rn'ng1 near the house of Mr. Buckhnd, and soon alter went together towards the "hOp-hOMse 'n the field, tO continue their firing. Nothing more was seen or known Of eithers ttl between la and o'clock. when MUscs ran past the lit' le sister of Josiah in WaInut.st without say iug any thing to her. He was next met, gU- ing from his fathers, in the direction of the hop house, with a spade, with which he said he was going to dig worms, although there was no evidence of his gOing fishing. He afterwards played ball with two boys. to wRuan he said he had sold his pistol to a fel. low down street. In the evening. as Josiah had nae returned, and his father heating he had ran away with Moses, went to the house of Mr. Elliot, (MOses' fatherl for information. He there found Moses, who told him Josiah bad run oft Boston, and said nothing ofthe occurrence of shooting him. Sunday morn ing, Josiah's elder broiher (Walter) being in pursuit of him, saw Moses coming from the H hon. house." who told Walter he had been to the hon. house and that Josiah was not there--that his clothes were under the steps, and he must have gone to Boston. Upon be' ing urged, he went back with Walter to the spot. On the steps, the rammer was tOund' and near by, on the ground. the pistol, which Walter gave to Moses, and requested him to help continue the search for Josiah, which Moses declined, saying he must go home and 70 tO meeting. Soon afterwards, Walter found Josiah near fence, almost exhausted with loss of blood and cold; said he had been shot by Moses, and that he had laid under the hop.house steps during the night. on his clothes. He was taken home by his brother. and two men in wagon, who were passing s4 the time.
 The dying declarations of Josiab' as given by several witnesses, were in substance, tnat he and Moses went out to the "hOp-house'' to fire at a mark k--that both fired several times ---that when Josiah put up the mark ny re- quest of Moses. the latter would ire so quick that Josiah could hear the balls whistle by he hcad-that he told Moses if he did not wait for him to get out 0f the way ne wouG no' put mp the mark that they had some talk a. bout dividing Josiail's clothes, Moses wanting the best suit, which Josiah was unwilling t0 give. but that no hard words passed between them, and he did not know what Moses shot him for. That they went tO the hop house steps to fire again that Moses threw away the ravnrod and told JOsiah 10 pick t up--in doing which Moses shot hiun. Moses came and said have killed you? tO which Josiah replied, you have shot me, and now help me home. Or 20 and tell mother; which Moses refused, and ran o6f fast. This took place a. bout l2 o'clock. <
 s7 In the defence, it, was stated that from the place of the wound, the position of the par ties, and the circumstances of the case. the discharge of the pistol mlst h ave been acci- dental; that the shot could not have been giv- en in the manner described by Josiah; that Moses ran off and Fsfrained from disclosing the transaction in consequence of fright natu- rsi to hoy 60 young that the falseh0ods he told, in reference to the spade-tO Josiah's father in the evening-tO the boys about sel. ling the pistol-and to Walter Buckland the next mOrni0g, were also the result Of boyist fright. That the dying declarations of Josi. ah were not entitled to credit, because, tn the opinion of the physicians, he was insane, al- thOugh it was admitted he had lucid intervals. and his mother and other witnesses testified Co his insanity.
 The trial commenced on Wednesday morn ing, and terminated on Friday. 1t excited great interest, and it is for this reason we have attempted summary of the evidence. It is believed that the criminal annals of our State, and perhaps of the country. do not present another instance of the trial for murder of a boy % young.
 The Jury, after being out about two hours, returned with verdict of not guiity-and the boy was immediately restored to bis afflicted parents.
 D From the Albany EusHing Journal.
 ."MATTHIAS THE PROPHET"
 This notorious individual, whose proper name is Robert Mathies, was arrested in this city on Monday afternoon, upon the a0thori. ty of an advertisement issued by Mr. Benja. mia Fl. FOlger of the city of New Ork. The expressed charge against him was. that he had left New 0rk having in his possession a large amount of Air.. Fnlger's properfy hut he haa been guilty it is asserted, Of many Oth- er al-praetices, some of them Of the black est character, and worthy of tho most severe punishment.
 Maihies commenced his career of fanati- eism some two ar three years since. In this
 n n-e E..-