Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1835-04-30
CRIMINAL TRIAL.
lN'Pof'ed for the N. Y. Journal Of Commerce
TRIAL OF MATTHIAS FOR THE MITE.
DER OF MIR. PERSON
WnlrE PLALNs. Anil.

'sN NJ WIN i-fERSoN.
~, WHITE PLANS, April isth.
,.t, oout' opened at 3 o'clock, and Immediately
proceeded 10 try Matthias
~ The Jury having b,o, ;,,,,,,n.i,., -,
D'stle' Attorney opened the case, and the ex,mi.
'a'on OF witnesses was commenced Thu nbvs,.
eiahs no attended the post uotlen examination
oil MI Pierso1 were evidently of opinion from ,ns
general appearance of the stomach. tina, he Ind
ooon poisoned but from the length Of time which
"eu elapsed between his ln'orment ana thu o.
"" "a''on, they were unable 10 detect any poison
''' substance IN u. We do not deem /, NECESSARY
Puol'sn their testimony, nor indeed that of any of
inc witnesses, except Mrs Foscr, who was tho
wne OF Mr.. Persons partner one of Me,thins's de-
Iuded disciples, and constantly in the bonse in
MN curing The illness which preceded his death
MIS- Anne Folger exrm'net--ls wife of BENIN.
nun / Folser, lived at Sing Sing n, the time of
'e'son oealh arrived there on Saturday and
NC was taken Ill on Tuesday. There was then
.',ng mere Matthias, Mr.. Picrson, Isabella, MIR
roger, Catharnc Galloway Louis the conchmon
and hired Dutehman by the name of Anthony
who could neither speak nor understand Enolisb
MISS Pterson was there and u man chilled Henry
piosser, two sons Of Matthias, James and John
one l2 and the other from ia 4 y,n,so,1 Cab
ar'ne had child there, besides two children of wit.
ness one Ii and the ether 7 ycars old. Heard Of
Mauhias, and received his doctrines through Mr.
f'efson before she knew him Mr. picrson WINS
ncohhrmed believer IN the doctI mes generally Mr.
roger might be truly called II believer in item
ou' ives more disposed 10 doubt them than MIR
f'cison or witness AS far as | could indyc
oa'hhrlne was also believer in them. Those
IN The house who believed IN HIM consider
ed him their father, rs God tho father posses
sing the Holy Ghost, and possessing the now.
e' 10 tesow 1t ON whom he pleased thu,
ne Lad the power 10 execute wrath We re.
sarded him os the last Prophet, aud the last spo
Ken oi IN the Revolutions that n, the exccutnp
Angel he claimed all these powers, nnd we be.
''eved that he did cast evil spirits Gu, OF us he re-
quhed us to obey his commands in all things ,hn
he had right TO command NJ Matthias had ia,
commah1 OF every thing in the household woul
go 10 HIM sometimes for directions, md he used to
tell me That the splrit would direct mr.. and lhor
waited to he directed, and would be subject to his
Gel sure if did not do os he pleased, and he would
then tell me that had nc, his spirit but go, spin
somewhere else. When dl.pleaseI he would b,
very violent IN his mncnor violent tina, Ina
was Tut small specimen Of 1t in Court Yesterday
he would curse us, and his anger would lnst lont
t'me until nj last we got uneasy and considerc,
ourselves lost creatures he said he could save rs
but We must get rid of the evil spirit which IL
ana he would give us better spirit III
would tell us that II we asked devernncc from it
from him, he would give IL he attended to all lb,
temperatures OF the house, and every one who III,
any thing without his advice, was responsible t.
him. Last August when Picrson died, he elaine,
to own the place. There was a commencement Q
III Will between Mr. Picrson when Matthias wen
away to New York Matthias then told wncs
tina, lie mad rcproycd Pierson for several things
cant rccoIect all the particulars, but time tina
Matthias wentto New York, he ccnsured Picrsor
for ill-managiog the grounds. lie claimed the its
fruits OF the peas IN the garden when he was no
at home We did no, use them until he came back 81
relative to other things about the place the chick
ems and every thing at The table One coach am
pair Of horses were exclusively his Person nm
Matthias told witness that day they were on
riding, and stopped TO water their horses, and Pier
sons horse wanted 10 lie down in the brook nnt
he got of and walked rs the horse wus wet thu,
the farm wos managed by Matthias, and Picrsor
would not put seed in the ground unless directed I,
DO so by Matthias. Pierson died between one ant
two on Wednesday morning the g of August
On the Monday afternoon, week previous Mat
thias went mo the field with his youngest II
pick blackberres and brought some home, whlcl
were prepared for supper, witness believes by
Isabella they suppcd hat night by candle light
Matthias was there about hout before supper
Matthias, Plcrson, witness and Cotharne Gallo
way were at the supper toble they suppcd so LAT,
because it was haylrg time, and they were wal,
ing supper for Pierson TO come; Matthias heIpe
Ca,harinc and witness to some, with spoon Mr.
PIcrson otc two rln'cs Of the berries, and Cathn
fine eat plat,ful only cot two black berries
Matthias cat none Of them he he'd been preaching
at the liable, and when | 90, opportunity said
fab haun L. .rEl,o ho IN
side of the table by himself aud a, the olic
side there WINS plate that was set for him, an
another at the end Of his knife. Whom sad h.
ate no blaokberres he rose up and sald, " the ia
Their vas not honotcd in his house, but the SON
were" and the daughters dressed themselves
therefore he had lost his blessing in the en-
joymcn, of eating blackberries he then preached
on that subject until l2 clock he appeared to b.
offended, and Person appeared 10 be the subject 0
his dspleasute during the night because Mr.. Fer
son had two plates Of blackbeTies, and Matthias
had none. II was eonsdercda grea, favor tina
he picked any no enc helped any thing from TIN
table that night but Marthi IS. TIE ordinary proc
tee was to sc, food apart for himself and any ON
who dipped hi9 hand in the snme dish with hin
was considered Judas. AT 4 o'clock he went in
to the barn my son Edword called me and | wen
into the barn and found Person ina n, nni sen
Tor Matthias, ana nc came ho'nhhs was "o'' un
til Matbias came, as they would be liable TO cen
sure if they did any thing without his orders II
we did any thing TO Person, and he Immediately
recovered the fl, we should he blamed by Matthias
for breaking his spirit, Person was subJec, to
fits, and sometimes Matthias commanded him to &c
up and Pierson used to get up and walk before Tho
fl, was broken; after he got up he sometimes lay
on couch When Picrson got him up from n fiji
! he could hear and speak, and manifested pleasure
that the spirit had obeyed Matthias Matthias do