Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1836-05-05

pocket knife from his pantaloons-re
turned--pulled the little girl from her
hiding place. and severed Der head
from her body With his knife!
After detailing the above to the wit
ness. who was his near neighbor. he
went on to say that he had long had it
his mild 10 kill his own fam,ly-'but.'
says he. I have not o. yet quite bro't
my mind to do tiff I should, ! think
it very likely l should come right of
and kill you and your family
The above murder was perpetrsted
some Eve or six years ago. Heller
then. after bis enlargement, came of
to this country-to Union county In
diana.
Although'his conduct was singular
during the last six months. it was not
supposed that he was insane. He talk
cd but little, yet that little seemed RI
tional enough. On the morning OF the
murder of his family. neighbor called
in 10 see HIM, and found things looking
much more cheerful than usual. Hell
Ter seemed much more free to talk. and
did talk considerable about his feeling
much better than he had for some time
past, and about renting some land and
going to work on il. The neighbor LETT
in the family. with whom was living n
sister of the wife. a little girl about nine
or ten years Of age. .ifter he had gone,
a man passed along the road by the
house. whom Heller watched carefully
until no had gottea cut OF sight. The
wife and mother was sitting by the FIRE.
with sun bonnet on. nursing her in
fant, about a month old. Heller took
bis axe from under the bed, went to the
FIRE. turned round, and commenced
rubbing the fingers Of one hand over
the edge. His wife asked him what he
was going to do. He reulied he was GO
ing to chop some wood. About this
time, the woman told the children to
get some apples out from under the
bed. The two little ones Immediately
crawlcd under the bed and the little
sister-in-law stood near the bed looking
at Heller. She saw him raise the axe
and strike his wife one full blow about
the chin and neck. Seeing this she
sprang to the door-threw it open and
fed for the nearest neighbours between
a quarter and half mile of. crying
murder as she ran. After she had fed
some two hundred yards. she saw Hell
Ter come round the end Of the house
and look afler her. Heller states that
after he had despatched bis wife he
went out Of the house and looked after
the little girl-that he then went back
into the house-his little boy came TO.
wards him, when he split him down
and chopped his head off. He then
dragged his little daughter Sarah out
from under the bed-Placed his foot
upon her breast; she raised her hands
for protection, and at the first blow he
cut off the fingers Of one hand and
NEARLY took Of her head. He then
went and rolled the mother off the
infant on which she had partly fallen
and cut its head of.
He then fed. There were several
inches Of snow on the ground. Hi,
first steps from the door were to one
side. the in untrodden snow. and were
distinguished from their being made
with bloody feet. The witnesse.
thought from the tracks through the
snow that he must have retired from
the house about as fast as he could run
After going about 40 yards he fell
down-the bloody prints Of both BIZ,
hands put out to protect the fall. being
found in the snow. He kept up biz
rapid fight some quarter Of mile, hav.
ing stopped several times. a. seemed
from bis tracks, and looked back.
He was overtaken-made no resis-
lance to the apprehension. and return.
ed without objection. He confessed
the whole matter, expressed no regrets,
aud assigned no cause for the bloody
deed, nor has he ever assigned any par
ticularly, that we are aware of. lie
went back and looked upon the man
gled bodies Of his wife and children
calmly, deliberately. and without a sigh
OF the least emotion. He then talked
and has continued ever since to talk a.
bout the matter when INTERCEPTED
without the least hesitancy or com.
junction. lie thus talked about the
matter but 4 day or so before the trial
in the presence Of physicians who knew
him and had attended him when he wa,
acknowledged insane. but who declare
that they think him sane at the last in.
terview.
II is doubted whether the annals o
crime can produce parallel case, anC
It is devoutIy hoped they never may
CrandaH .4eguified.-A postscript in
the Georgetown Metropolitan Of yes.
terday morning mentions, that the Ju.
~, after three hours deliberalion ia
CRANDALL's case, ION trial Tor a charge
Of circulating anti-tlavery publication
in the distrieD have returned . YER
dict Of NOT GUILTY.
The TNrf-The Augusta Chronicle
Of Saturday has the folloving:-"Jotn
Baseonbe leaves here this morning.
with Col. IIampton's Horses. 90 be add.
/ ed 10 the stable Of Col johnson ol