Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1838-09-06

'"'o"'' w, a"u oiS man was standing 10y
the'n In ms SHIRT sleeves, with club in his
ha"d' ana great dog sitting near. This
story alarmed the iemales so much that thew
we're afraid 10 go any nearer. Whilst they
we're IN this state o: apprehension and I'M
certainty, Mr.. Ptomey who had Just return.
ed home, and learned that his family were
| out IN search OF the children, came UP TO lend
his and, and hearing tho story OF Lucinda.
told her to shew him where they were &ii the
Devil was there, lie would go aud see wha,
was the matter with the children. He &C.
cordingly went up and found the children Nv.
| ing on their faces, and in such position
that IT was impossible TO discover their
wounds until the bodies were turned over.
lie then turned 10 Lucinda, and demanded
! 10 know where the man and dog and club
were. She pointed To bush, and per-
sisted even then that they were there The
bodies were then renewed to the house, and
several OF the witnesses stated tbst whilst
Mrs. Mayse almost frantic with grief, was
shrieking and screaming like one beside her
self, they saw Lucinda looking intenlly upon
her and smiling with apparent satisfaction.
A great many more circumstances as 10
the cOnduct OF the prisoners before and after
the murder, we're proved, which though Of
minute character, tended to strengthen the
| chain of evidence.
There was one other piece of testimony
introduced, which wns Of itself almost suffi-
cient To establish the guilt OF the accused
The clothes OF the prisoners were produced
stained with blood. The woman did not
pretend TO deny that the stains were produ-
ced by blood, but endeavored 10 account for
ii, by saying she had drawn one OF her teeil,
short lime before, and that in splitting out
the blood which flowed from the cavity, she
had got some of il Oh her clothes aud she
appealed 10 negro woman Of MIR. Mayse
to verify the statement. The woman was
accordingly examined on that point, and al>
though she stated that she saw the tooth ex-
iracled, she was equally positive that no
blood came from the cavity, as the tooth was
very loose, and extracted with the fingers of
the prisoner.
The specks Of blood upon the shirt of the
man being small, be accounted for them in
two ways. la the first place, he said they
were caused by flea bites. But unior lunale.
~ f"r this statement the stains were on the
out side Of the shirt aud mona on the inside
The story was .hen changed, and they were
said 10 have proceeded from cut in his fla
ger, but the position aud size OF the spots,
and the dale of the cut in the finger, al! con
iradic,cd with equal certainty this eXpIana-
ton Of the "bul spots"
IL now only remains 10 explain the mo-
diabolical deeds. In reference 10 The wo.
man il was in evidence that her master a
short time before, had interiered Ia prevent
her from beating one OF her own children in
a most cruel manner. On that occasion. she
had been exceedingly insoent and he teclar-
ed his purpose of chastising her. The exc
cution OF this purpose was delayed Jew
days in consequence OF the sickness and
deauh oi hcr iniuut child, put MIR. Maysc had
bought cow>hide and brought ii home.
and placed il where The negroes could see it,
Ii also in evidence thai the prisoner
had threatened that if her master attempted
! 10 whip her she would commit murder
The negro man had long been Of turhu.
lent and unruIy temper, and addicted 10 in
temperance. Mr.. Mayse had threatened
him with Chastisement, and he had ran off
and remained Tor some time. He returned
few days before the murder, but had kept
good deal out of the way, for fear of pun
ishment, and il is supposed that the exhbi.
tion OF the COW hide induced him to believe
that he was soon ~ receive it. lie had often
expressed himself discontinued. He wished
his master 10 sell him-and short time be.
fore the murder he had declared that il he
did not sell him, he would do some deed
that would make him glad 10 sell him.
/ -Four negro men, the property of MIR.
Mayse, were introduced as witnesses for An,
drew 10 prove abb, but their statements
were SO conflicting, aud so contradictory of
their statements made before the inquest, and
so directly opposed 10 the positive evidence
OF Mrs Mayse, who deposed that she saw
Andrew al the well near the house washing
his arms, at the very time that the negroes
stated lie was in the field with them "a quar-.
ter OF a mile of, that not the slightest conf.
dence could be placed in their testimony.
lfany thing were necessary TO aggraya,e
the airocity Of these murders il is found in
the fact that the children iUsre the. foster chill
dren NJ The female monster ,cho murdered
them
When The evidence was closed in iefer-
epce 10 Andrew md Lucinda The court did
not hesitate a momcn, as 10 their judy /,
and il should he Iecollected that the court
in trials of this kind must be unanimous, or
no judgment can he rendered.
After the conviction Of A ndrew and Luz
cinda, Caroline was arraigned and tried
The evidence against her was the same, ilb
tie exception of her own evidence. There
was one fact almost conclusive 10 shew her
guilt which was disclosed by herself She
| was asked IL the child OF Is months old which
ders, made no exclamation. In reply she
| said no-ihat she had turned The child's head
away, knowing that she as so much attach
ed TO her sisler, that she would cry out If she
saw them do any harm TO her. This single
| TACT showed conclusively that she knew the
| purpose for which The children were decoy ed
10 the scene OF murder. Ii she did not, why
| should she have turned The chiId's head away:
In consideration of her youth and OF the foil
| disclosure che had made, and from regard
| to public policy, as we'll as from the jpcon