Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1838-06-07

| liet for murder, IN The second degree, agalst the rt1s-
ouer. and aseertaincd the Term VI his Imprisonment
in The neniient,afs 10 BE- hliecn scals, II The see
on1, Lsre was a verdict OF not enill,.
A. this case has excited considerable curiosity
aud interest. we have endeayoufed Ia ascertain The
ficis frnm those who were present nj tie Trial, for the
satisfaction OF our readers
Ii appeared from the Witnesses examined on the
part OF the cath. that on l. riday. The 271h
of \ pril. Le1bciier and wife came 10 the house oi
the IT prisoner. who had lntefnatflrd with i daughter
of .rdheitrf. b, n former marriage. That l%.edbrfter
soon leiI the house, and went into an adjoining
field of his own, which was nhder cnliva ion that
lns wife remained bthind that IN consequence OF
hearing NJ. ani his vie qnafrellng, lac returned hi-
rcctly. and when hc approached within : or III steps
of !, marks door. The latter ran INTO the house, seized
his rifle. which hung over the door, and fired. when
both Ledbetiet aud hs wife fell and the prisoner
then ran out of the house, and gave Mrs. Iedbetief
Two blows on the head. with The butt end OF his rifle.
1t i. proper TO state that these we c f'cts established
by the evidence of Ledbetter's son, who was plough
my in a field a hundred or more Yards from the house
from which, however, hc had an opportunity, accor-
ding 10 the testimony Of q respectable gentleman, Of
seeing distinctly what took place at the house.
Ii appeared also IN evidence, from a number Of the
mos respectable witnesses, that Ledbrtter was found
lying dead near the house, and his wife about eight
or ten feet behind and nearly in . line with him; that
he Was Killed by a rife ball. which entered nearly
opposite the left ear, %taline away n small pant Of the
ear; she by Il blow which fractured her SOUL she
was likewise shot in the abdomen. a lttle above the
left hip. There were a number Of shot found stick
ing IN her clothes and skin, but one only Of large size
had penetrated. and that, IN the opinion Of the wit
nrsscs, not thfo' the 1eslI-and that no bio, d issued
from The %suushot wounds ffom which and other
Appearances. some Of the witnesses were Of opinion
Hey were inflicted after death. aud when the blood
bad ceased to cirenl lie. II also appeared that the
body was eNaniued by a DISTINGUISHED and intelligent
" witness who arrived nj The place about an hour al
Ter they were killed. and he did not then discover
any indications Of gun-shut wounds, Notwithstanding
The part Of the body, en- which they were afterwards
found. WIS fully exposed 10 ls view. 1t WAS also in
evidence thu the prisoner denied to his and another
wines, ttat lie bad pefpctatcd the act aud II was
observed by one oi The witnesses that nothing could
save the pcrreiraioI flhc act from the callnws, IN
lcss he could show that both the uan aud woman
"ere Killed by one Ere. These witnesses had not
l,N he prisoners house more than a quarter of n
'"le, before they be1,d lhe report Of a rife in the
direction OF tn house. These circumstances were
relied upon II show thai Ec bad shot the woman af.
Ter death IN, HE impose olsetting w the grounds of
defence suggested hy The remarks of lie witness.
The mother and sister offhe prisoner were exam
med rs Witnesses III his behalf. who stated thai Mrs.
Lcdbrlter commenced i quar- / with tho prisoner
soon alter her husband left the house Dlal she gave
linn several blows with a rafdcn rake, after her hus-
baud CANE up, when he collarcd linn. threw hlm on a
block near the d, or oflhe house, chokcd him until
he was black m The fee, aud almost expiring that
by Int OF his own eXertious he escaped from Led
better, ran into the house, took down his rife. fired
and both l.cdbettef and his wife fell 10 the ground
dead, and never moved Afterwards; and that when
the prisoner fired. Icdbettcr had a rake in his hand
and swore he would hill him and his wife also. These
Witnesses dld not See any blows Inflicted upon the wo-
man, with the lille or any Other instrument. Their
statements were unsatisfactory, contradictory, and in
The opinion oi many intelligent persons who heard
diem, not entitled Ia the least credit.