Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1839-12-30

were willing to prevent any occasion oil slunher
against the uncle in case of the young ladys
death; whether they had any apprehension of
her being in danger or whether they we're olily
di,contenled with 'be fathers disposilion OF his
fortune, and therefore propagated runlors to the
prejudice ol those who possessed u, cannot be
known; the uncle, however, took his niece TO his
house near Epping Forest, and soon afterwards
she disappeared.
"Great inquiry WINS made after her, ard it APP
pcnring that on the day she was missing she went
out with her uncle into the forest, and that he re-
turned without her, he was taken into custody.
few days afterwards he went thrnngh n long
examination, in which he acknowledged that he
wen. out with her, and pretended that she found
| means 10 loiier behind him MS they were return
ing home that lie sought her IN the forest as soon
as he missed her and that he knew not where
she was, what was become OF her. This ar-
count was thought improbable and his apparent
interest in the death oil his ward, and perhaps the
petuen zeal of other relations, concurred 10 raise
and strengthen suspicious against him. and he WINS
Detained in custody.
Some new circumstances were every day ris-
ing against him. 1t wns found thaiahe young Ia
dy had been addressed by neighboring gentle
man, who had "a few days before she was missing
set out on journey to the north, and that she had
declared she would marry him when he relurned
that htr uncle had frequently expressed his
Misrepresentation of the match in very strong terms /;
that she had often wept aud repronched him with
unkindness and an abuse of his power wo'
man was also produced, who swore that on the
day the young lady was missing, about eleven
o clock in the forenoon, she was coming thr o
the forest, and heard womaus voice exposIulu
Ting with great eagerness; upon which she drew
nearer the place, and before she saw any person,
heard the same voice say, Dou't kill me, uncle
1on't Kill me upon which she was grently terri
fed, and immediately hearing the report OF fire
] al II. n. A
from The spot, bui cou d not rest in her mind till
she had told what had happened.
"Such was the general impotence to punish n
man who had murdered his niece to inherit her
fortune, That on this evidence he was condemned
AMI executed.
about ten days after the execution, the young
lady came home. 1t appeared, however that
| what all the witnesses had sworn was true, and
the TACT was found to he thus circunsanced:
"lhe young lady declared, that having previ-
ousy agreed to 60 off with the gentleman that
courted her, he had given out that he was going II
Journey TO the north, hut that lie waited conceal
ed at little house near the skirts OF the forest,
Ill lhi time appointed, which was the day she
disappear ed That he had horses ready for him
self and her. aud VAS attended by two servants
also on horseback.
hat, as she was walking with her uncle, he
reproached her with persstmg in her resolution
10 marry msn of whom he disapproved but
after much alteration, she said, with some heat,
4 have set my heart upon it; and don't kill me,
uncle, don't ill me;' that just She had pro-
nounced these words she heard fire arm dis
charged very near her, at which she started, and
| Immediately afterwards saw niau colue forward
from among the trees with a wood pigeon in his
hand that he had just shot.
a" lla, coming near the place appointed for their
rendezvous she formed n preteuce to let her TN
Gle 60 on before her, aud her suior being in wait
ing for her with horse, she noun,e,l, and inme-
diateiy rode off That Instead Of going no the
north, they retired to house in which lie had ia
ken lodgings, near Windsor, where they were
married the same day, ant, in about week went
a Journey Of pleasure 10 France, from whence
when they returned, they first heard OF the mis-
upon their uncle
$50 uncertain is human testimony, even y !! =.
the witnesses are sincere, a. necessary is II COO
and dlspassionatc inquiry and determination, with
respect 10 crimes that are enormous in The high
est degree, and committed with every possible
aggravaton"