Liberty advocate. [volume] (Liberty, Miss.) 1835-1866, 1840-01-23
in the forest as

ling home that he sAght;her in the forest as
soon as he missed II |; and that he knew not
where she was, or wi was become Of her.
This account was tholght improbable, and his
apparent interest in Tie death Of his ward, and
perhaps the petnlen, yea Of other relations,
concurred to raise and strengthen suspicious
against him, and he was detained in custody
Some new circumstances we're every dayrisng
against him 1t was found that the young lady
had been addressed by aheighbouring gentle.
man, who had, atew days before she was mis-
sing, sci out on aRourney to the north, and that
she had declared she would marry him when
he returned; that her uncle had frequently ex-
pressed his disapProbation ofthe machiin very
strong terms; that sid had often wept and re,
preached him with .unkindness and an abuse of
his power. A womanswas also produced, who
swore that on the day the young lady was
missing, about eleven O'Clock in the forenoon,
she was coming through the forest, and heard
"a woman's voice expostulating with great
Ieagerness, upon which she drew nearer the
place, and before she saw any person, heard
the same voice say,tDon't kill me uncle; don't
kill me; upon which she was greatly Terrified,
aud Immediately hearing the report Of a fire
arm very near, she made alllhe haste she could
from the spot, but could rest in her mind
till she had told what had happened.
Such was the general imIatence TO punish
a man who had murdered iis niece TO inherit
her fortune, that upon this evidence he was
condemned and executed.
"About ten days after the execution, the
young lady came home. ltappeared, however,
that what all the witnesses had sworn was true,
and the fact was found 10 be thus Circumstance
led.
"The young lady declared that having pre-
viously agreed to go off with the gentleman
that courted her, he bad given out that ne was
going journey to th6north, but that he waited
concealed at little house near the skirts OF
the forest till the tim. appointed, which was
the day she disappeared. That he had horses
ready for himself and her, and was attended
by two servants, also on horseback. That, as
she was walking with her uncle,he reproachec
her with persisling in her resolution TO marry
a man Of whom he disapproved; and after mucl
,Ialtercation, she said, with some heat, & have
SET my heart upon it; il do not marry him, j
will be my death; and don't kill me, uncle; dom
kill me; that Just as she had pronounced thes
words, she heard hre-arm discharged YER
near her, at which she started, and immediate
i Iy afterwards saw man come forward frol
S among the trees, with wood pigeon in h
q hand. thai he had insishot That eNgc;ng mes
the place appointed for their rendfy ouS, ST
}, formed pretence for letting her'u}ce 60 9
l. before her, and her suffer being in waiting ft
e her with horse, she mounted aud imlmedlatel
rode off That instead Of going into the mort
' they retired toa house in which he had take
6 lodgings, near Windsor, where they were ma
E ried the same day, and in about week went
Journey Of pleasure TO France, from whenc
t when they returned, they first heard Of Il
! misfortune which they had inadvertenll
/, brought upon their uncle.
$50 uncertain is human testimony even whe
t the witnesses are sincere, and SO necessary
!, a cool and dispassienate inquiry and determine
ton, with respect 10 crimes that are enermou
in the highest degree, and committed vii
/, every, possible aggravation.