Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1846-07-20
The Murder Am n,u,,,,a,.

The Murder I'm Diuwiddic.
The Petersburg ia'.lisencer Ct Saturday. contains
long and interesting narrative OF the circumstances attend
ing the murder OF Mr.. r. Aduphus Muir by Capt VIM
pandridge Epes both OF the county Of Dnwidde mos Of
which, however. has already appeared in our columns
The In,elligencer says:
The annals Of crime scarcely furnish as aggravated
ase % COO ana deliberate murder Whether look
character OF the parties, the motives which prompted
the Deed or the mode oi its accomplishment the offence
stands out with an aPpallngly bold relief.
The murdered man was OF the most respectable
amiable aud inoilensyc in our country lie was CON
neced with one o the respectable families. i'm our
S'ae and possessed qualities which commended him to
the esteem and love Of all who knew him. There wss
than +. Adophus Muir.
HIS murdereris also connected with family as rospec.
aoe as any IN the country His character
nave heard was unimpeachcd the period of this hot
mole Affair, and nc upon friendship with his
vcim TO the very moment that he slew hiu-indeod Mr.
MUIR had been ut the house OF Epes the very day he
was killed and had accepted invitation TO return there
70 dinner but the man who rendered him his hospitality
became his murderer. What il will be asked was the
monve which prompted Epss the horrible deed The
accused love OF money prompted the act. Muir held
bond. or bonds, amounting to $4,000 against Epes- be-
ing the balance ct which Epes owed for tract Of land
bought by him of Muir II was TO get possession of this
bond that Epes murdered Muir"
The integencer proceeds give narrative Of the cir
e9mstances which first created the suspicion Mr. Muir
had been fouly dealt WITH and which led to the detection
10. In. NJ
eit home the I'd OF February last visit his brother in
Dnwdde. Ca the llih Of that month his brother receiv
cd letter Purporng To be written by him from
stating that his horse had thrown him, spaincd his rgh
hand and got away from him after mentioning thar
cambridge Epes had paid him every due on his bond
announced his intention of going the North purchase
goods IN order 20 commence business in Petersburg On
the 9Th Of February he writes again as if in New York
though the letter by private conveyance to Peters
burg to be Mailed stating his intention 90 thence Mis-
souri, Nothing farther heard from till the LIST Of
June, when his brother received letter signed Julius F.
Rollins. and dated Petersburg informing him that Adophus,
whom he had known in Richmond. supposed to be
drowned, as hat had been picked up floating the Msss
sPP with his and the place Of his residence written
in 1t. The InIelIgencer proceeds:
This awkwardly fabricated Of the cause Of Mr.
Murs absence from home, of course excited the suspi
eon {" hs friends. The blank, appears IN the first
letter. and which refers the payment the land was
IN the original, filled with the OF Captain cambridge
EPes.
On enquiry, found that on the Cd of February Mr.
Muir had TO the house OF Mr. Epes-hat after he had
remained there some time, Epcs remarked him that
there was deer in the woods and proposed that NJ should
accompany him and see him kill it. and with him to
dinner To tins VI consented and they left the
house on horseback, Epes with gun and
Muir entirely unarmed. This the last time Muir was
seen IN life.
This was given by the amabe and uo,t deep,v
dsiressd wife of Epes before she was aware that her
husband was suspected OF the crime. She further stated
ask ed
by her why Mr. Muir had redeemed hrs promise re-.
turn to dinner replied that Muir found necessary to
go to Brunswick The first letter. dated Petersburg
Feb 4th 1885,, having Epcs had paid the mo-
ney due the land E. asked where he paid the mo
ney lie replied that he paid Muir the 4th OF February
at Jarratts Hotel, IN this Town. On making inquiry at
Mr. Jsrrars Mus friends asceTtained that neither Mr.
JaEra OF else had him here-nor could any
one be found in Petersburg where Muir was well known
who had seen him IN Town that time.
A careful examination made OF the handS III
emf
was aseertSned that they all written by the same
Person though an at,emp had evidently vary
the hand writing These letters next compared with
the handwriting OF Epes, and resemblance between her,
detected Suspicion against Epes strong enough
to warrant Murs friends IN searching Es premises, aud
charging him with the murder.
Accordingly, on THURSDAY OF lest week large partr
went 10 Epes house. They found HIM al home and told
hm that he was suspected Of the murder He course
asseverated his innocence strongly but on being told
that he would be sued upon the bond bonds for 50 300
which he had IN ms possession he replied that rather than
nave any trouble about 1t he would pay the bonds
again Ihe plantation and woods were heD searched bat
no trace or vestgc of the body could be found and the
friends OF Muir thinking that they had any right TO ar
rest EPes at that time permitted him to remain large.
Matters stood thus until Sunday last, when Mr. Lums-
den respectable Watch Maker Of this town stated that in
May last NJ EPes had sold him traded 10 him. Gold
Watch. which ach he had IN lSI3 cleaned for Mr. Muir
aud iaken down the number On examination the numbers
corresPondcd, and the friends Of Mr. Muir identified the
watch as having belonged TO- and been by, HIM at
the time OF his disappearance This development coupled
accordingly warrant issued for his apprehension 1t
was, however, issued late, Epes LETT his house ON
Monday, and has not since been heard from.
On Wednesday party went TO the house OF Epes and
were there informed by his Oveseer that he believed GER
tain negro on the plantation could tell where Muirs body
could be found His for thinking so was that for
sometime past EPes would permit this negro TO be chas
used for his faults The negro called up and interro-
gated and forthwith proceeded spot about COO yards
distant from the house, aud pointed the grave. On
opening 1t, the body found, and although good deal
deeayed was readily identified by all the acquantances of
Muir who were present.
The account given by the negro that on the day after
Muir was killed. his master took him a spot near the
grave where Muis body lay covered up with pine burrs
and trash, and ordered him dig a grave. The negro
says he was for sometime much agaled to be unable
TO proceed with his wOTk-that his master assured him he
killed Muir accidentally and regretted deeply The nc
gros silence from that period until Wednesday was doubt
lees produced by threats from his master.
This substantially OF Of the foules and
most coldblooded murders that dsgraeod humany
and we have been thus mnuenot for the purpose of min
is'erng TO morbid appetite for the horrible but for the
purpose Of spreading far and wide the facts the hope
that knowledge Of them may aid in apprehension of
the murderer.