New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1850-12-13
TRIAL FOR MURDER.
T7rinl of Reuben Duubar for the Harder OF
Stephen V. md David i. Lester, nj ilbanr,
before II on. WIN. q. Wright, oftiir Supreme

From Our Own Req0rIer

The charge against the prisoner was tdat se
had first caused the death Of the youngest Of the
two bows whose bodies had been found, and Of
whose death by violence there was not tn slight
est doubt, by knocking him On to head with the
swiugle OF fail OF heavy bi1dgeon, and then had
crushed the body while life was in it by throw ng
stones On it of weight sufficient to blrsti its
lungs. The reason of his committing tie crime.
was the belief that the children, VINO wers neph-
ews Of his step.fatLer, would be the heirs TO the
farm on the death of the said steP#ather, David
Lester The circumstances im4licatng tie pris-
oaer were the facts that he had endeavored TO
nislead the parties who sought for tic children
when they were first missed that he had told
various stories IS t. where he had last seen them
that no other person had been seen or was known
to be on the premises, who could be implicated;
ard that the piece Of the fail, and the rope with
which the elder boy was hung were articles which
were more Tx ely 10 BE used 3y HIM than any oth-
er person or by stranger.
DaU7d Lester was first called tothe stand. de
stated that he owned the farm all but ab0g.
seventh. Oh which the prisoner had a claim tue
prisoner and be worked It on shares 1t formerly
BELONGED 10 Mrs Lester but the witness had
bought OF the claims that We're on II, all but That
Of Reuben Dunbar; the last ne had seen OF toe
children was on the forenoon OF the SATURDAY on
which they were missed Just before he went with
a load of buckwheat to the mill recognized the
swinge of the fail as one which belonged to him
I had seen no piece of wood around the premises
since tha time of the murder that would answer
for the missing swngle also recognized the rope
BY knot which was in 1t, as having last hung IN
the wagon house the prisoner came out of Robert
Dunbar's when the witness was coming home on
Saturday and asked him if he had seen the boys;
and said they had been missing since morning
half an hour efterWard the prisoner came home,
and said be had been looking for them down the
creek, but could find nothing OF them on Sunday
the prisoner was taking his mother to church,
when be met the witness, who insisted on his
going along to look for the boys the Thursday
after the children missed, Reuben left his
house; pair Of his boots were LETT there where
they remained till the 10th of October; they were
cowhde boots with nails on the solesi the nails
protruded little from the leather.
Some witnesses were then called who testified
to the finding of the bodies, and the physician
who made the examination.
Robert Dunbar testified that the prisoner had
spoken with him on the subject OF the missing
boys on the Sunday morning succeeding Their dis.
appearance. That the prisoner had asked hun II
there were not 100 men who would be ready to
swear that they believed he did it, should the
children be found murdered, to which the witness
replied that their belief was Of no consequences
The prisoner then said that no man between
heaven snd earth could swear that they saw him
do it. He had thought that the prisoner was very
careless in searching He had helped to search
for the children in company with the prisoner
Hc=ekiGh Reynolds had asked the prisoner par
ticularly, on the Monday following the day that
the children were missed, whether the ground on
which they We're afterward found had been
searched. The prsonertold him it had been thor
oughly searched The witness stated that TO his
knowledge the ground referred to had not been
searched either Sunday or Monday
Darid Lester recaled.-Stated that the woods
near his house had not been searched on Sunday
or Monday. On Sunday had seen a man come
from that direction Thought ne was Robert
Dunbar. The hoy David had complained once
that the prisoner had been in the habit of whip.
ping him severely in the absence of witness
Witness had spoken to him about it. This COM
plant was in l-47.
w. II. 7omphia,s resident of Westerloo, was
well acquainted with prisoner; assisted in search
Jig for the children; he was at my house on Sat
urday; | noticed his boots; they were thick boots
and had two rows of nails on the sole, which
stuck out good deal; | afterward saw the boots
at Mr. Testers on the shelf; this witness
present when the younger child was found, and
when be went to tell the prisoner, who was IN the
barn. that one Of the children was found request
ing him at the same time to come and see him;
The prisoner told him it was no use there was
10 ..eed OF bis going there, he could do no good
he also noticed the prisoners face while in.orsn-
ing him that the body was found the prisoner
turned very red and kept turning away
.4uery Sld&e.-,Ghis witness described the posi-
tion of house and barn to the woods where tue
bodies We're found; described the routes taken
by the parties with whom he sought for the
children; stated that the prisoner appeared
TO direct them on a route in direction that
would lead away from the place where the bodies
were found the prisoner stating that the piece
Of woods had already been thoroughly searched
he noticed the marks on the tree where the elder
hey hung they were such as are usually made
by climbing.
Isaac Fdn Se1ercu had examined the tree in
Which the boy hung; the scratches were such as
would be made by the nails OF boots if the tree
had been climbed; he had examined the boots OF
the prisoner, and had called the attention o. the
sheriff to them when at Reedsvllle.
Several witnesses were here called and testl-
fed concerning the prisoner boots. 1t appeared
that Dunbar wore thick pair of boots with nails
Ike carpet tacks in the soles. These nails pro.
tuded little from the leather, which appeared
to have been worn away. Some others testified
concerning the marks on the tree in which the
body Of the boy was found hanging.
Cajan Flakle-Alded in searching for the ehir
dren. When the first child was found, thought It
necessary TO make a closer search for them turn
ed over hemlock log and found theswingle which
is in Court the prisoner had taken him to one
SIDE and complained that one OF the nelghbors had
accused him of the murder, and asked II some
thing could not be done about it That in answer
witness told him that was what all the neishbofs
said and advised him. if he was guilty to confess
Dr.. JARED DusJar-A brother of the prisoner
Sworn, that he visited Albany, where he had
conversation with prisoner Counsel, VINO adfIs-
ed him 10 have the coarse boots of the prisoner
lken care Of as they might be used by some
enemy of his brother to scratch or mark the tree
on which the body was found on his return ne
stopped at Nj. Testers. and being told by William
Dunbar where the boots were he took them home
with him and burned them,
several witnesses then testified relative to the
searching o: the woods and the prisoner always
making answer that the piece OF ground Or woods
where the bodies were foundhad been thoroughly