The mountain sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1844-1853, 1852-08-19
From the San Augustjns 7'Sras) Herald July Il.
Terrible Crime.

| cultivatng plantation in partnership. so fra
ternal were their feelings, Sc strong their attach
ment, unbounded their mutual confidence in
each other, that they kept 40 separate accounts,
ownedno separate property Wtat belonged to one
belonged to the other The white family consisted
of Aquilla Ballard, wife and child, Mrs Haynes
! (sister to Mrs B. and child and Jesse W. Bal
! lard, and venture TO say that family circle
was never known in which there was more af-
fection, more peace and quiet than this.
On Sunday evening last, Mr., Aquilla Ballard
rode over to his mothers, distance of FIVE
miles, to sit up with another brother who was
then lying dangerously i'll. Shortly after he
left home, his brother Jesse invited Mrs Ballard
to take walk with him, saying he had secret.
to tell her. They passed down the road q short
! distance, and stopped some time in deep earn
est conversation, Jesse exhibiting considerable
| excitement. When they returned to the house,
Mrs. 3. pale and melancholy, and contin-
ued so during. the rest of the evening"
Jesse, however, became unusually lively and
spirit. Next (AIonday) morning, all parties sp-
peared as calm as usual.
After breakfast awhile, Jesse called q negro
boy who had just returned from hunting, and
inquired in what manner the gun was loaded,
and also asked for some caps. Having disch;r-
ged both barrels, he carefully reloaded them
with buckshot, and set tho gG:n against the side
Of The house. Soon after ne seated himself on
the door steps, and requested Mrs. B. to comb
his hair, which she did, when soma words of af-
fectionate regard having passed between them,
Jesse asked her to draw some spirits for the boy
Nelson.
They both passed into the smoke house, where
they remained some minutes. When Mrs 3.
| returned to the house she was again pale and
evidently much distressed. Mrs. Z. inquired
what was the matter. yhca MES. B. replied that
Jesse was very much excited, and begged her
sister (AIrs. H 10 90 20 him and try to calm
him. Mrs. H. however, refused, she being a
fraid to approach him.
Mrs. B. again went to him in the yard, but
finding she could do nothing With him, returned
to the house and told her sister that Jesse was
going to kill Nelson, (the negro man, and then
was going to kill her, (Alrs. B. About this
time Jesse called out to Clara, (NTrs B. to come
to him again, but she refused He again, in n
manner wild with frenzy, called TO her and COM
manded her to come, saying ne had something
and threw her arms about his neck.
Some words passed hurriedly between them,
but what these words were viii only; be brought to
light. As he tore himself abruptly from her,
she was heard to exclaim, ''OE, Jesse, don't do
it ~ Selling his gun, he approached the kit
chen where the boy Nelson was and asked him
how he felt The boy replied ''better, and would
be able to work in the morning"
7 Jesse told him he did not want him to work
any more-that he was going to kill him and
suiting the action to the word, and telling the
negro woman to stand out of the way if she did
not wish to get hurt he raised his gun and shot
the negro dead. At the fire of the gun, Mrs
TT. caught ND her child, ran out the opposite
side of the house, aud hid in the top of fallen
tree Mrs Ballard also started TO run, but
again returned to the house
After shooting the negro, Jesse, with one hand
on his head and the other hold of his gun, turn
ed rapidly upon his heel for four or Eve times
when coming to q halt he saw Mrs Ballard pas
sing through the gate on the opposite side of
the house He immediate pursued her, and
when within few feet fired the second barrel,
lodging the whole load in her back, several shot
nassinc entire through her body. She fell
dead
His next movement was to draw off one of
his boots by her side when suddenly turning
rs if recouecting that both barrels of his gun
were empty-he returned into the house, and
nrocuring the only load Of buck shot left, he |
hurried of to branch about 200 yards distant /
when. having reloaded one of the barrels of his
gun. he blew off nearly his entire head by pla-
cinr the muzzle of the gun under his right jaw
and touching the trigger with his toe.
Thus ended this melancholy tragedy. When
the last gun fred, Mr. Aquilla Ballard was in
hearing, on his return home The agony of that
devoted husband and brother, upon witnessing !
the scene which his home-but an hour or two I
since his happy homc-presented, can be Meth /
er imagined nor described.
But we forbear comment upon the painful
subject. Sudden and violent arrangements is
supposed to have led to the unnatural deed. The
bodies of Jesse and Mrs. Ballard were injured
on Tuesday evening last in the San Augustine
burial ground. a large number of mourners
followed their remains to the grave.
Louis Napoleon is to have bought lately two |
large estates in Poland, for the sum of $780,
coo francs.