Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1853-01-01

subject. The vast majority, to get out of Govern
ment would marry the Witch of Endor herself, If
that would accomplishit."
The Tragedy at Petersburg Va.
Our city was, on yesterday, shocked by the most
daring and dreadful outrageS with which any COM
munity was ever visited. ONE days since, man
by the name of Sadler,s from Brunswick county,
committed to our jail to await ms trial Tor ne
gro stealing, and was looked up IN the same cell
with one John Jones, who had been committed Tor
horse theft and an Irishrnan by the name ofBoyle.
Gu yesterday, Sunday morning, about 10 clock,
the two guards at the Jail, Messrs- VILLAINS and
TAYLOR entered the cell Of these prisoners and fur
nished them with their breakfast, which they ate
and seemed satisfied with. The rest of the hcrri-
BILE transaction in the Jail in Petersburg, is told by
the following testimony, gwen before the CoroneTs
Inquest. - tA-ts fl51.L 49, ~. r.
Robert A. Traylor being duly sworn, testified
that he was one ofthe guards of The Jail, ami asss-
ted in feeding the risoners. That he, with Mr..
Williams, had opened the cell IN which Sadler'
Jones and Boyle were confined, letting them INTO
the passage, which was unlocked: that while he
was feeding the colorel prisoners, in an opposite
CELL and was in the act of locking the door, Sad
Ter and Jones rushed out OF the passage. Sadler
locked the door, and in few minutes, heard the
report of fire arms; called the colored man George,
who exclaimed thnt he was shot and dying.
Question-Didy you search the prisoner, Sadler'
when he was committed to jail.
Answer-WEen Sadler was committed to the
cells lHom aooveI us p0cKeLS WtIe SedLCHeuI hhuH
then had no weapon. tae l.. rr-
n John Jones, confined in jail in the same rooln
with Benz. SadeI, being duly sworn testified that
while in jail has frequently heard Sader say he
intended to eseape from Jail if he had to kill Tour
persons and then'kill himSslfj that this morning,
when the officers came down to feed the prisoners
and while they were one of the rooms opposite
fLe onein which the witness had been conhneu,
| tEathe he witness went out OF the jail passage
l, ask Gehge (the colored nan) Tor bucket, and,
nj
door and locked the officers in. The witness and
sudler both ranu the steps and there saw the de-
(, ased; Joel Stutdivont, standing against the out
side door leading from the jail which was locked;
tha,.Sadler de MandeAOf Sturlivant that he should
unlock tho door, or he Sadler, would shoot him
that Sturdvant stepped aside from the door, and
as he did So Sadler Slot Sturdivant, who then SeZ-
ed hold of Sadler. Sadler opened the front door,
when he [Jones) went out, leaving SaLler behind
who fred the pistol the second time; but witness
did not see who Sadler shot the last time.
| r. DR.. Chas. F. Crouch being duly sworn, TESTIFIED
that he was one OF the first at the Jail after the
| alarm was given; found the col0Ted man Just IN
side of the porch steps, sitting up. with severe
wound on his chin, and saw Mr.. Sturdivaat lying
| in the passage examined him and found HIM dead
was at the post mortem examination.
Sadler, after committing these dreadful deeds
| accompanied by Jones, ran down Sly Ai!ey 70
Back street, and thence to the Bollingbrook Hotel,
where they separated, Jones going over into CheS-
terfield whtre he was soon arrested, On Nh. Thos
Dunn's plantation, and brought back tolail, and
Sadler going down into Prince George, on the line
OF the City Point Railroad, whence he diverGeu
through MIR. Vim. Taylor's plantation, where ne
was overtaken by Messrs. Charles Ledbetter and
tIGeoree Botterell. The sequel OF this dreadful
drama will be found in the subioined account OF
the proceedings in Prince George.
i AS may be well supposed, the excitement IN the
city was intense in the extreme. The boldness OF
the deed, committed in the heart OF the city, n
broad day light, and the amable character of the
worthy man who fell victim to the murderer
bullet, stirred up The whole community ana soon
after he dreadful tidings got wind, hundreds OF
lpersons on horseback and on foot, were IN pursuit
of.the murderer. DetachmeMtS from all the vol
Iunteer companies were ordered out, and promptly
set forth in the discharge of theirduty. t SEES
The desperate nature OF Sadler IS purpose may nc
inferred from the will found on hls person after he
had anticipated the dread retrbutIon OF the law
which he had outraged, which we publish below.
The following proceedings before an Inquest
held by Charles Friend, Esq, acting us coroner lo
the county of Prince GeoIge, will show the man
! ner in which Sadler hurried TO the presence OF hi
Maker, there to atone for his dreadful crimes.
sCharles Ledbetter, duly sworn, testified that
hehad known Sadler SINCE 1886, and twas certain
Inv the body of Ben Sadler. He, Sadler, was here
about three hours SINCE aliye, and he, Ledbetter
told him he must return to Petersburg with HIM
Sauler said, "Ledbetter, | can't CO." Lcdbette
said, cpl shoot you if you don tgo." Sadler re
pied ttCharley, love you, and will not hurt YOU
Icing it 10 his head, snapped it twice, and on ma
king third trial fired the pistol and fell dead, tn
bali entering his head Just above the right ear
Air. Botterel confirmed Mr., Ledbstter's testmo
Inv in every particular, except what Sadler said
a which he could not hear. The inquesttuTther i'm
that, on Sader's person, they found S2l S6 IN coin
and one $40 bank note, some receipts pistol, PTS
tol flask, a few papers, OF no Importance, and tW
MEMORANDUM books, witha will and a letter to
Raney written, in one of them. The inquestto un
verdict in conformity with the above facts.
The body of Sadler, we learn, was buried at tn
southeast corner Of Mr.. Tim Rives' plantation.
THE following is the will written BY Sadler Will
in Jail, which was found in his pass book IN tn
! pocket of his coat: 100
L shall sta:t out of the jail ia the morning. it be
ling the 18th, and il get killed leave 80 dollar
which wish to be divided equally among my Chill
dren, after paying for my coffin and burying .ex
penses i can't stay here-liye or die1 shall start
and say 10 my children can't do them any gooc
land what will send will do them some good, an
lit may do them some good. Give Marian goo
St'''f'SS' B. SADLER.
To B. Raney and Wife.
THE following seems to bea postscript 10 the 9
please tell my poor children to mind what l sal
L.. ~ =. kdv5 Vail