The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-06-29
Execution of John s. Wormley for the Mul-
der of his Son.in. law.

John S. Wormley was hung at Chesterfield Court
House, Va, on Friday oath inst, for the murder of
Anthony I. Robiou, his sonin-law. The execution
was witnessed by about $500 persons, whom the
prisoner addressed for about quarter of an hour lie
confessed the murder OF Robou, remarked that, I'M
der similar circumstances, he would repeat the crime
and then gave the following account of the facts
which led to the unfortunate event =
The evening Of the fatal day he in his yard With
his gun when obiou in the act Of pasing add
he Unsigned the wagon was approaching the side Of
the road next his house the idea flashed his
mind that Robou shout to stop and indulge in
abuse towards him and his family as had besn his prss.
gun and shot him. and so mPusve vas the act that he
Gid not ,aise tbs weapon his shoulder, but fred with
his daughter Mrs Robiou enter taiued any ably hos
tty towards Roboa standing his gross abuse Of
her. Neither she nor Reed, any other person,
used any language OF employed any efforts TO stimulate
him to the commission Ct the act, on the evening Of
that fatal day And when IN an usgnarded moment
and showed AL those tender ceilings usual to the
at the loss Of husband. He had taken fathers
pains 18th bis daughter, Mrs R) aud he believed she
by her husband Robou in relation to her intimac With
Reed he beyed to be false In che of his God he
inr ocence. In his (Wormley's) absence Robou, An
forty five years of sge had married his daughter gil of
only about fourteen years. without bis knowledge and
such the disparity Of their years that the state
Of things which folio aed might well have been anci
tiousy circulated against his daughter too gross
and indicate for him to repeat particularly in the pre-
sence OF ladies' (he prisoner turning and pointing TO
some females the gaows) Those charges had been
attempted to be proved when the dispositions in the d
case TAKEN but there entire failure
ubsantia,e any Of them He bad taken pains in
ing his daughter and endeavored to inst into her mind
correct principles.
He did rot seek TO ALLEVIATE her feelings from her
husband, or to produce q separation. He alb
sent when the risge and whom the separation
took place, and Robiou had written q letter TO his
(Wormley's) sister. attributiug the of their
separation 10 Mrs. Wormley the mother and expressing
with that he her father would return TO bring about
reconciliation He did return in july 1850 with no feel
ngs of resentment to wards Robieu. any other person
in the reghbofbood for he had been sbsent long, and
Rohiou and Reed all in the neighborhood then
strangers to him. He admitted however that his feel
ngs embtteed sgainst Kobiou In consequence of
the gross charges he had ade against his chda daugh
whom he loved and believed innocent and cjured
woman. Only week before the fatal day, Robou
to his (W houss, to his (R's) child, aud while
there repeated his charges and declared that his W 81
house place Of bawdyism Such charges aud Ian
gusge did excite him, he admitted but it aid not
him TO fern determination to take the life Of Robiou
He also took occasion TO exoncrate James b. Reed who
had been tried accompice of his from all particpa
ton in the murder. Reed, since his acquta has
ried the widow of Robiou, the murdered man, The
marks Of Wormley delivered in cool and impressive
manner arc concluding he bade the spectators a
fectiorate farewell In few moments after the drop
FELL ard his Lfeess body suspended ia the air. He
met his doom with extraordinary ortuds and resigna