Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1853-08-17
wEDN EsDAY. AUGUST IL, 1853.
Darling Murder!

This community was shocked on Sunday morn
;,g last by the announcement that WILLIAM
CoLkMaS, long known as one Of the most moi
fehsiye citizens Of Staunton, had been murdered
in his own house. jury Of inquest. BENJAMIN
CRAWFORD, Esq, Coroner, ascertained the fol-
lowing information, all that can yet be had Of the
foul deed.
The deceased occupied house, as his dwelling
and Cabinet making shop, near the divergence OF
the two streets leading into town from the
siunction of the Plank road and the Waynesbo-
rough Turnpike. and near the residence OF MIR. W.
CaAie; a spot in close view of which people were
constantly at work or passing and repassing'-
tOA Thursday afternoon, he was last observed a
bout his house. On Friday morning, one or two
persons called, on business, and knocked but did
not, see or hear him: nothing unusual, however,
was sufmised. as he lived secluded life ire
,6aently refusing for days to see any one. But on
.-she Sunday morning succeeding. some OF his
neiehbofs observing his door had been so long
cibsed, entered the house and found him lying IN
his blood on the floor, dead His body was rapid
,ly undergoing decay, and twas evident he had
bsen dead for several days, Some fouf of i've
wounds were visible on his head, inflicted with a
common ''claw- hammer" which wa, still in the
room clothed with blood and the gray hairs Of the
'old,man.
. He was in his usual dress, and when the mar
..derer approached was probably reading or sewing
paper and his spectacles were on the table, and
;some thread and buttons scattered over the floor
On his fire was pot containing chicken which
he was evidently cooking for his supper. Hi:
chests and drawers were open or unlocked. as If ;
robbery had also been accomplished by the mur
derer. Some loose coins amounting TO near fv,
dollars were found by the jurors in searching TIL
house. At a subsequent search SIS were tount
buried under his workbench
The murder was committed doubtless on Thurs
day evening. About sunset Of that day, some fc
males living near, heard noise as Of a scufle il
his house, aud both arose to see what was tn
matter. One went outside where she saw moth
ing the other ran up stairs to a window wher
sjtbouUh the noise had ceased she saw man ap
proach the open door in CoLEMAN's house, ant
after looking her boldly in the face for moment
closed the door again from the inside. Nothing
was thought or said of this circumstance, until tn
borrid deed was afterwards disclosed. The man
no doubt the very murderer, was not recognises
as an acquaintance by the person who saw him
although her recollection of his appearance ma.
lead 10 his Identification hereafter. A reward 10
his detection has been offered by the Common
Council. 1t is all important that the perpetrato
of such an inhuman and defiant outrage upon so
oioty and law should. be punished surely ant
promptly.
Money was doubtless the only object of tn
murder. 1t was generally understood that by hi
Industry at his trade, the deceased was accumu
a.ng money which he kept about his person o
his house but little of which could be found b.
the jury of inquest. He probably had no enemle
in the world living, an eccentric old bachelor, en-
,irely to himself honestly laboringat his trade, h
could offend no one. He left curious assortment
Of books and papers. Ofnewspapers he was prob
ably fond, as many were carefully slowed away
and scraps cut from others, of moral and didactC
character, were strewn about his house. The
Spectator of last week was lying open on his ia
BE, as if he had just been reading little did he
suppose that the next number would announce his
swn cruel murder.