Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1854-01-26
[ElIom he I2ichrrnnI n,------l !
HORRIBLE MrrRnrps

I O--N~AD@-t< N%&NOEh.
I Through the poileness Of friend We rs 70 h.s
permitted to Gull the following account Of horri
murder committed in Lexington, va, on suoda,
night last, the 18th instant The parties were M
BLAoKBUsN, q cadet ofthe v. NJ. l.. and Mr.. CHs,a
rlAs, law student, The former having been mos
fouly murdered. The letter says:
! "For the last tweniy-four hours dated ls,h ms,
ms village has been in such stale IL rciienani
as have never before Witnessed Abou1 hait =, !
| 6oclock yesterday Sunday evening vonng a.
Blackburn, a|cadet Of the " M Institute was kir
ed BY Mr.. Christian, law student T'hescanss u
this sad affair was this: Mr. Christian haa bss, +
the habit OF visiting young lady Of Fineas,le fno
10 this yil!age) cousin Of Mr.. Blackburn. and n
l~YlnS neata % known ssmeihing derogaiory 10
the cha acter al @. told his cousin II il MA nrssd
neI to walk With him TO church ne more on RI
9Th inst, Christian sent word 10 the voups ladv
thar he would call at her Bucle's that evening ,o.
cort her 10 church. when she declined me favor AZ
his company. Suspecting something wronr. Chris
tian demanded al explanation, which the young
lady gave him.
Last Saturday morning Mr.. Blackburn Maid III.
cousin visit at her uncles, when she told him
that she had given Christian her reasons far dscI;n
ing to keep bis company. Learning This Mr. n
proceeded 10 town, al once, sought ont cbr;st;an
told him frankly and candidly hat be Nd yr.rna3
his cousin against him. and thai he ri, ins,;saS =
No
outbreak took place then. though The twe narteJ
with any other than good feeiiags, Christian re-
marking lhaiAe would see Blackburn agatn
On The same DAY Christian bought p;s,ol ana
bowie knife, ard was heard TO make apains,
Blackburn several times
Sunday morning while Christian Us \; ,I
vern yard Of the Mcdowell hotel. ne han m T.;ss
10 bis hand ard told old Mr. DIN the etc. ~;
yer, thai he inteaded to use II thai nigh, III,
pass o'ciock, 2. NJ, Of The same day Cbrisi;sn
stationed himself in front OF the church and ,b,es
e l 70 auaeK biaekourn as he came out. but was
restrained from 50 doing by Mr. A. Moore A. ~
murder weala probably have been commi,,sd - -
me presence q the dispensing conerega,ion. Al
this time nothing was known Of Christisnis NO.
uens, except By lew, who never dreamed Of sucb
In the evening the church bell rupy AMI IL -
PIE were erowdins into the house Of God. Dr. I'M
sin was 70 preach, and came with his fannie ~
daughter being escorted by Young Biackhr,rr =,
ne very hey-dsy OF youthful hiIafitv. AsRlser
barn passed into the xesgibule Christian tsnn.5 /
nim On me shoulder, and said be wanted 70 spealr
~ CIV. bi4ekourn TUNED about and the tive
: $3.50 On .ogslher. Twoeadets were standing 81
ana saw this One OF them. knowing az rhe nrsr
Us aimcnity, remarked 10 the other slet Dc iolov
nem-lney viii have fshf.n mo = replied II.
'.ne,--tnere y no feaF-C. has only stick apdB
shl g Iaii match for him. They passed out Of
Is -. ~ themselves. turned the corner and walk
- ~-l ot1lc>s IL was Then p1ftlal~r
asrk, ne moon was not up and daYlighkwas
eany gone James W. Massie. who was on ia
I.f q ennrcns saw The seufe, saw the two fail and
asneo forward. Christian. on pefceivinr him
...1Pso up and ran of as rapidly as possible
lassls nndng that Blackburn could not get M and
caring gnIgifng sound in his throat. called FOR
ep. As soon As aid could be sbtained poor Black
arm was iaken 70 WIN. Wines, where BE soon
rs-lned ms las, never having spoken a word
ssn iieni vas procured, II was found that B.
y .seetssa large cash in the len side or his
.o.., ~ inca and half below the ear. -Four
. were n attendance in two Of three min
3, oal .ney o1ly arrived IL time 10 see one gasp
y p 80 osen 10 less than ten minutes from
s nme b'ackburn len The church with Christian.
was corpse
". Ssnkin had assembled The p1lpif and opened
sef.ice andleu Of the congregation. thefsfere
~ o ne murder iii the close Of The sermon
many cadets had entered The church. one After /
o.nsf, nezd 4 and len. causing great deal of
1'4zien' The Congregation knew that s,rnsfk;nc 4
~. q Plsnea pnt most persons kepffheir seats.
S..ti,i-n, md ne that he had probably KILLED
= ,.,i- e. az VI 70 the tavern IN great haste
!, ,yox y ms roon. BE was pursued by 4 man
Z n.ol1s "a. BE vas known, gave kirnssifun
n9' e9ti be had changed his clothes He nov
I maj ec comni,ed he deed N selfdcfsrce -,
~ o-i's,es 4. ., BE vas armed viii sick. ]