The weekly Lancaster gazette. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1852-1855, 1854-10-19

IMAM hfe-Ahu-tWehty years OF age, anu ne
possessed one of the most pleasing couE-
tenances ever saw--it was one of those
bold, frank faces, full of noble courage and
good nature-just such an one as is unhes-
! itatingly taken as the index to pure and
generous soul He was stout, athletic
man, and carried the palm at every wrest-
ling match h in the country. thought with
in myself that that man was no murderer.
And yet, we know not to what extremitics
a man may sometimes be driven. Young
Adams was quite pale, and his neither lip
quivered as he found the gaze of the multi
tude fixed upon him; buthiseye was bright
and quick. not defiant, but bold and hope
full in its deep blue light.
The trial commenced. The complaint
was clear and distinct setting forth the fact
that the prisoner, Abel Adams, "did, with
malice aforethought," etc., kill, etc., on
such day, one Matthew Hampton--in the
first place by striking him upos the head
with some heavy blunt weapon-and in
the second place by stabbing him in the
breast, DC. To all this the prisoner plead.
ed "not guilty" From the first testimony
called up l learned the following facts:
Near sundown, one afternoon, about
week previous, Matthew Hampton stopped
at the shop OF the prisonerto to get his horse
shod This Hampton was a wealthy far
mer, and his estate lay to the southwark,
near the Tennessee line, and only about
fifteen miles distant from NJ. He was
known to have had some two thousand dol
lars with him at that time--money which
he had received at Columbia for corn. 1t
was nearly dusk when he started from the
prisoners shop. He took out his pocket
book to pay for the job of shoeing his horse.
This he did within the shop, and twoper
sons were present who now testify to the
fact and also that when the pocket-book
was opened large bunch of bank notes
was exposed. About an hour after Hamp
ton left, the prisoner came out from his
shop and went to his stable, and having
saddled his feetcst horse he mounted and
started of at a full gallop in the direction
Hampton had taken.
Next came two witnesses-"'Mr. Simple
and Mr.. Jordan" both of them respectable
citizens Of M, who testified as follows:
They had been into the edge ofTennessee,
on business, and were returning home. AT
about nine o'clock on the evening in ques
tion, they came to point in the road where
high bluff overlooked the way, and while
passing this they were startled by seeing
somethingin the moonlight which looked
like man. They at once dismounted, and
found that what they had seen wasthe body
of Matthew Hampton, all gore-covered and
bleeding. They had not been there more
than aminute, when they were joined bya
third man who said that he saw the MUIR
der committed, and the murderer had fed
towards NJ. Simple and Jordon both
recognized this new conner as one Henry
| Bigler, and thought his character was by
no means ofthe most exemplary kind, yet
that was no time for discussion. The body
of Hampton was still warm, so that the
murderer could not have been gone long.
Bigler had no horse, so Mr.. Simple agreed
to remain by the body, while Jordan, and
Bigler went in pursuit ofthe murderer
They put their horses to the top Of their
speed, and in half an hour they overlook
the prisoner, whom Bigler at once pointed
out as the man. Jordan hailed the young
blacksmith, and found him nervous and eS-
cited. He then asked him if he had seen
Matthew Hampton, but he spoke in very
strange manner. After some cxpostulation,
the prisoner accompanied Jordan to NJ,
and there he was placed in the hands of
| the Sheriff, and upon examining his per-
son, Mr., Hampton's pockct-book, contain
ing the two thousand dollars, was found
upon him, and his hands were also covered
with blood.
At this juncture the excitement in the
| little court room was intense. The crowd
ed mass swayed to and fro like wind-swept
grain-murmurs broke the sanctity of the
placc-murmurs loud and deep-and it
was some minutes ere anything like order
could be restored. AT length Henry Bill
ger was called upon the stand. He was
known by most Of the people in M,
and though nothing positive was known
against him Of criminal nature, yet he
was known to be reckless, wandering
fellow, sometimes trading in slaves, some
times driving hatrboa down the Missis-
sippi. He stepped upon the witness's
block with complaisant bow, and he gave
in his testimony clearly and distinctly.
He said he was coming down the road
towards M on foot, and when near
the bluff he heard the sound of a struggle,
accompanied by loud groans and entreaties.
He sprang forward, and arrived justin sea-
son to see the prisoner leap into his saddle
and ride off. The moon was shining at
the time, SO that he could not have been
mistaken. AS soon as he found that Mr..
Hampton was, as he supposed, dead, he
started to go after help. The murdered
mans horse had fled towards home, so he
could gain no assistance in that way. He
had not gone far, however, when he heard
the sound of horses feet, and on returning
to the spot he found Simple and Jordan
! there.
Bilger was cross questioned very severe
ly, but his testimony was not to be flawed.
He was explicit in all his statements, and
at the same time he professed to feel deep
regret that he was called upon to testify
against man for whom he felt as much
respect as he did for the prisoner.
AT length young Adams arose to tell his
story. He spoke clearly, and with the tone
of man who tells the truth. He said that
| about an hour after Matthew Hampton had