The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1854-12-30

hey came to a point in the road where a
nigh bluff overlooked the wav, and while pas
ing this, they were startled at seeing some
hing in the moonlight which looked like a .
nan. They at once dismountcd. and found
what they had seen to he the body of Mat
thew Hampton, all gore covered and bleed
ng. They had been there but 4 minute.
when they were joined by third man, who
said that II" av The murder committed and
that the murderer fled towards NJ.
Simple ard jordan at once recognized Tbs
new conner as one Henry Bclcr. and though
his character was by no means Of the most
exemplary kind. vet that was no time for dis
cus>ion. The body of Hampton was still
warm. 50 that the murderer could not have
been gone long R:clcr had no horse. 50 Mr..
Simple agreed to remain bv the body, while
jordan and Rig'er went in pursuit Of the
murderer. They put their horses to the top
of their speed and in half an hour overlook
the prison.-whom Iirlcr at once pointed
blacksmith. and found him nervous and excl
ted. lie then asked him if he had seen Mat
:h"w lIampton. and Adams replied in The af
firnativc. but he spoke in a very strange man
ncr After some cxpoStulation. the prisoner
Il l. ~
placed into the hands OF the sheriff. and up
on examining his ,.rr>on. Mr. lIampton'>
porkrt book, Containing about two thousand
dollars. was found upon him. and his hands
were al>o covered with blood
At this iunc,urc the excitement of the lit
tie court room WAS intense The crowded
mass Swavrd to and fro like winA->wcpt -rain
murmnrS broke the >ancti'v Of the place
murmurs loud and deep and it was few
minutes before anything like order was res
torcI
.it icnrth Henry Ii Her was called u1or
the stand H.. was known bv most Of tl'
people of NJ. and though nothing positive
was known AGAINST him of n criminal nature
vet he WAS known to he a reckless. wander
inc fellow. sometimes trading in slaves. an,
sometimes lralin. in horses. and sometime
driving flat boat down the Mississippi. II,
stepped upon the witness block with CON
r,a;.,n, bow. and hc gave lis testimony clear
" and distinctly H. said he was coming
lown the roal towards " or fro. and whcr
near the hluil' he heard the sound of a>truC
Gle accompanied !v lonl croans and cntrca
ties. lie spranr forward and arrived in sca
son TO sec the prisoner leap into his saddl,
and ride Off The moon was shining at The
time 50 lie coull not have been mi>tak ken
AS soon a he found Mr. iIim,.ton. who as h,
supposed was dead. he started TO 90 after
help. The murdered mans horse fled tow
ards home. so hc could ran no assistance IL
that way lie had not cone far. howryrr,hr
fore he heard the sound of horses feet IN,
on turning 10 the SPOT. he found Simple Al,
jordan there.
Bi.ler WAS cross questioned yer, severely
but his testimony was not to he iitwcd. III
was cxplri, in all his statements. and at th
same time proir>scl to feel a deep regret tha
he was called upon to testify against MAJ
for whom he felt 50 much respect As he li'
for the prisoner.
At lcn-h voun- .i,!amS arose to tell hi
story lie spoke clearly and with the air OF
a man who tells the truth. He said that a
bout an hour after Matthew Hampton ha
left his shop. on the evening III question, h
went to the sink to wa>!, his hands. and Will
attention. lie stopped and picked it up an
found it to lie apockct book and on taking it I
the liqht found it TO be Mr.. lIamp:on'S. II
remembered that after Mr.. Hampton ha
paid him for Shocinr his horse. he went to Il,
sink after drink of water. and then he mu
have dropped the book. The blacksmith
first idea. he SAID, was to keep the book un.
Hampton came back but upon second tlioucl
he resolved to saddle his horse and try to
vcrtakc him. and restore the money. Acro
,linclv he set of and when he had rcachc
the bluff his horse stopped and began to re;
and snort. He discovered something lawn
I bv the roadside aLd upon di>mountin. an
going to it he found it to bc The body OF VI
Hampton still warm and bleeding. he first 81
u isficd himself that he could do nothing alon
and then started back towards NJ for asst.
ancc. When he was ovcrtakcn 10y .Jorda
: and Biglcr, the idea of having Hampton
money with him, broke upon him with stu
hing force, and hence his strange and incoh
rent manner.
When the prisoner sat down there was
low murmur which told tha: his story was b
licvcd. But the Judge shook his head a,
the lawyers did the same, aud the Jury loo
ed troubled and anxious. The prisoner
counsel did all he could to establish his q
cnts good character. and also TO impcach q
testimony of I,slcr, but he could not rciu
the testimony that had been given.
> When the Judge came to charge the jur
, he spoke of the testimony against the rri>o
!; cr. and of the corroIorativc circumStanc,
If With regard to the prisoners story. he salt!
K was very simple and sounded very much Ill
6 the truth. but he wouid have the jury rcmcl
f Der how easily such stories could bc made.
g 1t was long after dark when The jury ret
d cd to make up their verdict. They We
N gone half an hour and when they rcturn
the foreman slowed by the very hae Of /
", ,,rnt.nopro ~ Tho rar,i,.. f4tl 4