The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1854-12-30
THE BCACKSMITH'S TRIAL.
ASCENEIN 4 WESTERN COURT.
by AUSTIN c. BrRDICK.

ASCENE1N 4 WESTERN COURT.
BY AUSTIN c. DrRDICK.
In the fall of 1S49 was travelling in the
West on business. Ileft the Mississippi steam
boat at Columbia, Kentucky having made up
my mind to travel by that as far as Mullen
berg county, where would strike the Green
River far enough to the northward to take one
Of the small natboats for the Ohio.
Late one evening I arr .. :. .hc town Of
NJ intending to take tl:, >:acs from there
on the next morning The hor room of the
tavern was crowded with tco,ac, and MOTTO
collected about the street corners, appearing
to be discussing some matter of more 'han
usual interest
OF course became curious to know the
cause of all this. and on the first favorable op-
portunitv asked the question of the landlord
he gazed at me moment in silence, and
then with an omnious shake of the head, ic
gave me to understand that most dreadful
thing had harreu"d but before he had cx-
planned to me what it was. he was called a.
wav to attend the other business.
soon found, however, that the dreadful
thing. was the subject of conversation all a-
round me- and by simply listening. | gained
an insi cht into the mystery. 1t seemed thai
there was to he trial for murder there. on
the next dav, and that the criminal was a
young black smith. who had been horn and
brought up in the town. and who, until the
present time had borne character abo~e re-
proach.
cndeavorcd to find ont the particulars .hu
lcould ascertain little upon which to depend
ior different people gave different accounts
and all who knew ANYTHING of the matter
were too much cNcitc1 to speak calmly TIL,
murder had tran>pirrd only about a week be
fore and consequently the event was fresh il
the minds of the people.
The only facts that came to me upon whicI
could rely. were that middle aged man
named Matthew Hampton. had been murder
ed and robbed. and that Abel Adams. tn
Young blacksmith. had been arrested for tn
crime and would bc tried on the morrow
Some said that the murdered mans money
to the amount Of over two thousand dollars
had been found upon the young mans person
but others denied this statement Yet a
svmpathizcd with the prisoner. lie was be
loved by all his town>mcn, and hut few OF
, them could believe ANYTHING of the report
that had crcpt into circulation,
Us was IN no particular haste. | resolve
to remain in NJ until the trial had come of
so went and erased nv name from the stag
. book where | had placed it. and thcr inform
, ed mine hes: Of my determination.
On the following morning at an early houl
the pcopl" began TO flock towards the con,
+ house and saw that if | would secure ria'
| lmu>t JOIN the crowd. Idid 50 an! a: lcnc
t found mv>clt within the huildnr and As geo
, fortune would have it. made stand nra
r the prisoners box. Ten O'Clock was The hon
? fixed for opening the court, and before tha
r time every conceivable standing place on,
side the dock was filled. Sta.incs were {
: rcctcd upon the outside under the window
and these too were crowded.
r At the appointed hour the court came il
and the prisoner was conducted to the box.-
: Said prisoner was not more than five and TIVE,
. ty years of age. lie possessed one of I'll
C most pleasing countcnanccS ever bchcld
was one of those bold, frank faces. fail o
n courage and good nature. Just such an one
G is taken for the index of a pure and ccncro,
h SOUL lie was stout athletic man, and ca
ried the palm at every wrestling in the cou1
It try.
G l thought within mtsclf, this is no murlc
t. cr. And yet we know not to What cxtrcn
IS ties man may sometimes be driven. Your
il Adams was quite pale, and his neither !
C quivered as he found the gaze of the mul,
tude fixed upon him but his eve was brig
1t and quick, but not defant.vct bold and hop
fu in its deep, blue light
c The trial commenced. The complaint W
)" clear and distinct, setting forth the fact II,
10 the prisoner, Abel Adams, did with mali
e aiorethought.' kill etc, on such a dav, o.
Matthew ilampton-in the first place by ST
1t king him on the head with some heavy blu
'r weapon-and in the second place by stabbi
= him in the breast, etc. To all this the pr
'c oner pleaded not guilty From the first I,
s. timony called up, learned the followi
facts:
Near sundown, one afternoon about we
4 previous, Matthew Hampton stopped at I
N shop of the prisoner to get his horse shod
if This Hampton was wealthy farmer, and
E. estate lay to the southwark, near to the Te
n ncssee linc-and only about fifteen miles d
IN tant from NJ. lie was known to ha
to some two thousand dollars with him at
e time-money which he had received at {
e. lumbia for corn. 1t was nearly dusk vii
,r he started from the prisoners shop. lie tc
&c out his pocket book to pay for the job of sh'
ing his horse This he did within the sh,
is and two persons were present who now te:
Id fed to the fact, and also, when the pocl
book was opened, large bunch of la
c. notes was exposed. About half an hour
nc ter Hampton left, the prisoner came out
his shop and went to his stable, and Inavi
=? saddlcd his fIcctcst horse, he mounted d
v started off, at full gallop. in the dlrccti
which Hampton had taken.
Novt t.ao sNr C,c,,,Io