The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1854-12-02
rocAL MArrnRs.

Nathan burnett resided In Hanover county aeou1
fifteen miles from this city ne was us1sny CO.,
b;s v,ife came 10 Richmond last "wednesday Ia his
cart and got drunk. After purchasing such articles
ss he needed and spending greater portion OF the
day, with Johnson. ne started meme aoouu ,i night
passed him about quarter OF mile from where
he was murdered. lying asleep 10 his cart. From
the character and number of wounds upon bis head,
it ID supposed that while there asleep his ekuli was
broken 10 with hatchet and afterwards he was
stabbed several times with rough, sharp pointed
instrument On the right side of the head the skui
driven into the brain, and on the lett side his
ear was nearly severed from his head, besides hav.
ing two deep stabs just under t.
The supposed intimacy between George w.
Johnson and Mrs. Burnett led to his arrest and ON
searching his house. Ratchet, with blood upon it.
was found concealed In his bed, and long, rusty
dirk, with blood upon It, found on press in the
same room johnson declares himself innocent,
but the circumstances are strong against him -
Whether Mrs. Burnett entered into conspiracy
with him to murder her husband, remains to be
seen
morning, Immediately after which Mrs. Burnett fed
from DR.. Terrills premises, and has not since
returned
Justice Garland Hanes, assisted BY Constable
ChiIdrey, held an inquest over the dead body, and
the jury after hearing the subjoined evidence rem
dered as their verdict, that Nathan Burnett came
to his death by wounds received on the right side of
bis head raturing the skull and driving the bones
into the BRAIN and that all the circumstances point
ed to GEoRGE w. JOHNSON AZ the murderer.
Az soon as the verdict was read johnson was re
nanded TO prison, to await an examination.
The Jury further requested Dr. Terril to make
post mortem examination, in order, if possible,
to discover the character of the instrument with
which the stabs were inflicted, and te ascertain
whether or not the point OF the dirk which inflicted
the wounds, was not broken off in the skull The
dirk, found in the possession of Johnson, has a
broken point and seems to have been snapped off
very recently The reader can draw his own con-
illusions from the evidence.
. Dr. Albert J. TerriIl, sworn.-Yesterday morning
a short time after sunrise, Mr.. Robert Williamson
called at nay house and told me there was man
lying In the road In very bad condition. ! went
down there, and saw him. lie seemed to be In a
torpid condition. We removed him, and after Civ
ing him some brandy he told me his name. asked
him how he got injured He replied that negro
came in contact with him, and beat him SO.
asked him If he was robbed. He said the things in
his cart taken but not his money in his pocket
put my hand in his pocket, took out two SIS notes
and some silver. in all amounting to about $I7. His
mind seemed to be wandering-he' answered ques.
tons not propounded to him. He was as conscious
then as at any other time. He was suffering from
cold and had him removed here to make him
as comfortable as possible. | did not examine
where he was lying to see if a struggle had taken
place. When first saw him, thought he would
recover if his skull was not broken: After getting
c.
he was dying. / extracted some fifteen or twenty
pieces of bone from his brain. / have examined no
other wound to see if it would prove fatal. His
skull was fractured and the pieces OF bone driven
into the brain. He had two wounds under the right
ear-one of them deeper than the other, and reach
ing to the base of the skull The wounds on the
skull were produced by blunt instrument. am
OF the opinion that the other wounds were produced
by different instrument from that which caused
the fracture. First wound on left side OF head,
over ear, Just above angle of lower jaw lacera
ted wound extending to the skull Fatal wound
superior portion of the right paretal bone frac
turing the skull, and driving portions of the bone
into the brain. This wound would average about
one inch and a quarter, and seems to have been
inflicted by two blows.
Samuel L. Smith, sworn-I was In Hanover last
Monday; left there Thursday; saw Nathan Burnett
wife and Geo. w. Johnson, at N. Burnett's house:
learned that too great an intimacy existed between
Mrs. Burnett and Mr.. johnson. Last Thursday
evening week, Mrs Burnett told me "any one had
well be dead as tied to any one they did not
love-" Heard her say, that evening, when Mr.
Burnett was sick, and some one remarked that he
might die, there was no such good luck" Bur.
nett had made arrangements to come to town Mon
day night, and Johnson, being at his house. was to
come with him. Just before night, Johnson said
he was too sick to come, and Burnett suspecting
something declined coming. That night johnson
went possum-hunting and did not return till II or
IL o'clock. The next afternoon, Tuesday johnson
left for home and that night about 10 O'clock Bur.
evening went over to Burnett's to see him, and
waited until time for him to come. As he did not
come, went over to his brother Isaac's to stav all
night. Between 10 and ii O'Clock news came over.
that Burnett was dead. We went over to Ma
than Burnetts and found that the mule had come
home, and that there was blood In the cart Heard
Mrs. Burnett say that night, three times that Bur.
nett was dead. Isaac and Nathan Burnett lived In
sight of each other. never heard Burnett com
plain. He was very peaceable man / am satis-
dfcpnanI pfE
w. Johnson. Never saw Mr. Johnson at the house
but once in my life. Mrs. Burnett is between 25 and
80 years of age
Isaac Burnett sworn-Know nothing of the init.
macy between Geo. w. johnson and brothers. wife
Don't think my brother and wife lived happily to-
gether. Never heard either of them say anything
johnson was the cause of the anpleasantness be-
tween them. Brothers wife lived In Richmond
year or sosgo Since then, johnson has been visit
ing her Jt hnson was not related to either of them.
Brothers cart got home about 10 O'Clock. Would
take the mule three four hours to go from whore
the murder was committed, nome His wife came
If or me short time after 10 O'Clock
Vim. III Stavke, sworn-I have heard report in
the neighborhood that johnson went to Burnett's
son beat him for saying he went where Mrs Bur.
nett was when her husband was absent. johnson
was At Burnetrs on the 4th of july and stayed till
night. and remaiped till Tuesday evening have
lived with Burnett since the l1th of May Sleep in
come, think should have heard it Burnett and wife
did not live happily together Sometimes thought
one to blame, 2 I'd then the other. Have heard g.
charge her with Inconsistency, but never heard him
call any name. was there when the cart came
me last Wednesday Mrs. Burnett opened the
gate and let the mule in. NV fatherin.lav was
there. was lying down. Mrs. Burnett came back
and gave the alarm that her husband was beaten to
death. Burnett lives in about 5 miles of Hanover
Court House.
John T. Chadrev, sworn received the warrant
aud went on down to arrest johnson. Found him
near the old mill at Howards grocery ut the head Of
Valley street Arrested him, and soid him I should
have to search his house. He went with me home,
snd opened basement door, and went MP stairs.
something in. threw the lid of and found hatch
Of in the bed with spots Of blood uponit Discovered
tho DID, long dirk on the press johnson said his con
put the halchet in the bed. He rewarded, when L
found the hatchet that il would convict or copdemn
him. | am not positive of this. johnson was very
much excited when found Ratchet in the he'd -
When read warrant to him, he was alarmed and
said he was innocent.
b c. burnett. swom.-Am II years old 9th Dec
Deceased it my uncle. Live near Old Church In
Hanover Am son of VIM. Burnett Visited uncle
Nsthsn's often Lived in Richmond year bcfnre last
and did not 60 there for months. Have not been
there before this Up for months Went 10 uncle
Ieaac's last Monday. johnson was there. Under
night because johnson was there. Saw 70 intimacy
with aunt and johnson.
George w Smith, sworr.-Heaid Mrs Burnett say
this morning sorry johnson had been srrested--
thought he was clear. Have heard talk of Mra Bur
metz and johnson. Married Isaac Burnetts dsugther
and live with him. Can't say for certain whether
Mrs. Burnett IL or 10 not prudent woman. sell