Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1854-01-26

On Sunday night last l5ik insf, ahcul half pa.
s occek, (says the Lexington Gazelle.) rsacon.
Ire tock place between Mr.. chas 3. CT fls,ian. Of
Amhsrss comfy. hsmber d The Law Class in
THIS Plas:. ana Cadet gaonas. slaskburn from The
county o. 1shsEso- and saei in he dsaih 0f the
latter.
e csnoai asppsned in he street near The Hay
scales szd opposite the Presbyterian Church.
Hi. Blackburn received three wounds. inflicted
with bowie knife. one upon The left temple, one
il The back, s1f one in The neck, uhish was me
fatal stab The blade Of The knife trshsversey en-
tered The neck on The len side half an inch below
the ear, severing the carotid artery ard reaching
almost e the other side causing death in ve min
utes. Mr.. Christian Is nov Ia custody. Frornshe
appearance Of the ground there seem to have been
TWO struggles. as there vas pool Of blood few
steps TO the leti and above The scales, where the
eombatis supposed 10 have eommencedi and an
other Immediately beside the scales. There was
ala srpsnliy OF blood on the platform Of the scales
n. q not feel authorized 10 give The eircum-
s;,nc- which led 10 so fearful tragedy, nor would
il Be proper for rs to express the opinion we may
entertain in regard TO the guilt innocence Of NE
party now awaiting trial historF Of the trans
action gathered from detached rumo;s and an opin-
ion founded upon these rumors and Published
might and doubtless would sssse TO bias the minds
Of the citizens Of the county, some ofwAom win Pc
required to sit as jurors updA lhe ease. We are
particular therefore merely 70 pie that such dis
astrous ARRAY has occurred, al whatever may he
our feelings In regard the demands Of Justice Or
The pieadings sympathy, wishike entire eonmu-
/ nifty, We cannot but regretshat an affair SHOULD
have occurred in our midst ieal in It's result
ti-------.-------i-,- - 80 Sces that mat
| flow from il.
| The time and place, as we'll as The parties en-
/ gagged, render it8aymost lamentabie affair, and a
feeling ofdejecion has rested its harden upon NE
hearts OF all. Happening on Sabbath night Just as
the church bells had ceased ringing, while the
congregation was assembling, and the feelings OF
ali were softsneA and subdued By the gentle inau-
ences ,ha, the Stbbath ever gathers about us--and
then over against the church, Of all places in the
world he least to be expected whsre an outbreak
would occur. And the parties -boh young men
far from home and kindred-ro wonder tha; this
community was 50 stricken and pzralyzed in hear
and feeling. The one Cadet al the V. NJ. lnsti
int IN bis lastyear, a few short moa:hs and he
would have graduated. The longing for that time
when free from theTssiraints OF Soiiege ne, VIZ
all NJ, tfophies fresh upon bin. he would seek hi
4 distant home ID the glad dream off happy fanil,
II reunion. But with him the dream oflife has sud
i denly passed away the proud bright aspiration
leapiur into The future in an instant quenched, j
! one short moHeu, ifeess and mangled thing
with an the bloom AID strength and beauty afoper
ing manhood fan upon him.
: And the Other, who had been 10 our midst out
few months came TO prepare himself Tor the Quite
Of life; full OF hope, reveling in the dreams
youth, eagerly anticipating define when harnas
"a for The struggle he would step into The arena {
active life to qrive for the reward Of popular a
! nroval and imb5res, hi. name and character upe
he lins and conf 5enee of men. All in an insal
4 dashed aside; for whatever may be the issue Oh
. judicial examination, he has planted within ,
i own breast an arrow whose poia, : never dullec
+ be has enlwined around his own reflections wof
. that capno, ale, ana has turned The brightness
a hi. fuiure TO clouds and bitterness and gloom.
r. endowed mothers anguish and sisters suIsTin
! must mipsle With the psngs Of his own mind al
seensn tbe cutrent OF bitterness jas he thinks Of :
void he has caused in tha hearts and homes
others.
4 How deeply melancholy IS this occurrence wh
ii viewed in connection VITA ether party. And VI
all The horrors thai cluster about it. It shsud ioi
!, home the conviction upon the mind Of the you
nj d the ftailtes Of human sasure, and speak ID
----,--.Ai.a laaslags how important how absslus