Republican vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1857, 1854-05-29

quor consumed as ever heretofore, and b.
which the State is deprived ola large rev.
enue, and drunkenness is not abated.
Convicted of Murder.
Geo. McCauly, arraigned for The muir
der OF Geo. Lilly, near McGaheyxv;lle,
Rockingham county, received his f;na,
hearing in the Circuit Court for that coup.
~ just closed, After several days pa
"ep. examination of witnesses and hearing
oil arguments, the jury, gave verdict Of
guilty OF murder in the first degree. -
Inc prisoner exhibited no signs of trepi-
datlon, but heard the verdict with the same
composure and determined calmuess, which
marked his conduct during the process Of
the tIial. He has wife and two chill
dren, one o.. whom is an infant at the
breast. Counsel for the prisoner, Col. ].
B. Baldwin. Of this place, and Messrs. AL
len, Brettell, Lewis, and Collins. For the
Commonwealth. T. Harris and Mai
}. {. Walker. The speeches Of all en-
gagged in the trial are highly spoken of.
Application was made to the Court.
Judge Kenny, for new trial, bu. was re.
fused. The counsel for the accused intend
carrying the application to the Court OF
Appeals.
This is the second conviction for MUIR
der that has occurred IN Rockingham
within the last twenty years. We think
it was in the year 1884 or IS, that HOY
was hung for the murder of Mrs. Smoot.
This was one of the most deliberate muir.
ders Of which we have ever heard. There
had been dispute, we think, between
the two families, about few candles that
had been borrowed. It not being settled
satisfactorily, Hoy. one beautiful Sabbath
morning, when nature was smiling under
the genial rays OF summers sun, deiibe-
rately walked across the street with rifle
IN hand, to the residence of Mrs. Smoot.
and whilst she was sitting at the breakfast
table, with the family. shot her. She died
within few days after the deed. AL
though atthe time we were only or 4 years
OF age, Sc can remember distinctly the
intense excitement which pervaded the
whole community. After Hoy's convic
ton and sentence, if our memory serves
Us. he, with several other inmates, esca ped
from the little old stone jail on the Wes-
tern bill Of the town of Harrisonbu,g, now
used as dwelling house, but was captured
on the night of his escape. He then
stated. if permitted to kill one or two
Others, be would willingly die. Many
thought he was derange6. Probably there
never has since been assembled in Harri-
sonburg, such coucourse Of people as
was convened to witness his execution
The woods, situate about one mile West
of the town, and which to this day 60 by
the name Of "Hoy's woods" were crowd
ed with people. We have often in our
youthful rambl.s stopped beneath the
waving foliage Of the trees on which was
suspended the gallows, at the pile Of huge
rocks, which mark his last resting place,
to contemplate with supers,rtious dread
the terrible scenes Of which that spot was
the theatre. There was another case of
hanging, which occurred in 1S47 or '4S:
but not for murder A free negro boy,
aged about IS years, committed or attempted
to commit rape on an old lady about 60
years Of age, for which he was hung. It
was singular fact connected with this
boys history, that his father brought him
to this place, in 1916, to witness the hang
ing Of three negroes. convicted Of rape, in
order to teach him lesson. But, strange
to say, it was but short time afterwards
that he met the same doom for the same
uffeucs.