The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1854-12-04
LocAL NArgHne.

T8E HrrRico MuRDkn.-This sd affair
seerns to haye spread 4 gloom OVER the whols
neixbborhood ID which tho murdered man, Nathan
Burnett formerly resided for he was looked upon
By those who knew him - one 81 ine most narm
less, inoiersiye, good nstured men In bis county
That his witc or George w Johnson had any thing
10 do with the murder wa shall not undertake &c
say; but certain II Il. he was NOT killed tor his
money a. every dollar that he had before ne leii
the city, was found In his pocket, alter be waa
mansissi and rnutiIsted In the most barbafous and
Our readers viii remember that Burnett stated
TO DR. Terrill and Others that he was assailed and
beaten by negro wagon driver OF course, NO
man 10 his situafion with his fractured skull bone
driven into his brain, could give Ineligible &C.
count of any thing that happened, nor should any
credit be given to his Abatement, a. oil his converse
ton was Of an incoherent. disconnected order. Il
may have been that he was assaulted by negro
a. he described but the presumption b, that the
negro WAGNER alluded to BY him. was the one who
discovered him lying In the road In helpless con
dition early Thursday morning, and In order Ia
prevent crushing him with his team, pulled him
out of the road 90 that his wagon could pass by
Mr.. Burnett may have had faint recollection d
this circumstance, and therefore connected It with
the assault upon him. Whether there were wa
CONS any where near the place the murder wal
committed, Mr. Winston, the gentleman who
passed Burnett near DR.. Terrills farm. can tell.
Among the circumstances which go farthest "a
implicate Mrs. Burnett and Mr.. Johnson In THU
matter are these:
Their supposed intimacy, Mrs. Burnetts remark
to Mr. Smith. that 1t was hard for person to be
tied to any one they did not love; that there wal
no such good luck as Burnett's dying when he wal
sick and her repeated declarations that he had
been beaten TO death as soon As the mule and car
came home without him. On Johnson's part, hi:
feigning nick last Monday night to induce Burnett
to leave him with his wife; his being the last per
son seen with Burnett before the deed was perpe-
trated: his warm professions of love for B. the
morning after the murder; his endeavoring to con
ceal blood stained Ratchet in his bed his having
a bloody dirk. which seemed exactly suited to the
wounds of the murdered man his remark 10 the
hearing of constable Childrey; and his excessive
alarm when charged with the crime. Added to
these the flight of Mrs. Burnett as her hus
band breathed his last, with her declaration thai
johnson was innocent, and the chain of circum
stances seem to entwine them in the most conclu
sive manner.
For the sake of woman and humanity, we trust
that both Mrs. Burnett and johnson may be able tC
establish their innocence In every particular but
we confess our fears and almost dread to hear the
whole truth brought out. johnson has been wild
over but about three weeks, and If guilty of the
offence of which he is now suspected, 1t may be
that Burnett was put aside that he might take bill
place.
Be the murderer who he may. we trust that hi
may yet he detected and made to pay the penalty
OF his inhumanity with his life.