The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1855-11-21

the prisoner. He was beloved by all his
townsmen, and but few of them could
believe anything of the reports that had
crept into circulation.
As l was in no particular haste, l re-
solved to remain in Nj until the
trial had come off, so went and erased
my name from the stage book where / had
placed it, and then informed mine host of
my determination.
On the following morning, at an early
hour, the people began to flock towards
the courthouse, and | saw that if | would
secure a place I must join the crowd. /
did so, and at length found myself within
the building, and as good fortune would
have it, made stand near the prisoners
box. Ten O'Clock was the hour fixed
for the opening of the court and before
that time every standing place outside
the dock was filed. Stagings were erec-
ted upon the outside under the windows
but these, too, were crowded.
At the appointed time the court came
| in, and the prisoner was conducted to the
box. Said prisoner was not more than
| fve-and-twenty years of age. He posses
sed one of the most pleasing countenan-
ces I ever saw, 1t was one of those
bold, frank faces, full of courage and good
nature-just such one as is unhesita-
tingly taken as the index Of a pure and
generous soul. He was stout athletic
young man, and carried the palm at every
wrestling match in the country.
I, thought within myself, this man is
no murderer And yet we konw not to
what extremities man may be driven.
Young Adams was qnite pale, and his
neither lip quivered as he found the gaze
of the multitude fixed upon him; but his
eye was bright and quick, though not
defiant, yet bold and hopeful in its deep
blue light.
The trial commenced. The complaint
was clear and distinct, setting forth the
fact that the prisoner Abel Adams, "did
with malice aforethought, kill, etc, on
such day, one Matthew Hampton---in
the first place by striking him on the head
| with some blunt weapon--and in the sec
ond place by stabbing him in the breast" !"
etc. To all this the prisoner pleaded
mot guilty." From the first testimony
called up learned the following facts:
Near sundown one afternoon about Il
week previous, Matthew Hampton stop
ped at the shop of the prisoner to get his
horse shod. This Hampton was a wealthy
farmer, and his estate lay to the southwark
near the Tennessee line, and only about
fifteen miles from M. He was known
to have some two thousand dollars with
him at that time-money which he had
received at Columbia for corn. 1t was
nearly dusk when he started from the
prisoners shop.-He took out his pocket
book to pay for the job of shoeing his
horse. This he did within the shop, and
two persons were present who testified
to the fact, and, also, that when the pock-
et-book was opened, large bunch of
bank notes was exposed. About an
hour after Hampton left, the prisoner
came out of his shop and went to his sta
BILE, and having saddled his feetest horse,
he mounted and started at q full gallop,
in the direction which Hampton had
| taken.
Next came two witnesses, MI. Simple
and Mr. Jordan, both of them respectable
citizens of M, who testified as fol.
lows:
They had been in the edge of Tennes-
see on business, and were returning home.
About nine O'Clock on the evening in
question, they came to the point in the
road where a high bluff overlooked the
way and while passing this they were star
tied by seeing something in the moon
light which looked like man. They al
once dismounted and found that that which
they had seen was the body of Matthew
Hampton, all gore covered and bleeding.
They had not been there more than a
minute, when they were joined by third
man, who said that he saw the murdered
mi;ted, and that the murderer fed towards
! Simple and Jordan both recognized this
newcomer as one Henry Bigler, and though
his character was by no means the most
exemplary, yet that was no time for dis
cussion- The body of Hampton was still
warm, so that the murderer could not
have been gone long. Bigler had nc
horse, so Simple agreed to remain by the
body while Jordon and Bigler went il
pursuit of the murderer. They put theil
horses to the top of their speed, and il
half an hour they overlook the prisoner
whom Bigler at once pointed out as tht
man. hailed the young black
smith, and found him nervous and excited
He then asked him if he had seen Mat
/ thew Hampton, and Adams replied in th,
}, affirmative. but he spoke in very srang
: manner After some expostulation th
prisoner accompanied Jordan to NJ
: and there was placed in the hands of tn
; Sheriff, and upon examining his person
5 Mr.. Hampton's pocket-book, containing
E two thousand dollars, was found upon him
j and his hands were also covered wit
= blood. <5s=.e