Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1855-03-28

the first place by striking him on the head
with some heavy blunt weapon, and in the
second place by stabbing him in the breast,
etc. To all the prisoner pleaded mot
guilty From thesfrst testimony called
up, learned the following facts:
Near sundoWn. one afternoon, about a
week previous, Mathew Hampton stopped
at the shop of the prisoner to have his
horse shOd. This Hampton was a veal
thy farmer, and his estate lay on the south
ward, near the Tennessee line, only about
fifteen miles distant from NJ. He was
known to have had some two thousand
dollars with him at that time-money
which he had received at Columbia for
corn. 1t was nearly dusk when he start
ed from the prisoners shop. He took out
his pocket-book to pay for the job Of shoe
ing his horse. This he did within The
shop, and two persons were present who
now testified 10 the fact, and also, that
when the pockct-boOk was opened, a large
bunch of bank notes was exposed. About
an hour after Hampton left, the prisoner
went out of his shop. and went to his sta
Bile, and having saddled his fectest horse,
he mounted and started off at full gallop,
in the direction which Hampton had ta-
ken.
Next came two witnesses, MIR. Simple
and Mr. Jordan both respectable citizens
OF Al, who testities as follows:
They had been into the edge Of Ten
nessee on business, and were returning
home. At about 8 o'clock on the even
ing in question, they came to a point in
the road where high bluff overlooked
the way; and while passing this, they were
startled by seeing something in the moon
light which looked like man. They at
once dismounted. and found that what
they had seen was the body Of Mathew
Hampton, all gore covered and bleeding
They had not been there more than mi
mute when they we're joined by third
man, who said that he saw the murder
committed, and that the murderer fled to-
wards M.
Simple and Jordan both recognized this
new conner as Henry Bigler, and though
his character was by no means of the most
exemplary kind, yet that was no time for
| discussion.
The body of Hampton was still warm
SO that the murderer could not have been
gone long. Bigler had no horse, so Mr..
Simple agreed to remain by the body
while Jordan and Bigler went in pursuit
of the murderer. They put their horses
to the top Of their speed, and in half an
hour they overlook the prisoner, whom
Bigler at once pointed out AS the man.
Jo' dan hailed the young blacksmith, and
found him nervous and excited. He then
asked him if he had seen Mathew Hamp-
ton, and Adams replied in the affirmative,
but he spoke in a very strange manner.
After some cxpostulation, the prisoner ac-
companied Jordan TO NJ, and there he
was placed in the haads of the sheriff.
Upon examining his person, Mr. Hamp-
tons pocket>book, containing two thou
sand dollars, was found on him, and his
hands were also covered with blood.
At this juncture, the excitement in the
little court room WAS intense. The crowd
cd mass swept to and fro like wind swept
yrain-murmurs broke the sanctity Of the
Place-murmu:s loud and deep; and il
was few minutes before any thing like
order was restored.
At length Henry Bigler was called up
on the stand. He was known by most Of
the people Of NJ, and although nothing
positive was known against him of a crim-
inal nature, he was known to be rcck-
less, wandering fellow, sometimes trading
in horses, and sometimes driving Hatboat
down the Mississippi. He stepped upon
the witnesses block with a complaisant
bow, and he gave in his testimony clearly
and distinctly.
He said he was coming down the road
towards NJ. on foot, and when near the
bluff he heard the sound of a struggle, ac-
companlcd by loud groaRs and entreaties.
He sprang forward and arrived in season
to see the prisoner leap into his saddle and
ride off. The moon was shining at the
time, SO he could not have been mistaken.
AS soon as he found Mr.. Hampton was,
as he supposed, dead, he started TO go af-
ter he p. The murdered mans horse fed
towards home, SO he could gain no assis
tance i'll that way. He had not gone far,
however, when he heard the sound OF
horses feet, and on turning to the slope,
he found Simple and Jordan.
Bigler was questioned very Sc
verely, but his testimony was not to be
hawed. lie was explicit in all his state
ments, and at the same time he professed
to feel deep regret that he was called
upon to testify against a man for whom he
felt as much respect as he did for the pris-
oner.
At length Adams arose to tell his story
He spoke clearly, and with the tone of a
man who tells the truth. He said that
about az hour after Mathew Hampton had
left his shop on the evening in question.
be went to the sink and washed his hands,
and while there he trod on something thai
attracted his attention. He stopped and
picked it up, and found it to be pocket
book, and on taking it to the light it pro
we'd to be Mr.. Hampton's. He remem
bered that after Mr.. Hampton had paic
him for shoeing his horse, he went to the
sirnl: oftnr. a LII; MI ,f IL l.