The Daily Nashville true Whig. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1851-1855, 1855-11-26
THE TRIAL OF WIN. PETERSON.

THE TRIAL OF VIM PETERSON.
In looking through the Biennial Report of the
BOARD of INSPECTORS for the State Penitentary, re-
Gently submitted TO the Legislature, my attention
was attracted by the following paragraph:
at Incomes our duty to report a second attempt
IN hprn the Prison. Since the burning of the 29th
of March last the convicts have been very closely
,vatched in ali their actions and on the 18th OF the
nresent month (October,) William Peterson was
detected with spunk, rags and turpentlne upon his
person He was at once charged with design 10
burn the Prison when he implicated another person;
but the other had previously informed the officers
that Peterson had confded in him. and told him OF
his designs. This man Peterson, it appears, was
concerned in the previous plot, and has design IN
the present instance, to set one wing on hre 10
the same manner that il was fred in March last and
In the midst of the confusion that would, as ne sup
nosed be created thereby he intended to set hre TO
the other wing, which communicated with tue front
buildegs; but fortunately be was foied."
The Trial of William Peterson, the convict re-
ferred to- will long be remembered by the good peo-
pie of Shelby county, one Of the most remarka'
BILE developments of revolving crime to be found IN
all the chronicles of guilt The circumstances con-
nected with the crime, and disclosed at the trial,
tense dramatic effect rarely ever witnessed in the
course of legal investigation. The prisoner, then
youth of about twenty years, was charged with the
crime of highway robbery and murder upon the per-
son of THOMAS MERRIwEATHER citizen OF Mlssls-
sippi he was arraigned aud put upon his trial at
Raleigh. in the summer of 1852. In appearance,
the prisoner more resembed fair, Young girl, than
of yhuyav
buoyant fyure-smal of stature-of fair and beau
tiful complexion. but of an expression OF counte-
nance as il chisselled Of marble-cod, ssturnine,
and Indifferent to the last degree. The deceased
was a young planter of Missssippi-of very noble
character and great popularity-then but recently
married to a lovely young bride. The character oil
the deceased and the notorety of the crime had at
,racted a vast concourse Of people Of both sexes,
who during the progress Of the trial, which lasted
two DAVIS were held in mute and breathless atten'
ZION by the most extraordinary and well linked chain
of creumstantial testimony by which great crime
WAS ever brought 10 light and great offender to
conign punishment.
T,omas Merriweather left his home in Mississippi
in the Spring of 1851 traverse on horse back the
tool, with him about one hundred and eighty dol
lars in money to pay his travelling expenses The
Nurse upon which the journey was TO be performed
whose astonishing instincts after~ards became such
an important and indispensable link in the chain oil
testimony by which the murderer of his master was
detected was dark blood-bay, OF great beauty
and sspacity. and of wonderful affection for his mas
l. ,;l, her
observed that he would take Memphis in his route,
some hundred and twenty miles distant-Where he
intended to purchase a pocket Bible, and small
map of Arkansas. His wife placed in his vest peck.
ct package OF needles wrapped in brown paper
with some buttons thread, and such other little ar
ticles of the kind as might be needed during his
tourney; he also purchased two pocket knives pre-
csely alike, one Of which he presented to his broth
er, William Merriweather and then took his depar-
ture. Some Eve or six weeks after he left his home,
nothing having been heard from him in the inter
val-therc appeared in the Memphis Enquirer a
startling account OF the finding OF the dead body Of
n man in the forest some eight miles South oil Mem
phis. some forty feet East Of the fernando Road
and in the Twelfth Civil District Of Shelby county
ing been murdered The body was found at the
root of a tree denuded OF flesh by decomposition
and by having been eaten by the hogs, aud the
head. which had been severed from the body, lyinl
some ten feet of. Upon the forehead there was al
indentston, apparently produced by blow from a.
octagon hammer, or other instrument The &C
count contained description Of the person as vel
as il could be identified, aud the color and quality
Of the clothing left upon the body. The color o
,he hal. was described the teeth ALSO and two nota
be nIugs IN the same, and the contents Of the ves
pocket being among other things OF little value,
naekare of needles, thread and buttons, wrapped II
brown paper, together with some manuscripts mues
deiaced by exposure TO the rain. THIS account an
swerine SO well the description OF Thomas herr'
weather in few days reached his family, who wer'
plunged in grief and startled by the suspicion tia
he had been cruelty murdered William heHi
weather. his brother, went up Immediately to ih'
vicinity of Memphis to investigate the matter. The
body 10 the mean time, had been buried He h@S
Il e.humed. and at once Thought he recognized 7
a. the mutilstea corpse Of his lost brother. AfteI
resnterring the body he went into the city TO mak'
further enquiry. This Mr. Merriweaieer Sas almos
the exact counterpart Of his deceased brother a.
personal appearance. Remembering that bis broth
or intended 20 purchase a pocket Bible and pocket
map Of Arkansas In passing through Memphis, be
-. ~. .ol a book merchant II a gentleman had
exa.s So -, sra ID seeks