Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1855-03-02


in the town, and who, until the pres
ent time, had borne a character above
reproach.
endeavored TO find out the par
ticulars, but | could ascertain little
upon which 10 depend, for different
people gave different accounts, and
all who knew anything Of the matter
were too much excited to speak calm
ly. The murder had transpired only
about a week before, and consequent
ly the event was fresh in the minds
of the people.
The only facts that came TO me.
upon which | could rely, were that
middle aged man, named Matthew
Hampton, had been murdered and
robbed, and that A0del Adams, the
young blacksmith, had been arrested
for the crime, aud would be tried on
the morrow. Some said that the
murdered mans money, to the a.
mount OF over two thousand dollars,
had been found upon the young
mans person, but others denied this
statement. Ye, all sympa,hized with
the prisoner. lie was beloved 10y all
his townsmen, and but few of them
could believe any thing of the reports
that had crept into circulation.
As was in no particular haste,
resolved 10 remain in NJ until
the trial bad come off; so | went and
erased my name from the stage book
where | had placed it, and then in
formed my host Of my dctermina-
ton.
On the following morning, at an
early hour, the people began to flock
toward the court house, and | saw
that if would secure place, !
must Join the crowd. did so, and
at length found myself within the
building, and, as good fortune would
have it, made a stand near the pris-
oncr's box. Ten O'Clock was the
hour fixed for opening the court, and
before that time, every conceivable
standing place outside the dock was
flied. Stagings were erected out
side under the windows, and these,
too, were crowded.
At the appointed time the
. court came in, aud the prisoner
was conducted to the box. said
prisoner was not more than five and
twenty years of age. lie possessed
one Of the most pleasing countenan-
ccs | ever saw. 1t was one Of those
bold, frank faces, full Of courage and
good naturc-just such an one as is
unhesitalingly taken as the index to
a pure and generous soul. He was
a stout aud athletic man, and carried
the ralm at every wrestling match in
the county.
thought within myself, this man
is no murderer. And yet we know
not TO what extremities a man may
sometimes he driven. Young Adams
was quite pale, and his neither lip
/ quivered as he found the gaze Of the
multitude fixed upon him; but bis
eve was bright and quick, but not de-
fant. yet bold and hopeful in IFS deep
blue light.
The trial commenced. The in
dictment was clear and distinct, set.
ting forth the fact that the prisoner
Abdel Adams did, with malice a
foreihoughl," Kill, &c, on such q
day, one Matthew Ilamplon-in the
first place by striking him on the
head with some very blunt weapon
and in the second place, by stab
bing him in the breast, &c. To ALL
the prisoner plead not guilty From
the first testimony called up, ! learn
ed the following facts;
Near shutdown, one afternoon, a
bout a week previous, Matthew
Hampton stopped at the shop Of The
prisoner to get his horse shod. Thi,
Hampton was wealthy farmer, and
his estate lay on the southwark near
the Tennessee line, and only about
fifteen miles distant from NJ. lie
was known to have had some two
thousand dollars with him at the
tlme-money which he had received
al Columbia for corn. II was nearly
dusk when he started from the pris-
oner's 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 now
present who testified to the fact, and
also that, when The pocket book was
opened, large bunch Of bank notes
was exposed. About an hour after
Hampton left, the prisoner came out
of shop and went TO his stable, and
having saddled his hcctesi horse, he
mounted and started off, at full gal
Top, in the direction which Hampton
had taken.
Next came two witnesses, 'Mr.
Simple and Mr.. Jordan, both OF
!hem respectable citizens Of NJ,
who testified as follows:
They had been TO the edge OF
Tennessee on business, and were re-
turning home. AT about nine o.
clock, on the evening in question,
they came to a point in the road
where a high bluff overlooked the
way and while passing this, they
were startled by seeing something in
the moonlight that looked like man.
They at once dismounted, and found
that what they had seen was the bo-
dy of Matthew Hampton, all gore
covered and bleeding. They had not