M'arthur Democrat. (McArthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1853-1865, 1856-04-10
LOCAL DEPARTMENT.


LOCAL DEPARTMENT.
Bentenced to Imprisonment for Life.
JOSIAH RHODES, convicted of the murder
Of hls brother, WILLIAM RHoDEs, was SEN
fenced on Friday morning last to be con-
hBed iu-tho Penitentinry during life. lie
will be taken to Columbus ON Monday next.
It would crafty us If we could present to
the res aders Of the Democrat the evidence
upon which the prisoner was convicted. 1t
was wholly circumstantial; not soul on
earth except probably the criminal knowing
the exact manner in which the murder was
perpetrated; and yet the facts as developed
BY the evidence rendered it reasonably GER
tain that no one else except the prisoner
sould have done the deed.
It seems that on the evening on which
the murder was committed, the father Of the
brothers was absent from home; that the
three made up the entire family, and lived
near one mile from Hamden, ,andthat JOSIAH,
the prisoner, had charge of the farm and had
agreed to provide for and support his idiot
brother during life.
On the evening in question, about o.
clock, the citizens Of Hamden were startled
by the cry Of murder. 1t was soon ascer-
tanned that the cries proceeded from JOSIAH
RHODES, who reported that three men enter
ed the house after h and his brother had
retired to bed; that he Immediately seized a
bag OF gold, containing $24O, and tried to
effect his escape; that one of the robbers
arrested him and in q scufile which ensued,
he (Rhodes) was thrown upon the hearth
with one hand in the fire; that he recovered
his footing, when second robber struck at
him twice with bowie knife; that he par
'Yied the blows with his leh arm, knocked
down the robber with his gold and effected
his escape frOmthe premises. When asked
where his gold was he replied, IL hid it!n
He said they had killed his brother and al
most killed him, using something like club
or maui upon his brother
When the witnesses proceeded to the
house, they found the dead body Of William
in areclining position against the wall. The
skull was broken in on the side and back of
the head. From the nature Of tie wounds
and certain marks on a maui which was
found near the door, it was plain that that
instrument had been used to infict the inju-
TiCs. They also found a cut on the forehead,
about the eyebrows, and the back Of the
body and shirt much burnt. Whatremained
Of the latter was wet. 1t was reasonable
to say, from its appearance, that the body
had been on the fire and that water had been
poured on it. With the exception Of the
shirt the body was naked. BLOODY tracks
were found leading up the stairs to JosIAH's
trunk which was open and some Of the ar
ticles in it marked with blood Another truRk
lathe same reom. .was uRdistuFbed. Upon q
close scrutiny of Josiah's boots, blood was
found on the sole Of one, and. -sprinkles~ on
rtheleg- -OfeRs, or perhaps on both. Bleed
yNas- also -discoreEsaupon his pants and coat.
A .paTtof- -hissbiFtswith- blood on itwasfeaad
alaug -road, between the. house and the
plaCs-whsre- -JOsiah-wasfrstmet-b witness
ssv The beds in which Josiah and William
slept did not appear to be tumbled much
The drawers in the bureau adbeen opened
but nothing was disturbed therein. Ne-ffesh
ftrneks-bnt- those which eouldsbe-accounted
sfrrweFe-fesRd- -abOut.tha- premises. There
fwasno mud or tracks of mud in, the house,
Swhich was vel y suspicious circumstance
.rss the roads were at that time quite muddy.
These are some Of the faetsJaS ncur as-euE
memory serves which-weFe- -elieited- -du.
,riBgthetrial. The inconsistency of JOSH
.ah's story was conclusively demonstrated y
There were other facts tending toimplcate
the prisoneEwhich Re.do not now remen.
ber. On the whole, atrain of circumstan.
.ces was established, which fixed, without q
reasonable doubt, The hornd and unnatural
crimeupon Josiah; and.we apPrehend thai
the only difficulty which hthe jury experienced
in rendering their verdict was in.settlibg the
degree of guilt. In all probability they
erred, if they erred ot all, on the side of mer.
cy, chosing rather to believe that quarrel
between the brothers had led to the fata
deed, than to suppose the prisoner could
have been so bereft Of humanity as to per-
petrate it in accordance with pre-conceived
plan.
Town Officers.
The following arethe officers Of the towr
II At. r..