Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1856-03-05
Conviction OF Murderer ON the Testimony
~ . OF Horae.

/ The following remarkable narrative is literal,
true in every particular the trial, evidence, con-
victien and sentence being matter of legal recore
in the Tennessee courts:
William Peterson was tried at Raleigh, Shelby
county, Tennessee, for the murder Of Thoma.
Merriweather, young planter of Mississippi
The incidents developed upon the trial were of the
most romantic nature and the evidence, although
circumstantia, made out clear case of one of The
most revolving murders TO be found in the chrun.
cles of guilt. There was one point in the case,
about which alone there could be said to be doubt
aud this point was metby the evidence afforded
by the horse Of Mr.. NJ, In order TO understand
this, we must state that BY the law of Tennessee
the criminal court of Memphis has criminal juris
dc,on of all crimes committed 10 the 5th, 18th,
l4th civil districts Of said county. The prisunf
was indicted in the circuit COURT at Raleigh. and
the murder was alleged 10 have been committed
in the 18th district The dividing line between
the 18th and 9Th districts, was the road leading
from Memphis to fernando. If the crime was
committed in the 9th civil district, the court Of
Raleigh had no jurisdiction and The prisoner would
have to be acquitted. Abe deceased was found
some forty or fifty steps a.m the fernando road.
The witness stated that ss;e boy, as he thought,
had been dragged there from The road, hence the
doubt whether the murder took place in the 18th
or 18th civil district. At this critical point,
the counsel for the prosecution bethought them OF
certain marvellous and novel conduct of the muir
dered mans horse,which had come to their know
1, ledge in conversation with the witnesses. Tes-
tmony as 10 these facts was pruposed 10 be sub
mitted on behalf of the State, but was sloutlyJup
posed by The prisoners counsel. -, ,,...l. =
The Judge overruled the objections, and ad-
mited the testimony. 1t had been proved in the
course of the trial that about 8 O'Clock on the
Sunday following that on which the deceased and
the prisoner left Mr.. Hamme's, a gentleman
coming toward Memphis met the horse proven 10
have been MIR. Merriweather's, ON the road about
Two thousand yards from the scene of the murder,
and south of the same, galloping at full speed in
the direction of Hernando, and appearing to be
Exceedingly frightened with difficulty the gentle
man intercepted and caught him. The gentleman
| finding the animal almost uncomfortable from
fright, had some difficulty in retaining the rein
until young man came furward and claimed him.
The young man who claimed The horse was re-
cognized by the gentleman at the trial, as the
prisoner at the bar He came forward, said the
gentleman, claimed the horse, thanked him grace
fully for catching him mounted and rode hurriedly
off in the direction of fernando. The facts here
|
| full instincts, are these: 1t will be remembered
that the noble animal in question was of extraor-
dinary intelligence, and singularly attached 10 his
master, whom he was in the habit Of fullowing
about whenever he came TO the pasture or the
farm yard where the horse was. Some several
months after the prisoner had been committed TO jail
under Indictment William iderriweather, accom-
panied BY a number Of genilemen.w witnesses III the
case. came up from their homes in Mississippi to
attend the trial. William Meriweather was
riding the horse of his deceased brother, which
had by this time been recovered into the family.
The journey lay along the fernando road, and by
the spo, where the body had been found. About
one or two hundred yards before the party reached
the scene of the murder, the horse upon which
Mr.. Wm Merrweaiher was mounted, to began,
exhibit symptoms of alarm, and his intractable
conduct much surprised his rider and the gentle
men who were with him. There was no apparent
cause of alarm, and the several other horses Of the
party betrayed none. Ills agitation increased as
the party approached the spot; and when they
reached point in the road Opposite to it, the ex-
citment of the horse ruse 10 80 furious pitch that
he became almost uumanagable. Tive whole party
checked their horses. and for moment regarded
the strange conduct Of the horse with profound as
tonishment. His flesh quivering. his nostrils dis.
tended, his eyes gancing into the wood where
his master had net his horrible fate-he stood for
moment, snorting and neighng-a sublime pic
ture of the widest excitement. One Of the party
suggested to Mr.. Merrweather to give him the
rein, which. meanwhile, had been tightly drawn.
This was done. and instantly the noble animal
rushed into the wood, and down to the identical
tree under which the body haG been found, and
commenced paving at its root. After moment
| he trutted out further into the wood. and alter
making a semi.circls in his course, returned to
tue same spot and there stood ,neighlng. trembling,
and paving until he was forced away. Similar
exhibitions were made by the horse several times
afterwards in passing the spot. At This startling
development in the testimony, thrill of feeling
ran through the court room like an electric shock.
Thus far the proof had traced out the history 0f
this mysterious murder with certainty too tear
ful 10 be doubted -and had pointed To the pallld
youth who sat in the prisoners dock as the guily
agent thereof. Justice seemed impatient Tor the
sacrifice. when the strong arm OF the law nterpos'
ed Il, shield him. The venue nnproven or even
in doubt would have lett to the tribunal of justice
no other alternative but to acquit The prisoner
But Providence had yet in reserve an eloquent
witness against him-whOse iaithiul heart was
steel TO the wiles Of the curruper.
| !. No OlUOu tlnu ever Uteli oVCH WI" wy '"NN ""N
no appearance Of struggle there. IL me Killing
had been done in the road, the horse, whose rapid
fight and wild fright must have been orcasloned
instantly by the death struggle, would have known
nothing of the tree in the woud. he wh"le scene
was yividly pictured befure the minds OF the jury
las if typed by the art OF Daguerre; the decoy
into the wood the robbers demand nor gold or
blood--ihe death struggle at the 'ree-and the
instincts ofthe atfcctiouae horse were destined 10
yindicate as if by miracle, The unerring certainty
of retributive justice. ,eaa.ss
The verdict of the jury was that the prisoner
was guilty. and sentence of death was pronounced
AGAINST him, which was afterwards committed TO
imprs,nment for life in the State Pententary
and WIN. Peterson is at this day an inhaSilant OF
that gloomy receptacle OF crime. .irtfiee
FuSrR.I EULoGY as deIicered in the Florida
House of Representative -rerbatim. m.-MR. SPEAK
rn-Si-. Our ieller citizen Mister Silas Higgins,
who was lately member nt this Legislature, is
dead. and he died yesterday in The forenoon. He
had The broncreturs, and was an uncommon ndi
! yidual. His character was good up TO the time of
his death and he never lost his yoice. He was
flty. six yea;s cid agd was taken sick before he
died a his harding house where board can be had
at one seventy FIVE week, washing and lights
included. He was an ingenus creatur, and in the
early mart of his lite had father and mother
He was an officer in oul State militia since the
last war: and was brave and polite, and his uncle,
Timothy Higgins, belonged to the Revolutionary
War and was commi oned as leftenant by Gen.
WASH gtou, first President and Commander in
Chief ofihe Army and Navy the United States.
who dad at Mount Vernon, deeply lamentej by a
large circle of friends, on the 18th of December,
100 or thereabout and was buried after his death,
with military honors, and several guns was bust
SirSMster SEeaker-Sir: General wishing
ton presided over the great Continental Sandhed-
rum and political meeting that formed our Consli-
indoad q rroat and oond man