M'arthur Democrat. (McArthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1853-1865, 1856-06-19

n
eight o'clock on the Sunday following, that
on which the deceased and prisoner lelt Mr..
Hammels, a gentleman coming toward
Memphis met the horse proved to have been
Mr. Meniweather's, on the road, about two
thousand yards from the scene Of murder, and
south OF the same, galloping at full speed in
the direction of fernando, and appearing to
have been exceedingly frightened, with diff
fculty the gentleman intercepted and
caught him.
The gentleman finding the animal almost
uncomfortable from fright had some difficult
ty in retaining the rein until a young man
came forward and claimed him.
The young man who claimed the horse was
recognized by the gentleman at the trial as
the prisoner at the bar. He came forward
said the gentleman, claimed the horse, thank.
ed him gracefully for catching him. mounted
and rode hurriedly off in the direction of
fernando. The fact here submitted to the
jury, in reference to the wonderful instincts,
are these
1t will be remembered that the noble an
lmal In question was of extraordinary INTEL
llgence, and singular attached to his master,
whom he was in the habit of following
about whenever he would come TO the pasture
or the farmYard where the horse was.
Some several months after the prisoner had
been committed to Jail under indictment,
William Merriweather, accompanied by a
number Of gentleman, WITNESSES in the case
came up from their homes in Miss. to attend
the trial,
William Meniweather was riding the horse
OF the deceased brother, which had by this
time been recovered in the family. The
journey lay along the fernando road, and
by the spot where the body had been found.
About two hundred yards before the party
reached the scene OF the murder the horse
upon which William Merriweather was
mounted began to exhibit symptoms of alarm
and his intractable conduct much surprised
his rider and the gentleme who were with
him.
There was no apparent cause of alarm and
the several other horses of the party betrayed
none. His agitation increasedas the party
approached the fatal spot; and when they
reached point in the road opposite to it,the
excitement Of the horse rose to so furious a
pitch that he became almost unmanagea-
Bile.
The whole party now checked their horses,
and for moment regarded the strange con.
duct Of the horse with profound astonish-
ment.
His flesh quivered his nostrils distend ed,
and his eyes glancing into the woods where
his noble mas Ter had met his horrid fate, he
stood fora moment, snorting and neighing,
a sublime picture Of the widest excite
ment.
One OF the party suggested to Mr.. Merri.
weather to give him the reign that mean
while, had been tightly drawn. This was
done and instantly the noble animal rushed
into the woods, and down TO the identified
tree under which the body had been found,
and commenced paving at its root. After a
moment he trotted out further in tne woods,
and after making semi.circle in his course,
returned to the same spot, and there stood
neighing, trembling and paving until he was
forced away. Similar exhibitions were made
by the horse a number of times a(terward in
passing the spot.
At this startling development in the testi-
mony,a thrill of feelingran through the court
room like an electric shock.
Thus far the proof had traced out the his.
tory Of this mysterious murder with GER
tainty too fearful to be doubted, and had
pointed to the pallid youth who sat in the
prisoners dock as the guilty agent there
of.
Justice tempered even with an unrestrdined
mercy, seemed impatient for the sacrifice,
when the strong arm Of the law interposed
in its might and majesty to shield him. The
avenue improved, or even in doubt would
have left to the tribunal Of justice no other
alternative than to bid him to 90 out again
Tree wanderer upon the earth, with the blood
and guilt thick upon him. But the God
who "marketh the sparrow when he falls, in
His inscrutable providence, had yet in re
serve an eloquent witness against him
whose faithful heart was steel to the wiles
of the corrupter, and whose testimony fell
Upon the astounded ears Of the jury, as
Confirmation strong
proOfof holy writ
No blood had ever been seen on the road
and no appearance Of any struggle there.
|! the killing had been done in the road, the
horse whose rapid flight and wild fright must
have been occasioned instantly by the death
struggle would have known nothing of the
Tree in the wood. The scene was pictured
before the minds of the jury, if typed by
the glorious art of Daguerre, the decoy into
the wood-the robbers demand for gold or
blood the death struggle at the tree--and
the horses instincts were destined to vindi-
cate, as if by a miracle, the unerring certain.
~ ofretributive justice; and thus the venue
was proved-thus the doom Of the prisoner
was sealed, and thus
A pebble in the streamlet
Hath turned the course of many a river,
A dew-drop on the baby plant
Hath warped the giant oak forever.
The verdict Of the jury was, that the pris.
oner was guilty, and sentence Of death was
pronounced against him, which was after
ward commuted to Imprisonment for life in
the State Penitentiary.
In that gloomy catacomb Of human hearts
and hopes, where time is as eternity, and
but sense OF liberty lost. William Patter.
son now expiates his dreadful crime.
-.sRS
HoRRID SIGHT.-Tbe London correspon.
dent of the Toronto GLOBE, gives an episode
Of the war which re have not encountered
elsewhere, According to the latest news
from the Crimet, the Russian officers are
al the Termination of the war