American union. [volume] (Morgantown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1855-1859, 1857-05-09
lMIOFGAN7ONN MONONGALIA CO., VA. SATURDAY, MAY 1851
THEORY OF THE MURDER,

/ s.s AhboNA Or IhE MUkDEN. 10 81 4. ~
! From the position of the bodies Of
Wilson and liis sister, the following is
the most plausible theory of the com
initial of the murder. Charlotte Jones
having visited Wilson's house, and be-
coming acquainted with the locality of
everything in it, piloted her friends to
the place, and spoke to the old man to
let her ins lie must have arisen dc.
liberately, put on his pantaloons, which
were found on him, and walking across
the floor, opened the door--when he
was assailed by the men without. He
retreated before the blow to the oppo
site side, when the fatal stroke was
given, and he fell near the door at the
east end, The coverlids and sheet of
his bed we're turned down, as when one
arises in the morning. There. was no
blood on or near it. He evidently did
not make much resistance, more than
to ward off the blows. ho5sig sH -,
/ Mrs. M ministers probablysprang from
her bed to render him assistance. The
bed looked as though she had arisen in
great haste. She was assailed by some
one from behind, who seized a poker
from the hearth and struck her on the
back of the head. Her resistance must
have been desperate. AS she turned
on her assailant from behind, blow
that crushed her temble most probably
was given, while with her left hand she
grasped the blade Of the knife which
had been used in butchering her broth
err 1t is probable that her right hand
was gashed and cut up, while she fought
for his life" The blows were repeated
on the back of her head, after she had
fallen on her face. The gashes on her
breast and arms were produced by the
knife glancing in its stroke, as none of
them seem to have been direct. The
ljugular vein in her neck was severed
deliberately to make doubly sure of her
! death. e 3 'aa' a5' usaJ 'Lbe4ltG srE
| The murderers must have then used
| the poker to pry open Wilson's chest,
which stood at the foot of his bed, and
which was rihed of its contents, The
| fact that the point of the poker was
| bent, could not be accounted forco other
wise; for in knocking her down the
head of it was used--when found the
next morning, that part of it being
4 dabbled in, blood, and lock of her hair
adhering to it. 1t must have Been q
I q terrible conAict-that of despair a.
gainst brute force. From the horrible
manner in which the bodies were mutt
4 lated, the murderers seem to have been
| determined to do their work with dead.
ly certainty. agtw gg8 b,.-too ..,,..,
4 iaa 1.-THE MURDERED. rasara au se
! Y George Wilson was about rs wears
of age. lie lived by making boat pins,
4 for which he, found extensive sale along
4 the river he was a very industrious,
economical and inoffensive man, great
.Fly cnfecbled by age and ill health, his
hair was almost white, "blossoming for
eternity" He was respected by all
his neighbors, as q good neighbor and
useful citizen; and had resided in the
neighborhood for score or two of
4 years, and in the house where he was
murdered, five years. His body pre-
!, sented d horrible spectacle-4dabbled
| in blood, the eyes staring fearfully the
mouth open, and the whole muscular
frame contracted with the last agony.
4 His sister was a ''grass widow" her
J. husband having left her years ago.
She resided with her brother, kept his
house, attended to his personal wants,
and assisted him in various ways to add
to their income! She was 70 years of
age, but in bettcrthealth than George.
Her face was Bruised, and blood issued
from her mouth and nose. The neigh
bors often Insisted that they should
have some one to live With them. But
they refused, as it would only add to
their expenses. Prudentin their man.
agement, they laid by, little, by little,
, till it became known that Wilson had
money loaned out, and considerable by
him. 1t does not yet appear that there
was much in his chest, at the time of
the murder--not more than $200--and
few worthless bills, either counterfeit
or on broken banks. .gss y
4 The bodies were laid out last night,
the beds taken down, and all traces of
the horrible tragedy removed The
funeral services will probably transpire
Sunday, and Will attract a vast con-
course from that section Of The country!
i ~ -------e-ss-+----- +.
/ Rev. G. II. MAIcoM.---The Watch.