, 1860-11-02

N Law y" nm ouV Hlo " Us were OTlgnt
and quick, but not defiant, yet bold and
hopeful in its deep blue light.
The trial commenced. The complaint
was clear and distinct, setting forth the
fact that the prisoner, Abel Adams, "did,
with malice aforethought, kill, +" etc., on such
day, one Mathew Hampton-in the first
place by striking him on the head with
some heavy blunt weapon-and in the sec
ond place by stabbing him in the breast,
etc. To all this the prisoner pleaded not
guilty" From the first testimony called
up, | learned the following facts:
Near sun-down one afternoon, about
week previous, Mathew Hampton stopped
at the shop of the prisoner to get his horse
shod. Hampton was a wealthy farmer,
and his estate lay to the southward, near
Tennessee line, and only about fifteen miles
distant from M. He was known to
have had some $4,000 with him at that
time-money which he had received at Co.
lumbia for corn. 1t was nearly dusk when
he started from the prisoners shop. He
took out his pocket-book to pay for the job
of ShoeiDg his horse. This he did within
the shop, and two persons were present
who testified to the fact, and also that,
when the pocket-book was opened, large
bunch of bank-Rotes were exposed. About
an hour after Hampton left, the prisoner
came out of bis shop and went to his stable,
and having saddled the Aeetest horse, be
mounted and started off at full galIop, in
the direction which Hampton had taken.
Next came two witnesses, "Mr Simple
and Mr.. Jordan" both Of them respectable
citizens Of M, who testified as follows:
They had been in the edge of Tennessee
on business, and were returning home At
about 9 o'clock, on the evening in question,
they came TO the point in the road where
high bluff Eerlooked the way; and while
passing this, they were startled by seeing
something in the moonlight which looked
like man. They at once dismounted and
found that what they had seen was the
body of>Matthew Hampton, all gore-cover-
ed and bleeding. They had not been there
more than minute, when they were Joined
by a third man who said be saw the muir
der committed, aud that the murderer fed
toward NJ.
Simple and Jordon both recognized this
new conner as one Henry Bigler, and though
his character was by no means of the most
exemplary kind, yet that was no time for
discussion. The body of Hampton was
still warm, so that the murderer could not
have been gone long. Bigler had no horse,
so Simple agreed to remain by the body
while Jordan and Bigler went in pursuit of
the murderer They put their horses to-
the top of their speed, and in half an hour
they overlook the prisoner, whom Bigler at
once pointed out as the man. Jordan
hailed the young blacksmith, and found
him nervous and excited He then asked
him if be had seen Matthew Hampton,
and Adams replied in the affirmative, but
he spoke in a very strange manner. After
some expostulation, the prisoner accom-
panied Jordan to M, and there he was
placed in the hands of the sheriff and up
on examining his person, Hampton's pock-
et.book, containing $4,000, was found upon
him, ,>qud his hands we're also covered with
blood.
At this juncture the excitement in the
little court room was intense. The crowd
ed mass swayed to and fro like wind-Swept
grain-murmurs broke the sanctity of the
place-murmurs loud and deep; and it was
few minutes before anything like order
was restored
AT length Henry Bigler was called upon
the stand. He was known by most of the
people of NJ, aud though nothing pos
tive was known against him OF criminal
nature, yet he was known to be q reckless,
wandering fellow, sometimes trading in
slaves, and sometimes trading in horses,
and sometimes driving fat boat down the
Mississippi. He stepped upon the witness
block with complaisant bow, and he gave
in bis testimony clearly and distinctly.
He said he was coming down the road
towards M on foot, aud when near the
bluff be heard a struggle, accompanied by
loud groaus and entreaties He arrived in
season to see the prisoner leap into his sad
die and of. The moon was shining at the
time, so be could not have been mistaken.
As soon as be found Hampton was dead,
as he supposed, be started to go after help.
The murdered mans horse fed towards
home so he could gain no assistancein that