, 1860-06-19
Desperate Attempt at Murder.

lT EolA '&r E5yuou1n tlnd.1 tctIuA, June II.
About two years ago, ayoung man By tho
daughter Of Samuel Paxton, just as she was
comiog out Of church. Represented a pistol to
her head and burst two caps without firing. He
YES tried before the Circuit Court, pronounced
insane and fent 10 the luuatc asylum. Hia
friends. who reside in Virginia, secured bis re-
and the Hon. James Wilson, promising
that they .would keep him in Virginia, and
not allow him to return. But q few weeks,
-hoFeFer, elapsed before be returned. and Tor
tno years pas, has been remaining in the neigh.
boshood with the intention, no doubt, Of taking
the lie Of Miss Paxton and oihers whom be
thought had influenced Uiss p. against him,
with two revolvers, two aing'e barrel pistols
and bowie knife, ho went 70 Samuel Pa1ton's,
about s o'clock in the morning. Meeting Miss
?. returning: with milk pails in her hands, and
seeing she WAS somewhat frightened. be remark.
eli come on will not hurt you," and then
asked il they could live as triends7 Sae replied,
:tley could if he would behave himself. He
i Cd said, ;" can come to sec you." She said
"no, never!" Then -said he, you must de-"
and drew d revolver-she screamed, and h.r
brother who had come near, sprung At him,
when he inu'ediately placed the pistol
at his head and fred, two balls takng
elect in tho young mans head. he
lheQ pufHueu LILIES &-s Ha0 Was running aud
screaming towards brick yard, where her
father was at work, snapped several times at
her as she ran. Mr.. Paxton ran to meet his
daughter, and soon sprung between them, when
David Paxton tired at him several times-ope
ball taking effect just at the outer angle OF the
eye, aud two othefs passing through hts shirt
on the left side, about the region Of the heart.
Samuel Paxton seized the pistol and struck him
over the head some fifteen blows, each of which
inflicted severe wound; meantime, a Young
man had caught him around the waist. Being
faint and exhausted from the severe blows aud
los, of blood, he begged that be might be laid
upon the ground and shot at once. Mr, r.
finding him now completely in his power, Left
him IN charge of others and hasteued to Crav-
fordsyil1e for physician and for officers to ar
r.1t TIE young man.
Drs. Fry and May dressed the wounds Of the
young man who was shot, and found that one
ball had struck the bones of the skull and
passed orer abnut four inches before its exit.
The other merely cut through the scalp about
an Inch in length aud down to the bone.
Dra Morgan and Henderson dressed the pris-
oner's head, and found fifteen cuts and slight
fracture of ihe skull.
All parties are now doing we'll David Pax
ton is now in jail awaiting his trial. Some re-
gard him as mouomaniAc, others III revenge
iu1 and deyilish, determined upon the death of
Miss Paxton, because she could not regard him
as spxrticularly attractive. Hehed made threats
against the lie of Miss P. and her friends, and
atould not have been permitted to remain in the
neighborhood- His friends who secured his re-
lease from the Lunatic Asylum, deserve severe
censure for allowing him to return, when they
bad every reason to know that something very
serious might result.