The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1866-07-19
The Rhett uurder-Arfest and Comics :
sion of the Rcrpetrntor.

From the Charleston Courioi, ouiy i-'I
Horace johnson, alias Greedy, (colored)
made the following confession having
been previously told by the coroner, ~
the presence of the jury, that he could
not give him any inducementor promise
or make any threat to extort q confess
sion, and if he did make confession, 1t
must be of his own free will, Horace
then said:
"On Tuesday morning, Sd inst about
six o'clock, he borrowed a double par
relied shot gun from Alfred johnson,
colored, ami went out hunting for BIRDS;
went to Guy McBridss on Mr.. Horlbecks
farm. and got six roasting-ears OF corn
afterwards went up Rutledge street TO
the avenue that leads to Mr.. Rhetts
farm; met John Bull, alias John BenEett,
colored; Bull wanted to borrow the gun;
said he would give me 5000 for the use
of it; let him have the gun; they then
met on the causeway; John told MIN
(Horace) if he would shoot Mr.. Rhett
he would get 5000; he and John went to
a branch: deponent shot a turtle. dove
and killed it; loaded the gun, put IN q
handful of high blister blue shot; John
and deponent then went to little
branch, where Mr., Rhett was atterward
killed., deponeht laid down on his side,
and said to Joan, let ms goi John said,
hold on q minute; deponent got mp and
leaned against small oak treep at that
moment Mr.. Rhett came along on horse
back; deponent wanted John to CO.; as
the old man, Mr.. Rhett was coming,
John said fire and shoot that man; de-
ponent said, What for2 John took hold
of the gun, AVID while they both had
hold and were struggling for the gun, 1t
went off, discharging both barrels at the
same time, shooting Mr.. Rhett;
after he was shot, Mr.. Rhett cried
out, OH depanent said they had shot
that man who had never done them any
harm, aud that they had no right TO
shoot Mr.. Rh4tt; went home between
five and six o'clock on same evening;
about half an hour after, John Bull alias
Bennett came along, and he and John
cane down to- King street tugetheri ae-
ponent said, John, we have got into a
scrape; John said deponent could make
his escape, and it would be all right; at
the time that lie and John left, Dir. Rhett
was holding the bride Of his horse,
halooing; udepouent says he had been
drinking hard all day, and was drunk at
the time he siiot Mr.. Rhett; never had
any thing against Mr.. Rhett; never had
a quarrel with him. 49,, j.
The Jury then rendered the following
verdict:
That B. S Rhett came to, his death
by gun-shot NouHds inflicted by gun
in the hands ofaHorace Greeley, alias
johnson, colored, at his farm, on the
afternoon of the Sd Of July, 1866, be-
tweer, the hours of five and six o'clock,
and that John Bull, alias John Bennett
colorsd, is accessory to the murder y, !
Tl,a Jury ,aAn adopted the following
~" Hpsolred, ] at the thanks of the Jury
are hereby tt lered to the officers en-
gage i'll bring ug to light the perpetra'
tors III this ,ocious deed--to LIeuten-
ant H. w. Heb,ricks and officers Farrell,
Caldwell and Davis, and to, Sergeant
Nelsnn, of tn, Upper Ward police force,
is due the c,,dit of having by their
indoaiIitable airit and untiring energy
brought about this result. Our thanks
are also due &, Captain s. B. Sigwald,
Chief of Polio, for his prompt action
and special detail of Lieutenant Hen.
bricks to suprrintend the investigation
of the murder, md the arrest of the par
ties Implicated, .-.,.al I,.. e.