Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1867-11-26
J. L. BRADY, Editor Register.
SCoTTsvILLE, ALBEMARLE Co, VA,
November llth, 1867.

November llth, 1867.
About ten months ago, a candle box. filed
with rags, saturated with whiskcy. was placed
against side of Mr.. John S. Moons house
i've miles from this place, and ignited About
o'clock at night the fire was discovered and
extinguished and the unburnt RAGS discov
cred to be fragments of garments missin y
from Mr.. Moons house, in the then past sew
eral months. Whether this effort to burn
the house had any connection with what has
followed, is not known.
Mr.. Moon was not again molested that he
is aware of, until Spring opened, when a
member of his family saw a man standing
motionless few feet in front Of his house,
late at night.
On another occasion two men were seen to
walk back aud forth across the yard.
On another occasion "a negro woman re-
ported she saw black looking man crouched
ut Mr.. Moons front gate, late at night; and
on another occasion, also late at night, a sim
liar looking man was seen crouchcd near the
gate, who afterwards got up and went towards
the house.
During Mr.. Moons absence, attending
Court, about that time, his pnrlor door which
had been carefully shut and locked, (the key
being left in the lock, at night,) was found
open in the morning.
In night or SO afterwards, parlor win
dow which had been fixed with a straw stuck
in a crack of it, was found to have been hoist
ed; the store room door was found open,
(unaccOuntably), several mornings about that
time.
After this Mr.. NJ. fixed his inside and out
side doors and windows in such way Us to
know if they were disturbed, and found they
were repeatedly opened. lie watched on the
inside of his house Tor good many nights
nearly all night, but failed to detect any one
attempting to enter. No one disturbed the
house the nights he watched.
One night, abont six weeks ago, Mr.. NJ.
fastened all the doors and windows carefully.
lie was the first one to get up the next morn
ing, aud found his inside dining room door
had been opencd-a store room door opening
into the dining room had been unlocked and
oPened-a door opening into the kitchen from
the dining room had also been unlocked and
opened, and the sliding kitchen door had
been moved back. \ light had been seen to
fash about the house that night after the
family had all retired. From the store room
four or FIVE pounds of sugar gotten and
weighed the evening before, had been taken.
and the whiskey out Of a demijohD, known
TO have been full the night before, was miss
ing By the sugar was basket of silver ware
which was not disturbed.
The next night, Mr.. Moons son. about II
years old, was sleeping IN his fathers Office,
which is about 100 yards from the house.
On this night an effort was made to hoist the
window, which awakened his SON. lie Jump
ed up, saw a man run ofF-got his cun and
made Intellectual pursuit
The next night, a noise was heard in the
dining room, and a man seen from an upnar
window to run of from the house through The
back passage door, which was found omen.
though carefully closed short time before,
Ihls door had not been locked because of
sickness in the family.
The next night some one was heard to stum-
Bile on an oper shed over the back passage
dooT-a loud crash Immediately followed =
Upon going out, Mr.. Moon found on the
ground, not far from the shed, several ladies'
aud chlldren's garments, taken from the up
per part of the house, and the remains of two
plates taken from the dining room, wrapped
up in them-also Bible taken from the di-
ming room mantle>piece, few feet of. 4
child's bonnet wrapped up in roll of child
ren's clothes was found on top of the shed.
The night was dark, windy and rainy
About midnigbta pane of glass in one OF the
dining room windows was smashed in, and