The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1867-06-20
Thf palladium,
RICHMOND. md. JUNE 20. 1867.
a REnARkABLE MURDER CASE


Prom In. CORE. pondenee Cincinnati Com.
Ev.ssyIGE, IND, June To-
Here il : short account Of the trial Of
John NJ. and Cyrus Carlisle, who were
tried and convicted at the late term OF
Sne Posey Circuit Court, upon change
of venue from Spencer county, for the
murder Of Thomas T. Hampton. =
Tha facts of the case are about these:
The deceased Thomas I. Hampton. was
a Lieutenant in the Seventeenth Ken
lucky Cavalry Sometime in January,
1865, a squad under command Of Ecu
tenant Colonel Campbell, proceeded to
the vicinity of GRANVILLE, Ill. adjoining
Kentucky, in pursuit of squad OF guer-
rillas, who were supposed TO be engaged
in stealing horses in Kentucky and run
ming them into Illinois. This detach
nent of the Seventeenth Kentucky came
up with the guer-illas at the point above
indicated, and killed several Of them,
among whom was Thomas Carlisle, a son
Of John NJ. Carlisle and brother of
Cyrus Carlisle, the defendants. 1t was
denied by the deceased, in his lifetime.
that he had any thing to do with the kill
ing Of Thomas Carlisle. 1t is needless
to add that this affair created a feud be
tween the Carlisles and Hamptons. In
order, however, fully to account for SUBJ
sequent events, it may be stated here
that Thomas Carlisle was a son .in-law of
George Davidson, we'll known desper
ado, who is supposed to have been tire
leading spirit in the abduction and muir
der Of Hampton. d
In March of 1866, old man Carlisle
met William Hampton, brother Of the
deceased, at Slaughtersvillc. Kentucky,
and, after a good deal OF abusive talk,
told him to warn his brother--the de-
eeased-to leave the State of Kentucky,
threatening his life if lie remained. These
threats were promptly communicated to
the deceased, who, in consequence, left
the State, and settled in Indiana, oppo.
site to Owensboro, on the Ohio River.
Here he continued to reside, working at
his trade as a painter, in Greensboro, till
the 25th of July, 1866, when four men.
who proved TO be DIR. Davidson, Walter
Mcdaniel and the two Carlisles father
and son, proceeded in skill from
Greensboro TO the house Of tho deceased
where they arrived at about l04 o'clock
ut night The door was standing open,
and Davidson awoke the deceased, and
informed him that he had warrant for
his arrest from Webster County, Ken
ed, and directed him to get up and go
along. Hampton, who was abed with
his wife, got up and dressed himself. and
asked them who they were. Davidson
told him who he was, and remarked that
he supposed deceased knew him, to
which deceased replied that he did Cy
rus Carlisle then spoke and said My
name is Carlisle you murdered my broth
sr" Deceased answered: Il did not
This was Mrs. Hampton's testimony
on the trial. Mrs. Hampton further stat
ed that they took her husband, and start
cd for the river. She accompanied them
part Of the way, and requested permits
zion to bid her husband good by She
was rather ungraciously permitted to do
80. She kissed him and said "Henry,
/ fear that they will murder you to-
night" He answered. "My child, am
confident they will"
The men then took the deceased to
the river and got into a skiff and rowed
toward the Kentucky shore. In q few
minutes Mrs. Hampton heard five re.
ports of a pistol in the direction of the
skiff She testities she never saw her
husband afterward. Greensboro, oppo-
site which the murder was committed, is.
forty miles above Evansville, Indiana,
On the morning of the 2Sth of July. not
quite three days afterward, a body was
found floating in the Ohio River at the
lower wharf of Evansville. The body
was subsequently identified as that of
Thomas T. Hampton. ~ =
The trial, with incidental delays, last
ed from the Sd to the Sth inst, and was
Of thrilling interest twas proven that
Davidson and the Csrlisles resided some
thirty miles from Owensborc, and that
on the day of the murder they went to
Greensboro, where they were joined in
their nefarious undertaking by McDan-
iel. Davidson and Mcdaniel fled, and
have not been seen since the night of the
murder. The Carlisles remained al home
perhaps feeling secure enough in their
rebel district.
Governor Morton. however, determin-
ed tho matter should not rest here. Peter
wilkins, detective Of Indianapolis, was
employed to .'work up the case. and
well did he discharge his duty. About
the 18th day or August he arrived at
bal <ba bod. - uapc,,