Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1869-08-11

SUPPOSED MURDER II CRAIG Co., Va
ARREST OF TUE SUSPECTED PARTIES, Daniel
Huffman aud his sons, Mazarene anl Palser,
ave been arrested in Craig county, charged
with the murder of their neighbor, Vim. ".
Wctb who has not been seen or heard OF since
10th November last. The circumstances are
these.
On tho day mentioned Webb Left his house
10 meet Huffman and two nicely dressed young
men from Baltimore" who were to show him
how to counterfeit green5acks The place oil
meeting was in a glade not far distant. Soon
at,cr his departure several shots were heard In
the GLADE, but nothing was thought of it at the
time. That evening Huffman went to Webb's
house, and informed the woman who kept
house that Will (meaning Webb had gone to
Texas or Baltimore, and would not be back tor
three or tour years, and perhaps never that
he had bought the place, and was there to take
possession. Ho said he had paid eight hun
fred dollars Tor it, this is very inadequate
price,, and showed q title deed for the pro-
perty at that price, Huffman has had posses
-ou OF he property ever since.
\ short time since Huffman aud his wife
paid "a visit to the Salt Pond, in Giles county,
proessedly on business. From this circum-
stance some persons who had suspected him
IiaI remains OF man who had evidently been
dead for long time. The remains are sup
posed to be Webb's.
The accused had partial hearing on Mon
day and Tuesday before magistrate at New
Castle. After examining all the witnesses
present for the Commonwealth, the case was
adjourned until Wednesday next in order 10
get witnesses from Giles and Montgomery
counties. The parties were bailed in the sum
ct $4,000.
\ Curious MELON. The wonders pertain
lng To organized structures are not confined TO
ANNALS, but there are many plants whose form,
instincts and capabilities are most curious and
interesting In tract OF country In the south
western part OF Africa, distinguished for Its
lry but rich soil, a gigantic perennial melon
has been discovered, which Is most delicious,
wholesome fruit and which is largely consum
"A by the active inhabitants as food ln order
that this melon may flourish it Is necessary
that it should strike its roots down through
the sand thirty feet to reach permanent mos
ture. This it does, and grows in great luxur
lance where all else Is shrvclled and parched
by heat. But this is not all. If it were simply
a huge melon, with smooth and delicate skln
every one would be destroyed by wild beasts
before half matured To prevent this, nature
has armed its outer rud with covering OF
long, sharp, terrible thornS, which SO lacerate
the mouths and noses OF animals that they ore
glad to leave them alone in all their tempting
freshness. Man, with his hands and sharp
knives, finds little difficulty in opening the
luscious fruit The natives have no necessity
tor putting fences about their melon patches,
Tor the plants are self protective,
UApT. JOHN W. RUSSELL died in Frank
in county, Ky, last week aged -. He was IA
nous among Western pioneers fOr his strength
and ntrepidity. He served in the war OF 1912,
was a member of the State Senate, and an IN
timate personal and partisan friend OF Hen
~ Clay. He was for many years Mississippi
steamboat captain The incidents of his force
OF will and power OF command would h a vol
ume On one occasion, in New Orleans, he
had a personal rencounter with the pirate La
htte, and, unarmed, whipped him and elected
hun from n ballroom. On another, while
landing at NateheZ, n passenger OF his boat was
robbed by the gang which then infested the
portion OF the town bordering on the rlver,
and known as "Natchez under the Hill. BY
surrounding with his crew the house in which
the robbers took refuge, he passed cable
around it, and under. threats of pulling 1t, with
ITS inmates, 10 the river, he compelled restitu-
lion OF the money, and made himself terror
10 the thieves and gamblers who then infested
the river towns. OF his great strength, per
sons who knew him only in his later years,
when enfeebcd by age, would have had but
little conception.