Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1870-04-20
. c,ter from Westmoreland 60.

iL)rreEDOHQGnC3 OF LUo ttleAaHhili 'aHS-IE'
WEsrMoRELAND, Va, April lG.-From a
conversation with Alr. VIM. +. Payne, whose
store was recently ro;bcl and burned in the
lower end Of King George couuty, learn that
the parties app7chcndcd for the murder and
robbery were indicted Ivy the grand jury on
Wednesday last. There are eight colored men
under arrest, ,wo of them 81. Payne thinks
arc. perhaps, innocent. OHiy GaG-;t colOrad
| man named William was indicted fnr murder
! in the first degree. The details of the shock
| ing crime as confessed by the blacks. or the
murder o! their D,or Innocent young victim
were given in tulI in the confession they made.
Il seems that .he plan was Deliberately and
SUBSTANTIALLY laid and plotted beforehand, and
its details arranged, each party being assigned
his share u its execution. The plan as de-
signed and carried out, was Tor them TO assem-
bic at the store aud one of the party to knock
at the door and ask for bottle OF medicine,
under the plea that it was for sick child
When the youth who lost his lie by this afro
cious crime, arose from his bed in answer to
this call, he took from the shelf the medicine,
and opening the door, called to the boy who
had asked for it, AS the boy hesitated, he
said, "Don't you want it? The boy then
pushed the door open, this being the signal
Tor attack, and the others rushed In. The un
Fortunate youth was then pursued out Of the
store door, and as he fled he grasped gun
that stood there, hoping, perhaps, to defend
himself. But ne fed only to meet his doom, Tor
he was NIT by the man Warner, who was sta
toned az picket in the road, and as he turn
ed he was met again by another OF the fends,
the gun soatched from his hands. and he was
stricken down by fearful blow with that
weapon used as club.
They then ransacked the store, 10 expecta
ton o! finding considerable amount OF money,
in which, however, they were disappointed,
as they obtained only about eight dollars. They
then sent of for some women ard man, who
had taken no previous part IN the crime, and
set themselves to work to carry OFT the plumber.
Mr.. Payne thinks from their account of what
they took that only about 5000 worth OF goods
we're carried away of this amount he has re
covered about $l45 worth. After they had
taken out of the store what they wanted, they
went to where lay their victim, and dragged
the mangled body OF the youth back to the
building, and placing it within, fired the place
to destroy this evidence of the murder In
answer 10 question as to whether they thought
Willie Jet was dead when they fired the
house, they said that they thought not, as he
was breathing heavily as they dragged him
into the place.
The man mentioned as accompanying the
woman TO carry away the plumber was invited,
50 the confession goes, to participate 10 the
crime. but declined on the ground that in case
of difficulty his situation would prevent his es-
cane Mr.. Payne informs me that in answer
to question from one of the jurors as to what
they intended doing with him (Nlr. I. in case
they found him sleeping at the store, which
he occasionally did, the c0nfesslng man replied
that in case they found him there, which was
to be ascartalned by the boy who pushed the
door open, the attack was to he abandoned for
the time.
The stolen plumber was iouud 10 the cabins
OF the blacks, and some of it was discovered
hid in hollow tree in the woods The first
clue TO the origin Of the crime was the finding
of cap which Mr.. p. had seen woro by boy
the day before about the store the same boy,
| believe, who has confessed the above details.
These prisoners are now in the Jail of King
George and only two OF them ironed. The Jail
is not very secure and the trial. in case they
elect to be tried by the Circuit Court, which
they will doubtless do. will not take place until
September.
Nlr. Payne usually left the store after dark,
and walked distance of one and halt miles
to his residence, carrying with him the pro-
ceeds of the day 5 sale. That he was not muir
dered himself as he went this lonesome road
alone and unarmed, is provldential.
PIunder seems to have been the sole object |
of this diabolics crime, so carefully planned and
effectually executed The blacks said in reply |
to question as to why they did this, that
they wanted the things 10 the store for their |
USE b.