The Lincoln County herald., 1870-12-08
A Case Of Clrcunstan'iaI Evidence.
From the Louisville Courier Journal.1

tuo hVuiS'uo
In 1917 DR.. John =. Sanderson was
murderel in that part Of Barren county
which is now Metcalfe county, KY, and
John y. Hamilton, q wealthy citizen
residing in the ncighborhood where the
body Of the murdered man was found, was
arrested, tried and convicted for the mur.
der. The evidence against Hamilton was
wholly circumstantial, and so remarkable
IN its character as to produce not only ia
the minds Of the jury, but Of the whole
population in that section, q clear convic
tion Of the accused. 1t appeared upon
the trial that Hamilton was q trader,
driving stock, and occasionally carrying
slaves to Mississippi to sell.
The family was aristocratic, one of the
sisters having married General Carroll. Of
Tennessee, and the other Colonel Auder-
son, of that same State, aud there existed;
as was alleged, strong feelings Of envy
against the family. Il appeared from the
evidence that Hamilton had just returned
from a successful trip to Mississippi, in
company with DR.. Sanderson, who was a
wealthy planter, residing near Natchez
lie came to Kentucky for the purpose Of
purchasing slaves to work on his planta.
ton, and brought with him a large
amount Of money, Of which fact Haml.
ton was opprise1. They came through a
wild and sparsely settled portion of tho
Indian Territory, aud DR.. Sundorson was
very sick during the greater part Of the
journey. On their arrival in Barren
county they went to the residence Of
Hamilton's father, where DR.. Sandcrson
remained for several weeks, and until be
recovered his health.
1t was shown that after his health was
restored the two loft the house in com
psny. Hamilton, who acted, as was said
as guide, to neighboriug county, where
sale Of negroes was to take place at
public auction, which Sandcrson wanted
to attend. The two were seen together
at various points on the road. A short
time afterwards Hamilton re,u ned alone,
and the night following the horse San.
derson rode came up riderless to the
house Of Hamilton's father. Sanderson
was never again seen alive. Several
days elapsed, and suspicious were aroused
that he had been foully dealt with. "he
neighborhood en- masse made search for
his body. 1t was found on the road in
the direction to the point where the
negro sale was to have taken place, Gov
cred with brush and briars. His hat was
discovered in hollow stump, and under
log near by was found brass horse
pistol with the hammer oxen. In the
head of the murdered man was found a
number of shot, and piece Of the ham.
mer Of the pistol, which fitted exacSy.
Under the lining Of the hat there was
list Of thirty three sl0O Mississippi bills,
the number thereof and to whom paya,
bic.
When Hamilton was arrested the bills
corresponding with the list were found in
his possession. 1t was shown that he
had borrowed the pistol from Colonel
CORN, of Glasgow. Barren county, an6
that the shot in the head Of DR.. Sander
son corresponded in size with the shot
purchased few days previous by Hamil
ton in Glasgow. 1t was also proved on
trial that Hamilton's sherry. .vallies. or
Overhauls, were concealed in his fathers
barn, and there was blood upon them
They were fully identified by his sister.
This was the evidence introduced by the
State
Hamilton alleged in bis defense that
he and Sanderson were and had been for
years intimate friends that they had
Travelled together through a wild country,
and that, if he had had sinister designs,
nothing more than q little neglect Of
Sanderson during his sickness would have
insured his death, and that he could have
thus secured the money. He said that
Mississippi money was at discount in
Kentucky, and Kentucky money at a
discount in Mississippi; that he (Hamil.
ton) was about to roturn to Mississippi,
where he could use tho money Of that
State, while DR.. Sanderson wanted the
Kentucky money to buy negroes and
that, for mutual accommodation and
profit, they made an exchange of the
money. And he further proved that.hc
borrowed 81 1000 Of the bank in Glasgow
to make up the sum required for the
exchange. As to the pistol he said be
borrowed it form Colonel CORN to lend to
DR.. Sanderson, who wanted it for his
personal protection, and THAT in parting
with him at the fork of the road hc had
given it to him. He alleges that his
negro servant had stolen bis sherry.
vallies, gone to dance, where he got
into q fight, and concealed them in the
barn, until ho (the negro) could have an
opportunity to clean the blood from
them. His Statement were not corrobo
rated, and he was convicted and hung.
The celebrated John Rowan was his
chief counsel, aud defended the unfortu.
nate man with his accustomed ability,
but tho evidence was so strong that he
presented hopeless cause. Indeed,
Rowan subsequently, declared that with
one exception he never had case pos
sessing SO few points for . successful
defense. Solomon p. Sharpe, whose
tragic fate a few years later sent thrill
Of horror throughout the State, secuted
Hamilton, aud being thoroughly con.