The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-07-19

XII KjllX MURDERERS HANGED.
RAcita. Of the Hest Bloody and
Revolving AssassinatiOns
on Record.
MASSACRE OF TIE WESTON FAMILY.
BarbarOus Killing Of Elias Weston and
Three Children. ..m,
ans wIHE. HORRIBLY MUTILATED.
a Smiling Infants Throat Cut by
One of tho Condemned.
The House and the Dead Burned
by the Murderers.
POLLY WEsTON's ESCAPE
Arrest, Trial, Conviction and Confess
80 sion Of the Culprlts. =
ARREST OF ACCOrGPLICEs.
50 ~ --.-s r: ~ q ~
Execution OF the Two RingIeaders
POLLY WEsTON''s ESCAPE
Arrest, Trial, Conviction and Confess
~ sion Of the Culprits. =
ARREST OF AccoMPLroEs.
Execution Of the Two Ringleaders
Oh Friday Last. --:@,
HENprRsoNvILLE, n. c.. July 10. 1s7;

49,, -
e HENDrRsONvILLE, N. c., July 10, 1879.
-Nhe brothers, Columbus Adair and Govan Adair,
Expiated the crime Of murder by suffering the ex-
treme penalty Of the law on the galows, in the
town OF Hendersonvile Henderson county, n. O.,
pm Friday, the 10th day OF July 1872. This town,
the readers Of the HERALD may be Interested to
know, Is situated in the western part OF the State,
about two hundred and forty miles from Raleigh In
Enc midst OF thrifty aud intelligent population.
The murder OF the Weston family, for which the
kdatrs were executed did not, however, take place
Ia Henders0nvile or In Henderson county, but in
Tho adjoining county OF Rutherford, some eighteen
miles from Rutherfordton. 1t was committed on
the night of the Goth Of April 1871.
THE WESTON FAMILY
consisted OF Silas Weston, his wife Polly their three
thildron-David, Theodosla and an infant-and Will
liam Herbert Steadman, alas Lee, son OF Polly
Weston by another man. These were all killed ex-
tept Polly Weston and her infant. Silas Weston
kas mulatto, but an honest and industrious man.
He was about forty years Of age. His two children
David and Theodosia, were respectively about
blight and six years OF age, and the boy William was
bome ton or twelve years old. Silas and his
family were comparatively poor; but they were at
peace with all the world, and lived happily to-
pether till the terrible night that brought such
overwhelming ruin upon them The arrest OF Mar
tin Baynard and the two Aduirs-Columbus and
novan-was made by officer Hanes and his
posse at the house of Henderson Adar, father OF
Columbus and Govan, on the morning after the
murder-the 27th Of April, 1871. Polly Weston had
made affidavit the night before charging the above
named parties with the crime On hearing this
anndavit Henderson Adair exclaimed
''aREAT GOD Is SHE NOT DEAps
Did ever hear the like ?" This involuntary ex-
preston OF surprise will be understood BY the
reader when he IS informed that, after Silas and
bis children had been killed and Polly Weston her
self left for dead, the house was set on tiro and
burned 10 ashes The guilty parties thought all
freces OF their bloody work had been obiterated
Forever SO, when Polly appeared TO confront them
With their guit-to tell the Court and the jury who
had slaughtered her whole famiy-they felt as IL
one had been sent from the dead to condemn them.
And who by the way, does not recognize In this
miraculous escape Of Polly Weston the interpo.
Gtion Of the God who rules over anP
TIE TRIAL
soon followed the arrests. Indictments were
lOund against Baynard and the two Adalrs, in
Rutherford county, for the murder Of william Her
bert Stoadman, atlas Lee. They were arreigncd
and pleaded ''not guilty" But fearing they could
not stem the current OF public opinion In Ruther-
ford. they procured removal OF their cause to the
county Of Henderson. At the fall term of 1871 of
che Superior Court OF the last-named county they
were put on trial-all at the same time-before a
Jury OF their own choosing. Judge Cloud presided;
Colonel David Coleman, Of Asheville. N. c., and
~. H. Justice, Of Rutherfordton n. c., prosecuted
with much energy and great ability. The defence
was ably conducted by Marcus Erwin, OF Ashevllle,
,and J. H. Carson Of Ruthcrfordton. Many witnesses
were OK amined on both sides
y THE PRINCIPAL WITNESS
Tor the State was the wife, Polly Weston She tes-
titled that she was the wife OF Sas Weston that
phe had four children-william II. Steadman o,fns
Loci David Weston, Theodosia Weston and an in
fantj that she lived with her husband and these
children In Rutherford county, North Carolina:
that on the night Of tho 2eth OF April,
1871 about one O'Clock. she and three children had
stsen from the supper table, leaving silas Weston
at the table feeding the baby. At this instance the
growl OF dog IN the yard attracted her attention
Wnereupon she went to crack In the end OF the
Y0 ,sg IN which they lived TO see what had dis
tur'e' the dog s ON putting her face to the crack
the powder burning her eye and staggering back.
ehe exclaimed "slas, I'm killed; God have mercy
w me " Inc uoor was then burst open and Govan
Ndalr entered the house and immediately fired ON
per husband while he was seated at the
ths other end 81 the house. re Goean daiD
and Martin Baynard then seized her husband.
qragEcd nun down and cut his throat, While Goyan
rushed into the house aud
SHOT DAVID, THEODOSIA AND WILLIAM
the two first named children were Killed I'm. |
SANITY William breathed few times with gnr. |
Cling sound, and excaimlng, "They have Killed
me-" Immediately expired. While this terrible !
york OF death was going on witness attempted to !
Set under the bed Govan and Baynard dragged
Per ont and G0van tried to shoot her, but his pis
tol did not Are. He and Baynard then gave np nr
eeven severe wounds with knives, leaving her as
they supposed, dead.
THEIR THIRST FOR BLOOD
Not being yet satisfied they attempted 10 kill the
infant. Baynard cut its throat. while Ii held its
bands towards him with q smile on its lips. A
burning pine knot was then thrown on the bed
Witness dress and the bedclothing were so con
nected that the fire could reach her, and they fed
from the house; witness remained on the floor
until the flames began TO burn her hair when, find
ing her infant st alive, she took IL and placed II
outside the house, and returned and dragged out
tine remains or Theodosia, which she left Just out
side the burning house, being unable, on account
OF her wounds, TO carry them further. She then
nurriedy elt OF the hands OF her husband and OF all
ner children TO see whether they were dead and
tnding life extinct, ''she babe them all good-byr--
her own words. She thereupon made her escape
carrying her INFANT In her arms. TO the house OF
Mrs. Williams, about mile from the scene of the
murder. On reaching the house, saturated with |
blood and nearly exhausted, she cried out oIhc
Bucks, IA nickname Tor O'Deen. n corrnpiion ~,
have come and killed us ALL send for Mrs. !
Morgan want to tell her all about II and who did
II belorc die" The next morning, as appeared in
TIE HOUSE WAS FOUND IN ASHES,
and the remains OF three human bodies correspond
Ing In size TO Silas Weston and the children were
found u tho eifo OF the hurn1l hOuse. mud tho