Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1873-09-30
MissEIiAgEous.
HANGED BY a DREAM.

SO WAS staying for a short time in Medina
81 county, Ohio. when the following occurs
red: A hoy, living in S. Centre with
his parents, was bound OUT for year to a
Mr.. Evans, at Medina. the county seat. His
work was to chop and saw wood and run er-
rands As the boy was perfectly honest and
not afraid of work, he soon Gained ths goods,
will of his employer, who, when the wear was
out, made him present, in addition to his
wages, of fine copy of "Rnhinson Crusoe.' ~
The boy had been kindly treated during his
term, and this. with the addition of the rresS
ent, had gained his employers osteem. The
bny wished to stay another year, but his par>
ents had need of him at home, and SO he re-
turned. R
About three months after he visited his old
employer, Tie remainsd day or two and
during that time s'strucs up an acouar tance
with man who had succeeded him in tho old
merchants service Now, as all boys are So
cial and wish for company, ii is not surprising
that he went with the hired man good deal.
4 night he Was allowed to sleep with ki,n. vet
the man always viewed the boy with dislike.
Mr.. Evans extended him cordial invita>
ton to come again, and once more the boy re.
turned home. Not;a week had passed when
one morning the boy, coming down from his
room pale and embarrassed, asked for horse
to proceed at once to Medina Such a re-
quest was not common, and the parents by
close questioning succeeded in elici,ing the
following story: "When went to bed last
night | soon got to sleep. l don't believe
| slept over an hour when something awoke
ME. lay there thinking AMI thinking and
then turned over to 20 tn sleep. All at once
felt us if sword had been stnek through
me, aud Immediately jumped or rather Aoat~
ed from the bed. I. seemed rather curious,
so cast glance toward the bed aud saw that
somebody was there to all appearances sleep
ing snundly.
The mother then interrupted, saying. sI
guess yon ate too much for supper and had
the ni2htmnrc:'
The hoy made no reply except 10 nroceed
with his story 81 fried to feel the body in
the he'd, but hv snme invisible agency I was
whiried out of the window, mud with terrific
speed was carried toward Molina. tlow it
WIS done know MT; yeti am as sure was
abscnt from this house last night in sririt or
body, as am that am now living Passing
over the fields, noted every house and farm
until Medina was in sight Faster than the
wind | went. until was looking into the
chamber window of Mr.. Evans. He was
sleeping with his wife, calmly and peacefully.
| looked toward the door. Tt crcakcd on its
One of them was the hired man. The others
l know not, yet could recognize them among
thousand One was a half breed and the
other apparently ScOtchman
1.-The hired man opened drawer in the
stand, and took from it the old mans own
razor. He went to the bed, and with it cut
the old mans throat from ear to ear as calmly
as if he was butchering COW. The hot blood
spurted forth; the old man gave but one crosn,
and he was dead. The blood fell npon the
face of his wife It awoke her There in
the moonlight she saw her husbands murderer
his hands dripping with blood Then she
turned toward the murderer She seemed
endowed with the strength of giant
Snstching the razor from tho he'd where i, had
fallen, she sprung like tigress npon the mur-
derer. He shook her off Then, with one
sunerhuman effort, she drove the razor deep
into the breast of the one who stood nearest.
1t was the half~brced. The other two seemed
transhxed with horror hut the Scothman.
recovering himself seized hotchet which he
had bought and literally hacked Mrs Evans
into pieces Their devilsh work heing done.
they rlfied the pockets Of Mr. Evans, and
raising the mattress took from under:it pack
age of bills round which was wrapped a small
piece of writing paper | saw no more. 7
was conducted hack tn s. Centre, and T
awoke from sound sleep 1t was morning"
When the boy began his story the parents
ridiculed him, hut his earnestness and the
knowledge of his integrity had convinced
them that there was "somethine in it !"
So, according to his renea'ed requests he
was allowed 10 go TO Medina Hezarrived at
noon and fnund that Mrs and Mr.. Evans had
been murdered that one of the murderers
had been killed by Mrs. Evans, and that the
police were on the track of the hired man
who had not been since the murder
The boy remounted and started home, and
when the news came that the murderers had
been captured he went up to Medina and
satisfied himself that they were really the
murderers
The trial came OFF Silas Ketchum. the hired
man, pleaded not guilty, and 90 also did his
comrade. The prosecuting attorney had heard
the boys story and began an address in which
he described everything the boy had related
When he came to the part where the Scotch
man killed Mrs. Evans, the prisoner started
up and cried ont:
cob. God Silas we're lost; some one has
seen u.s. (To the judee): will confess
What Mr.. - saws is gospel truth we did
kill them. May God have mercy upon us''
The two were sentenced to death. and
hanged soon after, for Justice was sure and
speedy at that time in Ohio.
| We hear of man who boasted that he
had done for several years withou. advertis-
Ha 10 cd