The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1874-08-06
MURDERED FOR HIS MONEY!
STORY FROM NORTH CAROLINA.

N MOhUEAID run AAAo -uO-NA@ -
STORY FROM NORTH CAROLINA.
will premise by saying that there is
a daily line of stage coaches from Old
Fort to Asheville, on which feel full as
safe as on any street car in New York or
in any other city.
About the 9th of this month strang- |
er from Ottoway, Kansas, by the name
of Sternburgh, left Old Fort, in Mellow
ell county, to come to Ashyille twenty |
four miles.) Why he did not come in |
the stage-coach | am not positively in
formed, but the supposition is that he
wanted to travel more slowly, so. as to |
examine the country and the minerals
more minutely as he Travelled along. He
(Sternburgh) chanced to meet q young
man named Cunningham in Old Fort,
from Henderson county, N,GntY with Q
wagon and team, and he contracted with
said Cunningham to convey his baggage
10 Ashevilleg while he could walk or ride
in the wagon at pleasures and from here
he intended to go to Franklin, in Macon
county and probably still further West,
to prospect for mica and other valuable
minerals, and probably to invest largely
in mineral lands. On the first night
after leaving Old Fort the two camped
out near the road side at point known
as the North Fork of the Swmnannoa
river, eleven miles westward from Old
Fort and thirteen miles eastward from
Asheville, and in this (Buncombe)
I county. The two were seen there after
night bv their campfire, under a large
beech tree, and he (Sternburghl was
never seen afterward alive, except by his
murderer or murderers. Cunningham
went on to his home as though nothing
unusual had happened; some days
passed, rnd nothing further was known.
land perhaps nothing thought Of Stern
burgh until early one morning, about the
| 10Th inst. man living near the North
| Fork of the SwannannOa, while out
| hunting, found the body of a man lying
in or very near the river, who seemed to
have been dead for some days and to
have been foully dealt with.Y YThe hunts
/ man fastened to send to Ashyille for the
| Coroner. and that officer made haste to
| perform his duty in the emergency.
The examination hy the Jury olicited
some of the facts as before stated, and
an officer was sent at once to Henderson
county to arrest the lad Cunningham,
who is not twenty-one years OF age, and
on his person and in his possession was
found watch, pocket-knite, and other
articles which were identified as the
property of said StcrnbuTgh, and he was
at once committed to Jail in this town to
await his trial by law There is no evil
dence thus far that any one else except
himself knew anything about the stolen
property in his possession, or about the
murder until after the dead body had
been found. The Jail here seems to be
strong, and the Sheriff is not such man
as | think can be bought. So it seems
probable that the prisoner will be safely
kept.
THE MURDERED MAN RECOGNIZED.
On Saturday, 18th inst, Mr.. j. A. Gas
ton, gentleman from Chanute, Kansas
arrived here, and on being told OF the
murder he expressed his strong belief
that the man murdered was his friend
Mr.. Sternburgh, with whom he had been
travelling in the eastern part of this
State, and consequently on Sunday, the
18th, the Sheriff, the Coroner DIR. Hill
lard, and number of other gentlemen
in company with Mr.. CASTOR and thi'
correspondent, went out to the place o.
the murder, and the body was eXhumed
., Before leaving Asheville Mr.. Castor
gave description of Mr.. Sternburgh
his size, age and kind of apparel he wor'
on or about the 9th inst, and ON exam
!, nation of the body the description pre-
: viously given by Mr.. CASTOR was ioun'
o to be correct and true, even to PAIR o
\ ladys riding gloves which Mr. Stern
I burgh had found, and which were toun'
: with young Cunningham.
: The body of the murdered man wa
v again decently buried under the SAM
beech tree where he had slept on tn
: night of the murder. Mr.. Sternburgh
s said to have been man of large means
but probably had not over six hundre
dollars on his person at the time he wa
murdered. He was about tifty-seve
wears of age, and was never married
j. The late publications in the public print
about this country had brought hi
Ie hither. He had sister in Leavenwortl
ar Kansas, and nephew or other relative
il. in the city of New York, some of whol
,e will probably assist in the prosecution
10 the murderer
r; THE SUSPECTED MURDERER.
4 The young man Cunningham, who
ID believed to be the murderer, is of exec
n lent parentage, and his relations stan
es among the foremost residents of tn
ie section. Very learned and able couns
OF have been employed for his detenc
IL. 1t was strange freak in the young ma
. that he should have gained his own COZ
or sent to commit such crime, as he hi
er been well raised The general EXPIRE
a. sion among the people here is that iu
lie tice must be done, and if the young ms
be guilty, as is now believed, we thir
if that hanging will be his doom. SUI
On occurrences are terrible anywhere, b
n this one occurrence has not lessened n
lie high estimate of the morals of the pc
he pie generally in this section OF 4
d, country, and expect ere long to bri