Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1875-09-16
Letter from Prince william Co.

Letter from Prince WilliamCO. |
Correspondence Of the Alexandria Gazette. | |
BRENTsvILLE, Sept. s, 1876. The Septem-
Der term OF the County Court, Judge Ayett
Nico presiding, opened Oh Monday last. Among
the distinguished visitors to our county seat,
and beautiful village, were Gen. Eppa Hutton,
our popular Congressional representative, and
Judge James Sangstcr, of Fairfax, who pre-
serves the judicial ermine uutarnshed. In ac-
cordance with the late statute a special Grand
Jury OF nine were cmpannelcd, and found an
indictment against VIM. D. Lee for the feloni-
Gus burning of w. l.. B. Wheeler's stack yard.
% Saturday morning last Mr. Matthew Lee,
the father OF the young man charged with the
felony above mentioned, disappeared from his
residence, although under the strict vigileuce
OF his wife. Mr. Lee comes Of generation
predispOsed to insanity, and it was observed by
his family some two or three days before the
fatal act of suicide which he afterwards com.
mitted that reason had lost her sway" About
six o'clock on Saturday of last week he disap-
peared, and no trace of him could be found for
some time. His tracks were at last seen which
led the searchers in the direction of Bull Run,
that classic stream of historical battles lost and
won, IN which there is poo! of some seven or
eight feet 10 depth. 1t was observed that 10
getting down the decllvitous bank, made very
slippery by recent treshets, he buried his heels
firmly in the mud to prevent too hasty slide
into the water. Arriving safely 90 the edge of
the stream, by the imprint of his toes on the
very verge, 1t appears that he plunged 10 and
clutcbed the bottom of the stream, and there
tenaciously cluug, until he was dead. The re-
markabc part OF this most sad and singular
affair Is that MIR. Ice was an expert swimmer,
and the drowning, without weights attached but
at his own volltlon and iron will, indicates an
unparalleled heroism in the annals of history.
i, BY breaking of the top of weed and hang
ing his hat thereon, it is evident that he de-
sired to be removed from the water, and de-
Gently inferred IN the family burial ground of
four generations. He was kind and excellent
gentleman, good neighbor, Industrious, and
energetic, and leaves behind him handsome
property, and numerous family to mourn the
lrrcparable loss-thelr sad, heat rcudiug be-
reavement.
In the case of the Commonwealth against
Samuel Smitb, negro boy some thirteen or
fourteen yeaas of age against whom an indict-
ment was found for placing obstructious on the
Midland Raroad, the Veulre could not agree,
and were therefore discharged. Eleven were
for acqulttal and one for conviction.
Lafayette Maddox, who was Indicted for OBJ
tanning goods under false prctenccs from W r.
Selecman, was discharged from custody upon
verdict of not guilty
Various small matters of business were attcn-
ded to, which are not important enough to men
ton.
The term of Court will be held open all the
week tor the purpose of ascertaiDing whether
there will be economy in repairing the bridge
over Cedar Run or building new one
The contest for the House of Delegates, among
the older candidates is now narrowed to Major
j. Il. Purcell, of the famous 49h Virginia
regiment, and J. B. Reid, partisan ranger of
the Confederate service who fought under the
gallant Capt. W. G. Brawncr, who lost his life
IN the brave defence of his country. Both seem
saDgulne Of success each has his admirers, the
contest wages warmly, and the Disappearance of
tie sun on the evening of the 10th of October
will reveal the coming man, whose secret is
DOW locked IN the breast Of the populace. Mr..
Edgar Nicol, one of the brightest graduates 70.
many years of the University of Virginia, has
beer, by his friends, recently, declared a candi-
date OF his success [ an not informed | can
only say be ls bright and shining light, and
will honor his county if his county will honor
him.
Mrs. Jane Williams, the elegant and accom-
plished wife of j. Taylor Williams, and his
beautiful and aniable sister, Miss Maggie Viii
llams. who have been spending the summer
here with our worthy and accommodating clerk,
Capt. l.. A. Davis, distressed their friends
on yesterday by leaving for their home in New
port, KY. A dearth Of heart, and an 'achiug
void, is left in the breast of the writer, which
l hope you may never feel | expect however,
you know how it is yourself" JONES.
TIE CRIME OF BURNING On the 29th of
November, 1927, az old man by the name Of
Donald died III West Port, one Of the pu2riIcs
OF Edinburgh. He lodged with man named
VIM. Hare, and died owing him four pounds.
His creditor saw but one way of rcimbursiug
himself, aud that was by dIsposiDg of the old
man body to the doctors. Hare found ready
aceomplice in VIM. Burke, another Irishmau,
and also one of his dodgers The body was re-
moved from the coffin, and bag Of tanners
bark substituted for it. The lid was screwed
down and the little funeral went off as usual.
The same evening Hare and Burke steathily
repaired to the University, and, meeting stu
dent IN the yard, asked for the rooms of Dr.
Monroe, the Professor of Anatomy. The STU
dent happened to be a pupil of Knox place 10
Surgeons Square. There they sold the body
for 97 los, large sum for them, and very
easily obtained. They had not courage to go
into the regular business of body stealing, and
so Hare, the vest of the two, suggested fresh
stroke of business, which was to invcige the
old and infrm into his quarters and "do for
them Hare started in search of victim
and, proving through the slums, met an old
woman half drunk, and asked her to his house.
He gave her whiskey until she became coma
tose, and then WITH Burkes assistance, strang.
led her. Her body brought .9l0.
Tho annette nf tho ua,npira moo NOM obor,
ly whetted, and they entered Systematically up
on the work of murder. Migrants, street
walkers and imbecilcs were aured on various
pretexts to the house of Hare, made dead
drunk and suffocsted. Embroidered by their
success, they began to pursue their thuggish
practices even in the daylight. a woman named
/ DnhertQ was siifnd and her hniu Left half nx