The Weston Democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1875-current, 1875-09-13
H The BARBOUR County TRAGEDY.

bour county, this Stato-thc details Of
which are horrible in the extreme. We
ccadense the particulars, as follows:
Mr.. A. J. Wilmoth. a respectable
gentleman, who has kept tho post
Office, called for his name (Wilmoth's)
10 Barbour county, since the office was
established, left his homo one day last
week to visit farm about four miles
distant, where he had some workmen
employed cutting hay. He was ac-
companicd by little son, and tho two
arrived OF the farm about 10 o'clock,
and after overseeing the work for
awhile, he left the employees with the
expressed intention Of procuring his
dinner at q neighboring farmhouse.
It afterwards transpircd that be OBJ
tanned his dinner, and leaving his boy
at tho house, no returned for the pur-
pose Of cutting polo to be used in
stacking hay. That was the last seon
Of him until hc was afterwards found
in tho terrible condition we shall pres
emily explain. It seems he was to re-
turn home tho same day, by suppc:-
time, or before; but not arriving at
the proper timo-bed-timc coming, and
be still not appearing-his wife became
uneasy. and did not retire. Alarmed
at the pro,racted absence Of her bus
band Something very Unusually Mrs.
Wilmoth caused investigation to be
made early next day, the result Of
which was Mr.. Wilmoth was found 10
the woods near where the men were Mt
work, hanging by the neck to limb,
with one foot resting on log, the other
on the ground. He was quite dead,
and evidently had been for hours. An
inquest was held and the body emam'
iued. Apparently. there were no
marks Of violence upon his person his
eyes were closed naturally. ind his face
gave no evidence Of death from stran-
gulation. But upon removing his
clothing, through which there acre
NO knife n,arks-it was disco sered that
no had been brutishly mastered.
Eighteen knife wounds were found up.
on bis person-cither of which was in
itself apparently almos. sufficient to
produce death. There was evidence
also, Of q severe blow on the back Of
bis head Tor neck) which probably was
the fatal blow, tho other mutilations
having been subsequently, inflicted
-Four or Eve wounds wero found in the
abdomen, and large number Of mu.
tila,ious 10 the back of tho neck, sides,
in each oyc, and in the privates, evil
IDENTIFY inflicted with small pen-knifc,
besides which the private member was
almost severed. There vas no blood
on his person, nor about him. nor we're
there any cuts in bis clothing, which is
conclusive proof that tho unfortunate
man was first murdered, then stripped
and mutilated. Tho jury returned a
verdict Of suicide; but wo learn that
facts subsequently, ascertained will in-
duce rc-examination Of tho body, the
result Of which We have no doubt will
DO quite different. The two workmcn
heretofore alluded to arc under a sus.
picion which strongly points to their
guilt. Mr.. Wilmoth formerly lived in
Marion county, where no married his
wife, "a Miss Baker, He was per-
sonally known TO tho writer. who has
always looked upon him as in every
sense most upright citizen. and this
is his general reputation. lie has held
the position ofpostmaster for about four
years, and has been resident mer.
chant of the same neighborhood for
upwards of six-probably eight years.
Flo was man of considerable property
being in possession Of q good farm.
and was doing an excellent mercantile
business. No direct cause is assigned
for the horrible deed. though it was
evidently not wholly for mOney.-Wc
have given the particulars as wo OBJ
tanned thcm-which, if correct, GER
tainly mark tho crime as almost with
out parallel in tho country, and one
which certainly merits the extent Of
the law.
| ?. S.-Our latest accounts from the
Barbour county murder announcc tie
arrest Of the two workmen alluded to ,
who are brothers, named Champ, and
questionable reputation.
Speaking of the latc fearful thrcsh.
ing machine accident. the Plaindealer
of the 4th says:-A terrible aud fatal
accident occurred near Danville. Bar.
bour county, on Thursday evening Of
l..