South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1875-09-10
USpARALLED ArRocIrY.

reliable source Of n most atrocious
murder committed one day last week
on farm OF Mr.. A. j. Wilmoth (the
murdered many in Barbour county. this
State-the details of which axe horrible
in the extreme.
We condense the particulars rs fol
lows: Mr.. A. j. Wilmoth, respectable
gentleman. who has kept the Postofiice.
called for his name, (,Nilmoth's) in Bar.
bour county. since the office was estab
iished. left his home one day last week
to visit farm about four miles distant.
whore he had some workmen EN-.
pioyed cutting hay. He was accom-.
panied by little son, and the two ar.
rived ut the farm about 10 O'clock. and
after overseeing the work for a while.
he left the employees with the express.
ed intention Of procuring his dinner nj
neighboring farmhouse. 1t afterwards
transpired that he obtained his dinner.
and leaving his boy at the house, he re.
turned for the purpose OF cutting pole
to be used in stacking hay. That was
the last seen OF him until he was after.
wards found in the terrible condition we
shall presently explain. Itseem he was
to return home the same day, by supper
time, or before; but not arriving at the
proper time-bed time coming and he
still not appearing-his wife became un.
easy. and did not retire. Alarmed at
the protracted absence Of her husband
(something very Unusually Mrs. Wilmoth
caused investigation to be made early
next day, the result Of which was Mr..
Wilmoth was found in the woods near
where the men were Mt work, hanging bv
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 ex.
amined. Apparently, there were no
marks of violence upon his person +: his
eyes we're closed naturally, and his face
gave no evidence OF death from strangu-
iation. But upon removing his clothing
through which there were no knife
marks-it was discovered that he had
been brutishly massacred Eighteen
knife wounds were found upon his per.
son-eitlier of which was in itself appa.
rently sufficient to produce DEATH
There was evidence. also, Of n severe
blow on the back of his head (or neckl
which probably was the fatal blow. the
other mutilations having been subse-
quently inflicted, Four or five wounds
were foun1 in the abdomen, and large
number Of mutilations i'm the back Of
the neck. sides, in each eye. and in the
priyates, evidently inflicted with small
penknife, besides which the private mem.
Der was almost severed There was no
blood on his person, nor about him. nor
were there any cuts in his clothing,
which Is conclusive proof that the unfor.
tunate man was first murdered, then
stripped and mutilated. The Jury re.
turned verdict of suicide but we learn
that facts subsequently ascertained will
induce re-examination ofthe body. the
result of which we have no doubt will be
quite different.
The two workmen heretofore alluded
to are under n suspicion which strongly
points to their guilt.
Mr.. Wilmoth formerly resided i'm Ma.
ron county. where he married his wife,
IA Miss Baker,. He was personally
known to the writer, who has always
looked upon him as in every sense a
most upright citizen, and this is his gen.
Ct oi iSPuItIiOl. nc mas nelQ tic DOSl.
ton Of Postmaster for about four years,
and has been n resident merchant ft;le
same neighborhood for upwards of six
probably eight years. lie was n man
of considerable property-being in pos
session of n good farm, and was doing
an excellent mercantile business. No
direct cause is assigned for the horrible
deed, though it was evidently not who'll
ly for money.
We have given the particulars as VIC
obtained which, if correct. GER
tainly mark the crime as almost withou,
n parallel in the country, and one which
certainly merits the extent of the law
i. S.-Our latest accounts from the
Barbour county murder announce the
arrest of the two workmen alluded to-
who arc brothers, named Champ, and oil
questionable GRAFTON Sen
tinel, September 4.