The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1876-11-30
A HORRIBLE MURDER.


JNo. T. EiPPEroE STABBED AND MORTAL
I.y WOUNDED Dy SAMUEL WREN--DELIB-
ERATE AND PREMEDITATED MURDER
THE MURDERER ESCAPES DETAILS OF
THE CoLD-GLooDED DEED.
On Monday night last, the 9th, at Bnfia-
10 Gap, i'll this county, ten miles west OF
Stanton. one of the mos. atroci0lls and
coid-blootled murders Vas committed, that
has ever blackened the criminal annals OF
Augusta. The circumstances. Us adduced
before the Coroner's inquest. were snbstan-
tally rs follows:
TIE PROPAGATION.
About seven o'clock Oh Monday evening
Mr. Rippetoe was standing in the store at
Buffalo Gap. talking to Mr.. Tierney, the
store keeper, when Wren entered. Ripe
toe said to him, Wren, have been looking
for you some time What did you Go with
my logs?'' (referring to some iron dogs that
had been taken from his saw-millo Wren
answered, Il don't know anything about
your dogs" Rippetoe then said: Pres.
Rogers says you took Them Wren replied.
''If Pres. Rogers says took them he is q
liar. He is now at the Church, and | VIII
face him on it, Rippetoe responded ''all
right" and the two started to the Church
or school-house TO find Rogers.
THE DEED.
On arriving at-thc Church, where service
Was being conducted. it seems that Kippetoe
remained outside whilst Wren went inside
| and borrowed a pocket knife, with blade
| about four inches long and very Sharp. lie
then came out, but again returned and beck
oned to Jas. W. Patterson, and the two left
the Church together. On reacl ing the out
side Wren remarked to Patterson, ''Pres.
Rogers has been telling Juo. Rippetoe some
d--n lies about me. and lac is about to make
the Out liar. | mean to cut the d---n -
out of him. The two then advanced to
where Rppetoe was standing and Wren
said to r, '.Pres. Rogers in not here. He
will be here directly. VIII face you in that
thing; l was not in your saw mill that day j,
sir..'' Rippetoe responded II say you were,
Sam. ~ and Wren said, II was not" Rip
petoe then caught him in the collar with his
left hand and said, ''Sam., don't call me a
liar" With that Wren pulled out his knife
and stabbed him and then broke loose and
ran-Rippetoe following him for thirty or
forty yards before falling. Patterson then
went towards him and he said,
.rTHAT NAN HAS KILLED ME-
and in two minutes he was dead
THE WOUND.
Help was Immediately s,immoneds and DIR.
c. A. Brown, nEon examination OF the body,
found that the knife had entered tale lett
side Of the neck above the collar bone, and
was directed downward, inflicting wound
about two and five-eighth inches deep,
severing the left carotid artery and enter
ing the cavity OF the chest. Death produced
from hemorrhage. There were no other
wounds on the body except u few abras ons
and conclusions produced, from their appear
ance, by falling, but there was an incisipn
on the left lapel of the coat, one in the coat
beneath the lapel, one in the lapel OF the
vest beneath the incision in the coat, and
one in the vest just ever the wound.
THE VICTIM.
Jno. Z. Rippetoe was about forty years
man. He was the son of Henry D. Ripe
toe. Esq, and some years ago married Miss
Ella Stafford, of this place, who has since
died, leaving three small children. He was
in Staunton on Monday, and little dreamed
Of the fate that awaited him.
THE MURDERER.
SamI Wren was an employee about the
Furnace at Buffalo Gap, and was ut one
timesengaged as brakeman on the c.. & 0.
R. r. He is about eighteen years old, five
feet eight inches in height; dark hair and
eyes; smooth round face; little finger off left
hand at first Joint; eye teeth very prominent.
After cutting Rlppetoe he started towards
his home. near the furnace, and was met by
his brother and several others whom nc told
he had killed Rippetoe, and then ran on and
has not since been heard Of There are
some
SINGULAR CIRCUMSTANCES
connected with the evidence and conduct of
Patterson, who was the only eyewitness
and upon whose statement this report Of the
immediate act is based. In his testimony
he stated that when Wren drew his knife.
Rippetoe also drew his, but DR.. Brown tes-
titled tina, Rippetoe's knife was in his pocket
and closed. After Rippetoe lad fallen Pat
terson did not go up to him to see how bad
ly he was hurt, but turned his back upon
him and went to tell q third party, and then
Immediately started home. The third party
was Jas. r. Myrtle whom he asked not to
say anything about what he had told him.
THE VERDICT.
E. NJ. Cushing, Coroner OF the county,
held an inquest on Tuesday morning. The
following were the jury: A. B. Iightner, Fl.
Mahoney, W. J. Fix, j. F. Bell, J. B. Thorn
as and A. NJ. Jordan. After hearing the
evidence Il verdict was rendered that the de-
ceased came TO his death by 4 wound inflict-
ed with knife in the hands of Saui'l Wren.
THE METHODIST CHURCH CAsE.--On
Friday last, the case involving the owner
ship Of the Methodist Church property,
which has been pending for some time in
the Circuit Court, was disposed Of in accord
ance with the plan Of adjustment agreed
upon by joint board Of commission from
the NJ. L. Church and the NJ. E. Church,
South, held at Cape May on the 22d of Au-
gust last, rs follows:
Rule l. In cases not adjud icatcd by the
joint commission, any society OF either
church constituted according to its discip-
line, now occupying the church property
shall remain in possession thereof, provided
that where there is now in the same place
society OF more members attached to the
other church, and which has hitherto claim
ed the use Of the property, the latter shall
be entitled to possession, and upon further
consideration of the evidence in this cause,
the court is Of opinion, and doth decide
lst. That the society OF the Methodist
Episcopal Church, South, in the city OF
Staunton, is composed OF more members at
for o1 trf hot xy7hn