Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1876-11-04

Ouileu OlaleS treasurer, TelerluS 10
deadhead tickets on railroads. II sent
EN- back. On receiving them, | at once
enclosed them in a note 70 the sender,
thanking him for his kindness, but say
ing that could not conscienliously re-
ceive them. When in Congress, tried
to avoid placing myself under obliga-
tons either to corporations or individ-
uals, and went so far as to decline all in
vitations to dine which l thought might
be rendered from interested motives.
The old General might have been
over scrupulous, but still he was on the
safe side, after ALL 3
a FRIGurruT. HoMIcIDE-KLLING OF
WILLIAM HAwTuoRN.-The MONDAY
quiet of our town was broken Sabbath
last by the startling rumor that one OF
our oldest citizens had been fOully and
brutally murdered by being beaten with
stone. AS bad news gathers as 1t
goes, in the course of half an hour after
the deed had been perpetrated it was
the topic OF conversation from one end
of town to the other, and large numbers
of persons repaired to the scene of the
unfortunate affair, on West Franklin
Street.
William Hawthorn was man about 90
years of age, who had formerly been
soap and candle manufacturer, and had
accumulated some funds and property.
Several years ago his only daughter
Margret was married to Thomas Steph-
ems, a young man of bad antecedents
and quite disolute and unthrifty- The
marriage did not prove to be one OF
great happiness in fact the couple did
not agree at all. The wife refused to
live with him OF rather refused to let
him live with her, and the consequence
was that little scenes, not exactly OF
sunday school character, at the law
thorn residence became OF frequent oc-
currence, and it is thought that Steph-
ems sought these difficulties. On Sun
day last about 1890 Mr.. Stephens, who
it is said was in liquor, went to the
house of his tather-in-law and was Or
dered ont by his wife, and who to en-
force her request, picked up fire SHOW
ell and struck him on the back, AT this
time Hawthorn was sitting at table
reading bible and apparently paying
no attention to the fracas going on, but
the difficulty getting too much for him,
lie raised up, with the bible still in his
left hand, and assisted in putting Steph-
ems out the ack-doorwav. In the
scuffle Stephens was seen to strike Haw-
thorn on the chin with small iron used
in lifting stoye-lids, and which he had
taken up for the purpose Of lighting his
pipe after his wife ordered him OFT.
Stephens then retreated still lighting
bac k at Hawthorn, who pursued him
out through the alley into the street, and
as, according to the evidence OF Samnel
Wilhide, who saw the whole affair that
occurred in the street, he reached the
curbstone he fell forward on his face.
lie was Immediately picked up by Geo.
McCarter and an other person and car
ried into the house, where he expired.
Having been present during the entire
investigation we CLEAN the above facts
from the direct evidence Of the witness
scs examined before the Coloners jury,
the verdict of which was that "Wilham
Hawthorn came to his death from a
blow or blows inflicted with blunt in
strument in the hands Of Thomas Steph-
ems"
Now the mystery about the killing Of
Hawthorn Is, where Gid he receive his
death blow He had slight wound
upon the chin, slight wound upon the
base of the right jaw bone, a confusion
on the centre of the forehead, and
wound 2 10 inches in length running
obliouely downward from behind the
left ear. The first two were only sur
face wounds and quite trivial and the
wound in the forehead was received
when he fell. The last named injury,
consequently was the one which killed
the deceased. but no one, so far appear
inc saw that blow Inflicted. The ply
scian Drs. Mason, Mckee and Wels,
decided after their post norton, that
this wound caused the death, and gave
it as their opinion that it was probably
made with stone, but, there is no proof
that he had a stone in his hand until he
came out upon the street, and no proof
that he struck, upon the street, at all.
1t is our theory that the blow that kill
ed Hawthorn was given by that stove
plate litter in the scufie at the doorway.
That small! piece of iron held firmly in
the hand of strong young man Ike
Stephens could make the wound III ques-
tion,and as there was considerable scufH-
ING and movement of hands at the door,
the particular blow that made it might
have escaped the eyes of all. Further
evidence may vet be elected from those
who naturally held back through repug-
nance to being involved in case OF
homicide. OF course Stephens gave the
death blow to his aged and trail old
father.in law, but just exactly where and
how will have to be determined hareat-
ter.
Yesterday morning the prisoner had
a preliminary examination before JUS
tice Cook, who remanded him to Jail to
await the action of the Grand Inquest.
-HageriOwn TUice Il Uesk.