Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1878-01-03
A STORY OF THE WAR.
An Old yirginlan Hanged for killing q
Drunken Soldier I'm Defending Ills
Family

General Imbodcn In Philadelphia Times.1
At the breaking out OF the war Da-
vid 3. Creigh, an old man OF the high
est social position, the father OF elev-
on sons and daughters, beloved by
all who knew them for their virtues
and intelligence, resided on his es-
tate near Lewisburg, in Greenbrier
county. His reputation was OF the
highest order. No man in the large
county OF Greenbrier was better
known or more esteemed; few, IL any.
had more influence. Besides offices
OF high public trust in civil life, he
was IN elder in the Presbyterian
Church of LewisDurg, one OF the lar
gest and most respectable in the Syn
Cd OF Virginia. In the early part OF
November, 1868, there being a Federal
force near Lewisburg, Mr.. Creigh, on
entering his house one day, found
drunken and dissolute soldier there
using the most insulting language TO
his wife and daughters, and at the
same time breaking open trunks and
drawers, and helping himself to their
contents. At the moment Mr. Creigh
entered, the ruf1ian was attempting
to force the trunk OF young lady
teacher in the family. Mr.. Creigh
asked him to desist stating that il
was the property OF young lady un.
der his charge. The villain, rising
from the trunk, Immediately drew a
pistol, cooked il, and pointed 1t at
MIR, Creigh, exclaiming, Go out Of
this room. What are you doing here?
Bring me the keys" Mr. Creigh at
tempted to defend himself and family;
but a pistol he tried to use for the
purpose snapped at the instant the
robber fired at him, the ball grazing
his face and burying itself in the wall.
They then grappled, struggled into
the passage and tumbled down stairs
the robber on top. They rose, and
Mr.. Creigh attempted TO wrest the
pistol from the hands OF his adverse
ry, when 1t was accidentally dlschar-
ged and the latter wounded. They
struggled into the portico, where the
ruffian again shot at Mr.. Creigh,
wheD a negro woman. who saw it all,
run up with an axe in her hand and
begged her master to use it. He
took il from her and dispatched the
robber. After consultation and advice
with friends 1t was decided to bury
the dead body and say nothing about
IL.
The troops left the neighborhood
and did not return till June, 1864,
when they were going through to
join Hunter. A negro belonging to a
neighbor having heard Of the matter
went to their camp and told It.
Search was made, the remains found,
and Mr.. Creigh was arrested. He
| made n candid statement OF the whole
mater, and begged TO be permitted
to introduce witnesses to prove the
facts, which was refused, and he was
marched of with the army, to be
turned over to Gen. Hunter at Staun-
ten. On the 10th OF June Hunter
camped near Brownsburg. on the
farm Of the Rev. James Morrison
About dark a rather elderly man
knocked at the door, announcing
himself as the Rev. Mr.. Osborn, OF
Uniontown, Pennsylvania, a chap
lain In the army. He requested to
o~o MI -tAOhiioOus obhbibB buty
had with the army citizen OF Green
brier, whose name was Creigh, who
was about to be executed; his doom
had Just been announced to him.
He stated that Mr.. Creigh claimed to
be well acquainted with Mr.. Morri-
son and asked an interest In his
prayers, as he was closely confined
in n negro cabin and no communica-
ton would be permitted with him.
All efforts to visit him that night
were in vain. He was first ordered
to be executed that night, but was
INDUCED to live till morning that he
might write 10 his family. The next
morning, a little after daylight, he
was brought out, put into a wagon
and conveyed up "a little vale, about n
quarter OF a mile north OF the house
and I'm full view OF it. and was there
hanged and left hanging till after the
army had departed. when the wife OF
the venerable minister-he being too
feeble-with such assistance as she
could get, took down the body, wrap
ped it In blanket, and buried in a
grave dug on the spot. Mr.. Creigh
had no trial, no witnesses, no counsel
nor friends present, but was ordered
to be hanged like dog for an act OF
duty to his helpless wife and daught-
ers.