Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1879-08-26
For the SPECTATOR.

MR.. EDITOR About eight years ago new
road was made from Waynesboro' towards Pat
ricS's mill. through the land of Peter Hanger,
Jr., Geo. Freed, and others. For a mile and a
third it hugs the bank (north) of South River
very close. From Mr.. Hangers gate, near his
dairy, crossing the creek just at its mouth, that
runs from his fathers farm to where beauti-
full spring runs from spout on the left side of
the road, over quarter of mile, this road
was made through a dense jungle of grape
vines, briars. weeds. &c. Within this distance,
some three weeks since, a woman of the vicin-
ity, walking along the road, discovered on it's
lower side what she thought was a gourd Pick
ing it up it was the skull of a man, as the dis
covery, soon afterward made of the balance OF
the skeleton proved, and the teeth were we'll
preserved.
Speculation, as of course, ran back in the
memory of all to account for it, how 1t came
there.
1t seemed to have been buried very shallow,
but in the midst of such jungle, if the party
had been foully dealt with, the parties who
buried it no doubt thought it would quietly
await GabriePs sad, yet inevitable summons.
There are many in and near Waynesboro'
that this circumstance brings to mind, fresh as
Though yesterday, that - Haybarger, who
lived a few hundred yards south of the spot in
which this skeleton was found. but across South
River, disappeared in the most mysterious
manner between 20 and 3Oyears ago. The opin-
ion that he had been foully dealt with was uni
versal. The circumstances, as the writer has
heard them from the lips of a venerated and
highly respected citizen of Albemarle, who
spent some weeks recently in Waynesboro',
and who, besides remembering Haybarger,s
disappearance, heard those details from one
and another in the village and neighborhood.
William Withrow, Moses Alexander, at the
time living in Waynesboro'. and others inter-
ested themselves in tracing up Haybarger.
They found that on the day that he was last
seen he was on Back creek collecting money
due for a season Of horse; that parties, either
above or below Sherando, as 1t is now named
and known, and next to Mt Torrey Furnace
the most important place on the creek. were
burning coal-pit; that Hay barger was with
them that night intoxicated, playing cards,
and made an exhibition of his money; that he
was never seen afterwards; that suspicion rest
ed on the ceal-pit party; that two men, q Coy
ner and Brown, (the writer has been unable
to get the first name Of Hay harger or these par
tiesO were arrested; that the most notorious
character, on whom suspicion generally was
fixed, named and remembered, strange to say,
was not arrested that the arrested parties, we
suppose, were taken either before Girard B.
Stuart, the nearest magistrate, or Ro. Guy and
Nath. Massie, or all combined, as all were then
prominent magistrates, Mr.. S., where he yet
lives, and the only survivor, and the others al
the time living in Waynesboro' that during
the Investigation a young woman testified she
could not write; that her evidence was dis
credited by some man testifying she was writ
ing and reproved him for shaking the floor
We did not hear what connection this had with
the case. Coyner and Brown were discharged
for the want of evidence. But 1t is remem
bered that Haybarger's horse went home, per
haps the same night. The reins Of his bride
had been cut from the headstall, and were af
forwards found on log near the coal-plt. Some
thought he was followed by the party from the
coal-pit, robbed, murdered and buried in thu
Jungle, and the reins carried back to divert sus
picion from them. ought to have said thai
this is the theory no,o. The coal-pit was opened
and search made for his remains, but nothing
found.
May not the finding his remains, as it Is be
lieved this skeleton to be, bring to mind cir
cumstances that may develop new facts, ant
that the murderer or murderers be yet brough
to justice, and the trite adage verified that muir
der will OUT.
| August 18th, 1879.