Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1879-09-30

From the Greenbrler independently
On Sunday night last there occurred
on Muddy Greek, in this county, sui
eide and an attempted murder which,
in ghastliness and horrible details, ex
ceeds anything Of the kind that has ever
happened in that section. The partic-
ulars, as we have gathered them. are as
folloWs;-
Mr.. friedrich Harvey, who lives on
the farm of Mr.. Alex. III. Anderson, at
tempted TO kill his step-daughter and
then cut his own throat. Nothing unu-
sual was observed in the conduct Of
Mr.. Harvey on Sunday. He left home
preaching at Emanuel, but afterwards
was seen returning from that direction,
saying he had changed his mind and
would go to the Oaraway Church and
hear Rev. Mr.. Van Horne preach q flu
neral sermon that evening. He went
to the residence of Mr.. George Feamster,
ate his dinner there, and when some of
Mr.. Feamster's family started to church
be declined to accompany them, but re-
manned at Mr.. F.'s all evening talking
to him and others Of his household
Nothing occurred in his conversation to
excite suspicion, or to show that he had
in contemplation the tragedy that was
soon to be enacted. He left Mr.. F.'s
late in the evening, went home, and en-
gagged in conversation with his ster-
daughter. He said he had been to the
church and had heard Rev. Mr.. Van
Horne's sermon, spoke of the character
of the discourse, and told her who he
had seen there. He then approached
her, took her by the hair, and told her
that he intended to cut her throat. She
paid little attention to him, thinking
that he was only joking. He made q
stroke at her and she felt the sting of
the knife in her neck, and then began a
struggle in which the woman was fear
fully cut, receiving six gashes on her
head and neck, two of which partly
severed the windpipe, two on the side
size OF the neck, one of them Just graz
ing the carotid artery, one commencing
on the side of the face. passing over and
cutting off the lower end Of one ear,
passing around the head and stopping
just behind the other ear, and small
cash across the bridge of the nose. Be-
sides these she received two gashes on
the shoulder, one nand was cut across
the back to the bone, and the fingers on
both hands were badly cut. She then
succeeded in getting away from him. :
Harvey then took the knife in one hand
and cut one side of his throat. and then
changed the knife to the other hand and
cut the other aide-literally cutting his
throat from ear to ear. He was left ly-
ing where he fell Sunday night until
about II O'Clock Monday morning,
when Coroner's inquest was held and
verdict rendered in accordance with
the facts above stated. His step daugh-
ter was attended by DR. j. B. Spicer, of
Anderson, and DIR. W. G Coe DR.. Spi-
Ger informs Us that her recovery is ex-
tremely doubtful-almost impossible
No cause is known for the tragedy,
and it is generally thought that he was
insane.
The FIGHT FOR VIRGINIA's HONOR
Those Virginians who think that the
phrase "forcible readjustment" is filter
for the mouths of highwaymen than for
those of honest citizens of an honest State
are disposed to prove their faith by their
works. We have before US a list of
forty six prominent public men of Vir-
ginia who have undertaken, without
charge and at their own expense, to
canvass the State, making speeches in
all the counties in favor of paying the
State debt, so far at least as the McCul
loch bill provides for its payment.
Whatever the immediate result may
be with reference to the debt settlement,
it is fortunate for Virginia that her PEG
pie are not utterly given over to public
dishonesty, that the old spirit of pride
in the States good name survives among
the people, and that representative men
of the State-men bearing the old and
honored names of zee, Berkeley. Cabell,
Gregory, Chamberlayne, Clopton, Talia-
ferro, Tyler, Winston, Wise, Tucker,
etc.-are SO filled with horror at thought
of the great dishonor which is threaten
ed that they are making a brave and
manly fight for honesty and truth. If
they can succeed in overwhelming the
spirit of reputation which has taken
Virginia's fair fame, as it we're by the
throat with intent to strangle it they
will have won the gratitude of all Vir-
ginians who have not forgotten the pre-
cepts and the principles of their fathers.
1t IS pity and a shame that the fight
could not have been made fairly for the
full payment of the debt, principal and
interest, but as that could not be, these
gentlemen do well to labor for qualified
honesty, and against unqualified Ias
callty. If they win they will save what
remains of their States reputation for
honesty; If they fail they will at least
have proved, beyond question, that a
body OF honest, self-respecting, State re-
speeding men still live as leaven OF
good in the midst of the corruption
which has overtaken the State; they
Will, at least, have uttered the protest Of
honest Virginians against the unmanli.
ness and foul dishonor of reputation