Litchfield enquirer., 1879-09-04
WESTERN LETTER.


 Ed. Enq.-We have been having decided sensations: The robbers who have been con- mitting so many burglaries have been unearth ed A farmers team ran off an embankment overturned wagon and horses and killed the farmer. Another old and respected farmer, going home from his sons on foot after heavy shower, was drowned in creek, and was not missed for some days, the son supposing he was home, and his family supposing he was at his sons. Two young men, out hunting, returned, and one of them handling the others gun supposing it was not loaded, accidentally discharged it, shooting his brother through the heart. An old and respected citizen of Clin- ton. whishing to empty his revolver, fired it at a stone wall, but aiming too high, fired over, and, looking to see the effect, saw a lad fall about a thousand feet away, shot in the head. The boy had started out with his father to buy new suit of clothes, when the accident hap pened. The ball entered his skull, but at last accounts he was still alive, with some hopes of recovery. A husband and paramour poisoned the wife with strichnine, and married next day after the funeral. The murder trial, or examination lasted some days, and resulted in binding over the principals for trial in the October Court, and they were sent to jail. Another courtezan was arrested for complici- ty, but was discharged for want of sufficient evidence against her, though it was evident she knew what was going on. Considerable comment and feeling was engendered by the justices giving the women shelter in his own house. and board and lodging fora week or more during the trial, but change of venue was finally effected, and the parties committed as above.
 An amusing incident occurred during the trial An attempt was made by counsel for defendants to have testimony eliminating each other ruled out on the ground that the Judge of all the world" had always protected the marriage relation as sacred, and he brought in large bible with considerable flourish of trumpets to prove hls positions, but forgot the | old adage that "almost anything could be proved out of the bible" The opposition law yer showed his Sunday school training by im- mediately quoting from Genesis, that at the very beginning of the marriage relation, Adam testified against his wife, and the Almighty received the testimony without any rebutting evidence The rejoinder naturally brought down the house."
 In the case of the robbers, house or lll-fame was pulled" and quan- tity of stolen goods found, including many ar ticles of small value taken from my store, when it was burglarized some two months ago. The chief robber got away, but the wo- man was taken and ''squealed" on the others. Among them was the son of merchant but a few doors from mine, who also keeps a livery stable and carries the mails. His family moves in good society, but the son has not borne very good character. It appears he set up the jobs for the others, and it was their intention to go through my safe, but for some unknown cause they did not attempt it, though one was scientific cracksman. They belong to gang reaching from St. Louis to St. Louis that valuables are soon disposed of The young man is in jail awaiting trial His mother, is said to be almost heart broken Since the burglary have had 9 gold watches taken, through the carelessness of my clerk, presumably by the same gang.
 The small grain has all been harvested in good condition, and we have the promise of the largest crop of corn ever raised in this sec- tion of country. A good deal of winter wheat was sown, and yielded more than double the quantity of spring grade, the chintz doing great damage to the latter It is week or two later than the winter wheat which was mostly out of the way of that bug. So we anticipate better times this Fall if prices keep up.
 -' A. B.