Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1880-01-20

10 this condition of affairs probably
more than anything else is attributed
the cause which led Webb to plan Nes-
tors death. On the afternoon of June
20, 1879, while harvesting oats in a field
a few hundred yards from his home the
deceased was shot down by an unseen
foe and killed. The shot was not heard
by any one at the house and the result of
it was not known until late in the even
ing, when some members of the old
mans household in passing through the
field discovered his dead body lying upon
the ground, with rifle shot wound in
the back, near the right shoulder blade.
The ncighbors were at once summoned
and an inquest upon the body Of the
murdered man. A physician who was
called in extracted the ball from the
wound. Some one present at the inves-
tigation recognized ii from its peculiar
oblong shape as being similar in shape
and appearance to those used by Webb,
and who was known to own q mould
which cast ball of the same shape as
that extracted from the body of the old
man. The discover Of this circumstance,
well knowing the desperate character Of
the man he suspected did not call the
attention Of the Coroner to his suspi-
cions. A subsequent investigation of
premises revealed the fact that the muir
derer Of Nestor had fired his weapon in
small piece Of woods near the spot
where the body was found, and that he
rested his rifle on q branch Of tree in
order that his aim might be uneering and
the ball do the work intended for it.
From this tree tracks were traced direct
ly to the house of the murdered mans
son-in-law, about q quarter Of mile
distant, which bore strong resemblance
to those made by shoes worn by the sus-
pcctcd man. A further examination
showed that the murderer had walked
with q cane, which he struck against the
shrubbery along the path in fleeing after
firing the fatal shot. A comparison OF
the impressions made upon the shrub
berry with cane which Webb frequent
ly used in walking proved that these in
dentures had been made with an instru-
ment similar in shape and character.
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Upon this evidence webb was arrest
ed and committed to Jail to await an cX-
animation by the Grand jury of the
County Court at It's next session, At
the July term Of that tribunal the com-
sci for the accused elected to have his
ease tried by the Circuit Court Of the
county, the prisoner in the meanwhile
being held to await the assembling of
that court. At the October term Of the
Circuit Court Webbs case was taken UP.
The prisoner was defended by promi-
nent members Of the local bar. The cv-
dcnce addGecd by the prosecution was
almost Circumstaniial. II was suhstan-
tally that the ball removed from the
body of the deceased was Of peculiar
shape and euch as was proved to have
been used by the prisoner. The rest in
the woods from which It was clear that
Ncstor had been shot, was in such po-
sitlon that none but n left handed man,
as the deceased was proved to have been,
could have fired a weapon with sufficient
accuracy TO have struck the object fred
at; that the tracks leading from this rest
to Wcbb's house were made by shoes eX-
actly similar in shape and size to those
usually worn by him, and that the bark
displaced on the tree aud the holes made
In the soft earth between the tree and the
prisoners house fitted the fcwulc ofa cane
which Webb was IN the habbit Of using.
Another strong link IN the chain of cir
cumstanccs which cnvironcd webb. was
the testimony Of u man from Patrick
county, who frequently passed the pris-
oncr's house on hls trips to another part
of the county, and with whom the ac-
cused was well acquainted This wit
ness testified that some time prior to the
murder of the deceased he stopped at
Wcbb's house, and during aB interview
with him the prisoner made n PROPOSE
ton 10 him 10 murder the "old man, I"
telling the witness that II he would Join
him they eoJid easily accomplish their
brutal purpose and secure enough mon
cy to last them the balance OF their lives.
The prisoner, In this interview, called
no ones name, but webb remarked to
the witness, "lhat You know who |
mean without calling names" The Wit
meas stated that from the details Of the
plan given by Webb he was satisfied
tlnt hc referred to his falher-in-law.--
The witness said that after this conycr-
salion with the prisoner he never again
crossed his path, fearing that If he did
80 probably that webb would Nil him
to keep him from diyulging the propoais
ton that had been made to him. The
State also proved that by ihc death Of
Ncator, the prisoner through his wife,
came IN possession Of her fathers prop
crty.
SENTENCED 10 M HANGED,
The defence had but little testimony.
webb was man Of notorious bad char
actcr, and bclitles having no testimony
to coniroyer the evidence of the State
fixing the crime of NcsIor's murder up.
on him could moi establish moderate
" good character. Amer elaborate ar
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