The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1881-03-08
MOUNDsvILLE.
Readable Letter from Our Regular Cor.
respondent.


MouNpsvILLE, March 5, 1881.
Editors Inielligencer.
Governor Mathews, among the last OF
his executive acts, pardoned two convicts
from our Penitentiary, viz: Lafayette
Ely, Of Randolph county, sentenced in
1876 for fifteen years for the crime Of mur-
der, and ]. II, Middleton, sentenced Octo.
Der, 1867, from Pendleton county, for the
same crime, Mr.. Middleton's crime was
the killing Of George W. Hedrick ON the
18th of April, 1865, under the following
circumstances: He was Union soldier
belonging to an organization, or company
rather, commanded by Captain Snyder,
boing one ot the companies known by the
name OF the Swdmp Dragons, an orRaniza.
tion Of Union men for home protection,
MIR. Middleton was detailed to capture a
notorious bushwhsCker by tho name OF
Warner. Taxing with him four men, he
went to the h0us0 OF Mr.. HedriCk, father
oi George W. HedriCk, and surrounded It,
being IN the possession OF information that
led him to believe that Warner was
secreted in the house. He left his
men at their stations and with his re.
yolyer cooked entered the house expeCt.
ing II Warner wGs there to have to fight.
Warner was not there, hut noticing
young man by tho fire he demanded OF
him TO know il he was one oi the gang.
and also to know the whereabouts OF the
man he was hunting, Not receiving any
reply, he demanded the same again, He
then, on demanding a third time, threat.
ened to shoot him II he did not tell, He
brought his revolver down to his head To
inRhieu him, when he accidentally pressed
the trigger and the man was Instantly
killed. He says that no one there knew
him and he could easily have escaped the
penalty OF the crime, but he never denied
1t. He lived there undisiurbed for two
years before his arrest, and then through
the influence OF bad blood epgendeIed
during the war he was arrealed, tried and
sentenced to eighteen years imprisonment
In the penttentiRry. These are the facts
as related to me today by Mr.. Middleton
himself, and they are substantially the
same as get forth In petition to Governor
Jacob six years ago asking for his pardon,
but which the Governor for reasons no
doubt satisfactory to himself refused to
grant,.
Mr.. Middleton has served thirteen years
and five months OF his time. He came 10
the prison when there was only stock.
ade around the grounds instead Of tho
wall. lie has served under all tho Snner.
intendents that have had charge OF the
prison, and during all this time his con-
duct has been moat excellent. Some five
years ago he professed. religion and was
baptized BY Elder Wilson, Of the Disciples
church. lie seems to be quite an intelli.
gent man and Is in the 36th year Of his
ago.. He will remsin at Nlonudsville
tor the present, working at the AgriCultur.
al Works,
His lie from bOyhood has been q 70.
mantle and eventiul on!. At the early
age Of 10 years he volunteered into the
Rebel army as a substitute, serving a short
term OF enlistment. lie was then con.
Hcripted into the same army, from which
he deserted and joined the Union cause.
lie was afterwards captured and
nearly hung for desertion. He wss finally
paroled and served until the close OF the
war and was honorAbly discharged.
MI. Middleton refers 10 many exciting
and interesting occurrences thattoo place
In the counties OF Hardy and Pendleton
during The last years OF The war, that came
under the observation OF the writer, who
was frequently In the counties mentioned.
He also speaks Of many persona known 10
me, and | ain persuaded that his state.
ments are substantially correct, and that
Governor Matthews did righteous thing
when he exercised Executive clemenCy in
his behalf. B. +. Meighen, Esq has for
several months past been working for bis
pardon, and no doubt, feels justly proud OF
bis success.
Mr. Ely, referred to, was soldier in
the confederate army and was at one time
taken prisoner by MiIdleton'a men, and
had It not been for his (Middleton'a) ef.
forts In his behalf would have been killed.
How strange that after twelve years they
should again meet for the first time In the
State prison and be pardoned from It at
the same time. Truth Is often stranger
than fiction. \,