Semi-weekly interior journal. [volume] (Stanford, Ky.) 1881-1905, 1882-01-24
eLRRlRD COUNTY


MIS-. MilliamA and miHa - NeWmans
Of Jessamine county, are visiting at W. y.
Noels. Hiram Rothwell, is still very low
with Meningitis.
Any one having news items Of any
description, land or stock sales will confer
\ favor BY leaving note Of same at the
County Clerks Office or at the Railroad
depot
Capt, Singleton reports the following !
sales on Court day; 10 calves at Sl625i |
0 calves at $i2lO calves at 81 so; yoke
Of oxen ssl; pair mules Withdrawn at
$500; horse Withdrawn at 500
Geo. Arnold, Of this county, claims TO
have invented a link and drawhesd by
which freight cars are coupled automati-
cally, and which he claims will work sstis-
factorily on cars Of different heights.
The funeral Of Miss Betsy Gland, an
account Of whose death ia publshed here
with was preached Sunday, BY Rev. j. NJ
Bruce. Geo. Dunlsp's meeting closed
Sunday night, the number Of confessions
amounting 10 IL or IS. Rev. J. G. Ran
dolph being absent Sunday. Geo. Dunlap
preached at the Presbyterian Church in
the morning.
The blood had scarcely dried on the
are which murdered the Wilmot family,
before the tale Of a most brutal murder,
scarcely less bloody than its predecessor is
brought to our ears. TIE victim this time
is Miss Betsy Bland, aged IS; the murder
er, il WIN. Austin, a young man about "a
years old. Jos Bland, an old widowsr,
lives about one and a-half miles from
town, near the Danville pike His sister,
Miss Betsy, kept house for him. For
about three months, WIN. Austin, grand
nephew Of theirs, has lived with them,
helping about the work on the small farm.
He isa wild, drunken fellow, and alto
gether his reputation is not Of the best.
Friday, January 10Th, Jos Bland esme to
town on business, and remained till about
5 O'clock. Austin also left home and was
seen last (preyious TO any knowledge Of the
murder) at Herring's still house, which
place he left about o'clock, for home. As
a party Of men we're returning from town,
they we're met by Austin at the mouth ola
lane leading to BANDS house, and he told
them Aunt Betsy las she was familiarity
known had been murdered. At first they
laughed at his story, but were finally in
duced to 90 to the house where they found
the old lady lying on the floor with her
head nearly severed from her body. They
did not disturb it, but hastened back TO
town TO inform her brother and the officers.
As soon as they we're notified, Sheriff Hig-
ginbotham, with Marshal Singleton, and a
posse, went out TO the scene Of the muir
der, where they encountered Austin stand
ing in the door, apparently very much af-
iecled. Suspicion had already pointed to
him as the murderer, and when a little
scrutiny revealed stains Of blood on his
pants and boots, he was arrested and put
under guard. The Coroner not being con-
venient, Esquire Boyle, who is the nearest
Magistrate, was summoned 10 hold an in
quest The Court WAS in session Till near
10 o'clock, 2. NJ, at which time sufficient
circumatantial evidence had been obtaiIed
to confirm the suspicion that Austin was
the murderer. The Court adjourned, how
ever, without a verdict till next day. In
the meantime, Austin's pants and boots
had been taken from him. After supply
ing him with these articles from Mr.,
BANDS wardrobe, he was mounted behind
the Sheriff, brought 10 town and lodged in
Jail. Had the citizens been fully con
WINGED OF his guilt it is quite probable al
attempt would have been made then and
there to administer justice on speedieI
plan than the one by which that article i:
usually obtained. The body OF Miss Bet
~ was still warm when the officers arriv
ed, which, with the fact, that she had made
FIRE in the stove for the purpose Of get
ting supper, goes to prove that she wa'
killed only a short while before. He
head and face bore several deep gashei
from an axe, three Of which, beside th'
lick across the neck, which severed th'
yertebra would have been instantly fatal
Her face also bore marks Of boot hee
as if the wretch had stamped her. WheI
the Court Of inquest convened the mex
day, several witnesses were examined as u
the relative time Of Austin's being seen Oh
tho way home, aud his first appearance at
ter the murder. All this testimon!
strengthened the chain Of orcumstantial ev
idence which, with the addition of anoth
er link furnished by his clothing ha
bound him so closely that his life will n
doubt pay the forfeit When his pant
were produced in Court, besides the bloc,
on the legs, the right hand pocket wa
found to be bloody. An inspection of tn
boots revealed clinging to the heel of on
of them several long gray hairs whicl
correspondent exactly with the hair of th
murdered woman. Austin told seyera
tales in regard TO the blood on his cloth
ing. One was that when he opened III
door his aunt in her death struggle thre'
the blood on him-another to account fo
the blood and gray hair on his boot, WI
that he caught rabbit on his way hom'
put his foot on its head and pulled it OF
the blood squirting on his boot. lie di
not produce the rabbit, however. But on
reason can be given for the preparation
: such cruel murder IL was general
known that Miss Betsy kept some none
I'm the house. never less than lily dollar