Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1883-04-28
SENTENCED
To Fifteen Years, for Murder Ia
the Second Degree, -
FOR THE MURDER OF WIN. RENsLEY
End Of the Trial Of Thompson and Charles
N. Morris, Of Nicholas COuNty-West
Virginia Enterprise-Par-
kersburg News.
.Snerinl DO Tho Reoister.

NICHOLAS C. H., W, Va, April 2.-ihe
Circuit Court of Nicholas county convened
ON Wednesday the llth inst, Judge Hen
~ Brsnnon pre:iding and as had been Tor.
merly agreed to, the case OF the State Oh
West Virginia against Thompson ana
CLas. NJ. Morris, indicted for the murder
OF William Hensley, in June last, was al
once called. J. D. Anderson and Col. }.
W. Davis appeared for the State, and
Col. J. NJ. French. Capt K. F. Denis, and
Duffy & Henderson appeared for the pris
opsrs A jury OF twelve men was selected
from the thirty who had been summoned
in the case, and the trial commenced.
Ii Dragged wesrily
along for thirteen days until this morning
when a few minutes before 9 O'Clock the
iuIy, which had been nearly two hours IN
their room, filled slowly through the tnlcS
crowd into the box and was asked: uen,
tleRen, have you agreed upon VeroictI
10 which most OF them nodded yes ana tue
forensn responded: I'VE have Coi. "a
Wis and Capt. Denis being absent from the
court room, caused about ten minutes de-
Law, curing which the crowd waited In
bIeathless silence, standing on the seats
and crsning their necks to get gllmpse
of the prisoners, who seemed perfectly
composed as they had been during the
whole of the trial, not twtch ot
muscle or a flushing of the face could De
seen. Finally the attorneys arrived, ana
The Verdict Was Read:
1--WE, the Jury, find Thompson and Chas.
NJ Morris guilty OF the murder OF william
Hensley in the second degree, and hN
their term OF imprisonment in the penlten-
tiary at fifteen years" The counsel 1or
the defense made a motion for new trial,
but the Judge overruled it. They then
called for two hours to consult with their
clients, which was granted, and at the end
of which the court was again convened
and they decided TO take no further action
in the matter. The Judge then in very
touching manner passed his sentence upon
them and directed the Sheriff TO take them
TO the State prison.
for which they have been tried and COM
mittcd was for the murder OF William
Hensley,la man about sixty years OF age,
who lived by himself in an out OF the way
place in the western part OF this county,
and was murdered on the 18th Of June
last by the Morrises. They at once in,
formed their neighbors OF the deed and Said
they had caught him In an unnatneaole
act with a befer and he presented and
snapped his gun at them aud swore he
would kill them, and that they had shot
him in self.defence. They, with their
neighbors v ent to the place and found him
dead. An e, ID family feud had existed be-
tween them and some OF their neighbors
for years and they embraced the oppOrtu.
nifty and gave damsglng testimony against
; them.I
The Morrises are among our Oldest in
habitants having settled in our county in
an early day on Peters creek, where they
yet reside. The last Indian depreciation in
this county was committed on their lands
and resulted in
The killing of Two
of two Morris girls. Their father made
Coffins out of rude slabs split from poplar
tree, the only means at his command. and
hurried them. The prisoners, Charles NJ.
Morris and Thompson, are about 80 and ~
years Of age respectively, and have hitherto
born good pames, were peaceable, quiet
and inOflensve citizens, and loved by their
neighbors. Each leaves loving wife and
small children TO mourn and grieve for
them. They leave an aged and respectable
father, too, VINO mourns their loss, and no
doubt long ere they serve out their time
and return, he will be no more. Our peo-
e,r,na,b;za uitb tbaD, IN thia