Year: 1860

THE ESSEN COUNTY MURDER-FURTHER PARTIC-


ULARS.


The Tappahaunock Southerner Of Saturday brings a
full account Of the murder Of Dr. Croxon OF Essex
", Va


On Tuesday last the citizens of Tappahanno,E we e
shocked by the Intelligence that most brutal and hor-
ble murder had been committed within few mile of
this town. The details too sickenng and dr adful
for dwell upon and we will, therefore, briefly STATE
the main facts


Dr. William s. Croxton, an aged and well known citi-
Of this county, Monday morning last seen,
by his and oyerseer alive and we'll at his own house
about four miles from this place. His son went of TO
school, and his overseer to attend to some farm duty
both intending return at nigh-Dr. CroxtOn two ne
gro womenand small negro girl being the only persons
eft on the place.


A. night the young man returned from school al the
usual hour and told by the that his father
had gone away. Shortly after the also return
ed and, after waiting i'll! bedtime, and the old man be-
ing still alSen they naturally alarmed for his safe
t. but knew not where to look for him. The two negro
again pterrogated but they persisted in de-
carng that their had gone out through the gate
horseback, since which time they had seen nothing
of him. While they were still talking, one of the neigh
bors to the house. bringing DR.. Cro1tons horse,
having found him in straw stack at considerable dis
from the place The ssddleskrts cut in sew
era places aud there other evidences to lead to the
suspicion that there had been foul play.


Nothing further elected that night but the follow
inc morning several neighbOrs assembled and together
with the oyerseer went the stable and tracked the
horse in a contrary direction that which the women


said he had taken and this circumstance, together with
the confusion manifested by the negroes, directed
picon TO them The little girl to whom have above
referred stated that she had not her master since
Monday morning but there great fire in the kitchen
a day The idea thus suggested to those present
that the negro women had murdered the old man and
burnt his body. Search accordingly made, and
among the ashes in the "lyehopper' there found
pieces of human bones ackkuife spccaces, buttons
etc proving couclusively that Dr. Croxton had met n
horrible fate The negroes terrified to the highest
degree confessed that they had commited the murie
and consumed the body. They accordingly taken
before Justice Hale who issued warrant for their COM
initial TO Jail.


The remains of the deceased were collected, and a
jury empanncled-the verdict being in accordance with
the above iacts.


On Wednesday last, visited the two prisoners now
confined in Jail. Their names Ann and Eliza the
former being about thrtytwo years of age and the lat
ter about twenty Both have infant children less than
two months old Ann is dark mulatto with decide d.
" bad counenance Eliza is much lighter, and quite
good looking. Neither appears to realize the
mty Of the crime they have committed aud both talk
freely about it, According their story they had
plotted the murder Sunday morning, at which time
their master had chastised them and accordingly, on
Monday the old being left alone with them, they
determined to carry out their plan,