Year: 1879

S the place where the murder was committed
g and dug up the skull of William E. Allen
} bringing it to Monticello with them where


1t has remained up to the present time,
Y and can be seen by any one who wishes to
} examine it. Though badly fractured moth
ing ever penetrated the fracture, as all the


pieces of bones are in their place leaving


only an indentaticn such as a hammer or
other blunt instruments would make. SO


the Coroner and his jury were all mistaken
as, in the case of Mr.. Graham the witness


before alluded to, and the presumption is,


that at the time of the inquest, the skin


was so much swollen the witness really be


lieved he inserted his finger into the cavity


of the skull; when the skull itself proves


nothing was ever inserted there. And the


supposition that the ball had come out


of the eye, was, no doubt, due to the buz-


yards having picked out the eye; as the


skull shows no fracture i'll the eye socket


And finally all goes to prove that Hicks told


the truth and was innocent of the murder.


At all events, it leaves great doubt of his


guilt, and, this case should be a severe


warning to witnesses and jurors when try


ing one of their fellow men for murder.
will now, in conclusion, give verbatim,


letter which lies before me, and written
by the mother of the murdered mau to
| Hinlyc Of b,c o,,I 1y,Iil. in,


Jail in Columbia. This letter has lately


come to light, having quite recently been
found among the papers of the late Judge
William Vannerson, who defended Hicks


in that memorable trial, and being kindly


furnished Inc by Judge Mcmillan and Mr..
Longino, of Monticello, was prompted by
its perusal to examine records and collect
facts, in order to publish the foregoing
history:


EAST WINDSOR, Feb. 10, 1850.


Mr.. H1cKs-Sr: 1t is with feelings of
no ordinary kind that a stranger now writes
to you. They are feelings of the deepest


sorrow and atfliction, for | am a mother
mourning, and cannot be comforted, for
my son, in whom my heart delighted, who
was the hope and comfort of my earthly
existence, is not He is taken from me-
and that too by the hand of violence. The
hand of fellow-being was raised against
him and he fell Grief, deep grief, is
henceforth the portion of my days on earth,
but those days are shortening; l feel it;
know that my glay hairs will soon descend
in sorrow to the grave. shall 90 down
to the grave to my son mourning When
the heavy, moulnful tidings of the death of
VIM. Z. Allen was brought to me. it bowed
me to the earth with grief, forI thought the
time was then fast approaching when l
should see my beloved son again and hear
his words of kindness, and receive from him
all those endearing acts of tilial affection,
which he has always bestowed upon me, So
pleasant and precious to a mothers heart.


He was ever kind and affectionate son,
and had looked forward TO the time with
fond and Joyous hope, when he would again
be with US, his aged parents, and be to us
the stay and sustainer of our declining years,
and the comfort of our old age; bat no,
this star of our earthly hope has set forever;
his sun has gone down at noon; far away
from those who loved him better than even
life itself He has passed from earth, and
his grave hath been made in the land of
strangers 1 write not to YOU, sir. with
the spirit of bitterness or of accusation.
No, they are feelings of the deepest sorrow
for my bereavement, and | write with the
earnest wish that you would write to me,
that you would tell me of the last moments
of my dearly beloved son-how long he
lived after he received that fatal wound if
he said anything, and what it was; and
where he was at the time of his death; and
what was done with his trunk and clothing,
I IL. i l.
business, and his money, and how much
money he had with him; and if there was
any daguereotype likeness of himself in
his trunk, or with him; and what was done
or has become of his watch: Thure is now
nothing that can give me any consolation
but to know these particulars, and see
again some of those things once possessed
by him. ANY information You will give us
respecting our departed SON. or any reply
YOU will make to these inquiries shall nev-
er be used by us to your injury We are
not YOUR accusers. and we entertain toward
vou no feelings of enmity or ILL., YoQ are
in the hands of Just and holy Being, and
here we would leave You. 1t is fully known
o Him whether you are innocent or guilty
If the crime which has made me broken
hearted mother.


If innocent, you have little 10 fear, tho
III earthly Judge may pronounce upon you
he sentence of the law-that cannot de-
troy your immortal soul If guilty. with
he spirit of our Divine Redeemer, pray
rod to forgive you this great evil, and
.fllction You have brought upon Us. and to
rive you that true pentence which shall
cad vou to confess to Him and your fellow.
,eings this great wckedness.


From the accounts we have received, we
l.