Year: 1876

DEAR NEws.-As it has been long time since troubled you, now avail myself of the privilege of an old scribe and send you an item from the sunny clime away down the Ohlo.' presume you have read of the acts of the lynchers in our state, whereby three criminals (theY are called killers here) were taken from the prison at Charleston our capital-by mob and balanced their accounts from the branches of tree. Also how another, about the same time at Bar boursville. the county of Csbell, was taken out and treated to like dose, from which your readers may infer that justice is rather at low ebb, and to be administered only at the hands of a frenzied people, and re- ally you are not much amiss in your reck- oning.

 The latest tragedy happened Tn the eYen- ing of March lst in our midst in this wise, between Wash Williams and Anderson Grafton, both colored men in the employ of the Ensign manufacturing company. In the family of Williams was fair-skinned, curly-haired, adopted daughter, between whom and the aforesaid Grafton there had sprung up mutual attachment and an agreement that they would, in imitation of the manners and customs of a superior race, have it ratified by an officer of the law. Accordingly, they proceeded to and across the Big Sandy river on to the soil made historic by that famous pioneer and hunter, Daniel Boone, and then and there the loving twain were made one till death do them part, from whence they returned about noon of the same day and proceeded to immediately settle down to enjoy the the bliss of newly welded life in the home of the happy groom, who by the way had been living wldower and was pretty we'll fixed. Wash, the adopted father and father-in-law, not relishing the manner in which the pale-faced daughter of Africa had been spirited away from him, breathed threats of vengeance on the happy pair, which threats he put into execution as soon as night had spread her sable mantle abroad. Having procured large six-bar- relied Colts navy revolver, which was heavily charged with powder and balls, he proceeded to the house of Grafton, who not experimenting any danger, came out to know why he (Williams) was prowling about the house. Williams, after charging him with unfairness in enticing away his his 'Dovinda without permission, suddenly raised his pistol and fired directly in Graf tons face, the ball taking effect in his neck and severing the cutorid artery. The poor fellow turned 10 flee into the house, when the infuriated demon rushed upon him, placing the pistol close to his left arm send ing ball through it and breaking the bone, the pistol being so close that the clothing was burned. As Grafton fled into an inner room; third shot followed, but struck the partition.

 Williams then ran to the rear of the house and fired one shot through the win dow, the ball striking the partition. Back he comes again to the front, and entering the house fired the two remaining shots di- rectly at the bride, one taking effect in hel back and the other passing through the window. In the meantime, Grafton esca ping into the inner room, leaned himself

 upon the table and immediately expired Such was the unhappy state of affairs wher your correspondent reached the house som, five minutes after the first shot was fired

 Williams then went about half mile away

 to neighbors reloaded his pistol and thel

 pro oceeded to the village, where procured

 bottle of whiskey, and was on his way bacl

 to the scene of the tragedy when arrested

 The widowed bride, though severel,

 wounded, is now in fair way to recover

 There was feeble attempt to get possession

 of the prisoner while in the city lookup b,

 the coIored lynchers but he IS now safel

 lodged in the county jail, awaiting trial

 but as very little interest is manifested her

 in affairs of this kind, it is possible he ma,

 be returned to society. Grafton, the de

 ceased, was steady, industrious man,

 member of the colored Methodist church

 and one of the order of Good Samsritans

 by which order he was buried in full rega lia. D.

 Huntington, W. Va, March 9th, 1876.

 EJ 1t doesn't take me long to make u

 my mind, can tell you ? said a conceite