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The “Battle Axes.”—Hannah Williamson, David Stubblebine, and Daniel iStubblebine, who acquired some notoriety by their connection with this strange sect some years ago, are now in the Cheater county prison. It wilt be recollected that in the fall of the year, 1855, Hannah Shingle, an old woman living in North Coventry township, was murdered. Some time after this, those people, the Stuhhlebines and Williamson, reported through their neighborhood that the murder was committed by Mr. William Rhoads, of Berks comity. Mr. Rhoads appears to have been an honest, hard-working man, who has accummulated some property and enjoyed the good will and esteem of his neighbors. The circulation of these stories is said, to have produced considerable excitement in the neighborhood, and notwithstanding his good character, to have awakened some suspicion against him, by leason of the positive manner in which the accusation was made, and to have caused Mr, Rhoads much distress and annoyance. The matter even got into the newspapers, and he was published in the papers of this county as in jail awaiting liis trial for murder. Mr. Rhoads, to relieve himself from the false accusation, and to arrest the slander, instituted an action against the Stub-blebmes and Williamson, and in default of bail they were lodged in jail some months ago.— When arraigned, failing to make defence, judgment was produced against them by the Court, and the sheriff directed to empannel a jury to ascertain what amount of damages they should pay. This jury sat in the Court house (presided orer with becoming dignity by our excellent sheriffJ on Monday last, and listened to the testimony produced. The utterance of tlie slander against Rhoads and Ills excellent character was testified to by a number of highly respectable witnesses. The defence set up was, that the defendants are crazy —this charge was the result of their religious delusion—that they were not responsible for what they did—and coming from them, it could necessarily do little harm. The testimony of the witnesses however, was, that they were regarded in their neighborhoods as rational upon all subjects but that of religion, and that they talked sensibly on that, but differed widely from others in their views, and that the i effect of the slander on Mr. Rhoads was considerable. These Stubblebines appear to hare been men highly respected before they adopted their strange religious tenets.The jury returned a verdict against Daniel for seventy-five dollars with costs.—against David forty-five dollars with costs, and against Hannah Williamson for thirty dollars withcosts.The plaintiffs were • represented by Wm. Butler and Wm. Darlington Esquires, and the | defendants by U. V. Pennypackev, — i Hrcsf Chester Herald. !
Newspaper Details
Lancaster Examiner and Herald
Lancaster, Pennsylvania, US
Wed, Jan 07, 1857
Page 3
Full Page
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