CRIME AND ITS PENALTY.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3026, 8 March 1881, Page 4

CRIME AND ITS PENALTY.

Th.3 following account of a horrible crime, committed in the northern portion of Monro county, Miss., was brought by the !»an Francisco mail. The details are as follows : —Mr Brown, n rising young man, raised in the neighborhood, married, and built a house near his parents. His family consisted of a wifo and a daughter two years old. On December 16 two men, giving the names of Metter, called and asked to stay all night. The evening being so disagreeable, they were permitted to remain and occupy a bed in the same room witli the family, it being the only one where there was a fire. About 11 o'clock flames from the little cottage attracted the neighbors, who found the house so far consumed that nothing could be done towards saving it. It was the impression that the family had absented themselves for the night, bub in the ruins were found tho crisp, charred remains of the trio. Excited indignation took full sway, and an investigation developed the above facts, when search was at once made for the two men. It was found that they had separated one going towards Aberdeen, and the other direct to Polo. The posse that went in pursuit of the Aberdeenbound man, were successful in finding him hid in a field six miles from Aberdeen. He was returned to tho scene, when he told the following story: "We wanted money; were permitted to remain overnight; lay awake after returning until the heavy breathing of tho family satisfied us of their slumbers, when we arose, administered chloroform, rifled the house of valuables, consisting of 28 dollars, a watch, a suit of clothes, and a pair of boots, and then scattered cotton over the floor and on the bed, saturated with coal oil, set it on fire and left." The horror stricken crowd, composed of 25 resolute men, determined that the devil should be punished with his own weapon, and pinioned him, with pine splinters artistically arranged around him. They dispensed with chloroform, and set him ablaze. Diligent search is being made for the other man, who will doubtless share his fate, if caught.