The Independent

Last Wednesday night, about 11 o'clock, a tragic affair took place at the fork of the Atchison and Mount Pleasant road, about twelve miles from this city. Two men, in citizens' clothes, went to the door of old man Hayes, and rapped. Mrs. Hayes admitted them into the house, and they made many inquiries about a train of mules which had put up there. While talking, the woman heard a voice outside say, "That is as good a thing as we want." On looking out, she saw seven other persons, and suspecting something wrong, spoke to her husband, an old man fifty-five years old, and a cripple, telling him to come out. The moment the old man appeared one of the men shot him dead.

Mr. Hammel, the owner of the mules, was in the house. He, with two sons of Hayes, and another boy who happened to be in the house, immediately jumped from their beds, seized their guns and rushed into the conflict, which resulted in mortally wounding one of the two men who entered the house and slightly wounding the other, and wounding the stranger boy severely in the foot.

We are not certain who the men were, though we hear that one of those wounded belongs to the 15th Regiment, in which case we trust the officers will thoroughly investigate the matter, and bring the offenders to merited justice.

An hour before this affair the same parties went to another house, a mile or two from Hayes, and demanded admittance. They were informed that several ladies were in the house preparing for bed, and refused admittance. They persisted and were admitted. They claimed to be in search of Government property, and thoroughly searched the house, broke open trunks, &c. They next said they were searching for a man, and applied themselves again to the closets, drawers and trunks. One man slipped a small mahogany box, containing ladies' keep-sakes, locks of hair, &c. On being requested to give it up, he pointed a pistol at her head, and threatened to shoot her if she accused him of stealing. They finally left, after robbing the man of the house of his money and scaring his daughter into a fit. Such scenes are a disgrace to our State, and should be investigated and punished without mercy.—Times, 29th.