Alexandria Gazette & Daily Advertiser

HORRID MURDER.

A horrible murder was committed in Salem, Clarke county, on Tuesday last, on the body of Mr. Peter Perry, a respectable citizen of that place, by captain Thomas Wells, formerly of Virginia, but for a few years past an inhabitant of Clarke county.

The following are the particulars which we have obtained from a respectable gentleman, who saw the corpse a few minutes after the dreadful act was committed.

Mr. Wells having marked out a burying ground for himself, and made his will—armed himself with a gun, three pistols, two knives, a dirk, and a large hickory stick, and went to the house of Perry, and found him rocking one of his children in the cradle, Wells then demanded some letters he had previously written to Mr. Perry, and being refused, he presented his gun, which missed fire; whereon, Perry took the gun from Wells, and attempted to knock him down with it but failed—Wells gave Perry a blow with his stick, which threw him, at which time Wells seized Perry and dragged him out the door, plunged his dirk into him nine times, five of which were mortal.—Perry expired in a few minutes. Our informant adds, that Wells snapped his gun several times at Mrs. Perry.

Wells is in the county jail, confined in irons, and guarded by twelve men. The circumstance which gave rise to this bloody deed, will be more fully known after the trial.

Mr. Perry has left an affectionate wife and six children to deplore his loss.

[Greensboro' Selector.