MURDER IN KALAMAZOO COUNTY—It becomes our painful and melancholy duty this week to record. one of the-most foul and brutal murders that has ever been perpetrated fed in Michigan, The particulars, so far as we have been able to ascertain them, are as follows : on Wednesday morning last; as Mr. William P. Giddings, merchant, residing on Gull Prairie, in this County, which for the information of our distant readers we would state is about twelve miles from this Village, was standing near to his store, he perceived that a dog belonging to his brother, and one owned by a man named James Ayres, residing at the same place, were fighting; Mr. Giddings walked leisurely up to the spot, and remarked that the dogs had better fight it out, as they were frequently fighting, but always parted before either of them had proved the strongest. Ayres, who was at it short distance from the place, seeing Mr. Giddings quietly looking on without, attempting to part them, caught up a brick-bat and approaching near to the spot, levied it at the head of Mr. Giddings, striking him violently across the temples; Mr. G. would have instantly fallen to the ground, had not some individual near caught him in his arms. Ayres, not satisfied with the wound he had inflicted on his neighbor, ran up- to him, and dealt several random blows at him while in the arms of his friend. Mr. Giddings, was assisted home, and though medical help was procured as soon as possible, yet it was of no avail ; the wound he had received was mortal ; his reason began to forsake him, and alter lingering in the most dreadful and excruciating pain for about eight hours, he expired. The deceased, it is said, was a man of good moral character, and much esteemed by his neighbors. He has left a wife and small family to mourn his untimely death, Ayres was very soon apprehended, to which he offered no resistance, and. the affair having undergone a legal investigation, he has been fully committed to the jail in our village, to await his trial at the next county court, charged with the wilful murder of William P. Giddings.
Ayers, it appears, had several times threatened to take the life of this unfortunate man, and on the day the murder was committed, he was heard to declare he would be the death of him. He, too, is it married man, and has a wife and small family who have been depending upon him for support.
This, we believe, is the first murder that has ever been committed in this county by a white man, since the country was first settled; and sorry we are that a crime of such magnitude should stain the hitherto unblemished character of our county. Hence we ought to learn to guard against the first-impulses of passion in __ that __ given us for the moderation of our passions, That man is guilty of an egregious folly, as well as an enormous crime, who will permit: the taunting words or aggravating actions or another, to tempt hint to the commission of murder.
Hard names at first and threat'ning words,
That are buy noisy breath,
May grow to stones and naked swords,
To murder, and to death