Correspondence of the Cincinnati Gazette.
                             PORTSMOUTH, OHIO, December 31,
     On the evening of  Thursday, December 6, 1866, a murder was committed on the person of WILLIAM NELSON DODGE, on Lick Run, near Wheelersburg, in this county.  The name of the murderer is HAMILGON HARPEREE, a young man about twenty-four years of age, who was born and raised in this county, not many miles from the scene of the murder.
     DODGE was about forty-six years of age.  He was born in Olean, Cattaraugus county, N. Y.; came to this State some thirty years ago; married when a young man; moved to Iowa, where he resided some two years, in Benton County, and lost his wife and two children by death.  He returned to Scioto county, about 1845, bringing with him his only son, now about twenty-six years of age.  About twelve years ago he married REBECCA CLARK, of Symmes Creek, near Ironton, by whom he had three children.  At the time of their marriage, she was only about seventeen years of age; he, thirty four.
     DODGE was an easy, inoffensive man, and so is his murderer, when not under the influence of intoxicating drink.  Al the parties named are humble members of the community in which they moved.
     For some time DODGE had reason to suspect his wife's fidelity, and on the morning of the day of the murder left home, saying he would be absent all night, but returned home after dark, and found HARPEREE with his wife.  Some unpleasant words were passed between them, but the quarrel was soon settled, and HARPEREE invited DODGE to go to a neighboring grog shop and take a drink with him.  They soon returned to DODGE's house together, and after a while DODGE became displeased with HARPEREE and told him to leave his house, which he did; but he had not gone for before he turned back and called DODGE out of his house saying he wished to speak to him.  As DODGE stepped out he was collared by HARPEREE, who plunged a knife into his victim and fled.  The wound was mortal, but DODGE did not die till the next day.  He left his dying testimony against his murderer.
     HARPEREE has been looking around in the vicinity of the murder most of the time since.  He was seen and recognized on Friday, the 14th at Haverhill, but was not arrested.  AT that time no reward had been offered for his apprehension.  Since that time our County Commissioners have offered $200 reward, and the town of Wheelersburg $70.  Latterly search has been made for him, which proved successful on Friday last, at a place in Niles township, about three miles from Buena Vista, in this county.  He was arrested at the house of his cousin STEPHEN HODGE, at the instance of JOHN GIVENS, who swore out a warrant for  his arrest before a Justice of the Peace, and had it put in the hands of Constable B. W. ELLIOTT, who took along with him his three brothers and Mr. GIVENS.  HARPEREE was arrested without trouble, and brought to this city on Saturday last, and is now confined in Scioto county jail.  The Court which has jurisdiction in his case meets in March next.