Jail break, no. 2.

by Lisa Y. Henderson

BROKE JAIL. – The Daily Carolinian of Thursday last says:

Bob Revels, a free negro confined in Jail for burglary, made good his escape on last night. It appears that by means of some blankets and other things which he had in his room, he made a rope sufficient to carry himself through the scuttle on the top of the Jail, and thereby get away.

Bob is an old offender, and is not likely to be caught. He took another free negro confined for some minor offence away with him.

Newbern Daily Progress, 13 June 1859.

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$50 REWARD.

Broke jail on the night of the 8th inst., TWO MULATTO BOYS named BOB REVILS and JOHN BREWER.  Revils is a bright Mulatto, a Painter by trade, about six feet high, and is well known about Fayetteville.  Brewer is also a bright Mulatto, with straight and very long black hair, with front teeth decayed and is about five feet seven inches high.

The above reward of $25 will be given for their delivery to me here, or their safe confinement in any jail in the State; or $25 for either.  GEO. L. McKAY, Jailor. June 8, 1859.

Fayetteville Observer, June 20, 1859.

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PRISONERS RECAPTURED. – The two negroes who escaped from Jail in this place in the night of the 8th inst. have been arrested and securely lodged in their old quarters. John Brewer was captured after a severe fight on Thursday night last, by a free man named Cato Potts, whose clothes were cut in the reencounter; and Bob Revels was taken the next morning by a posse, who fired at without injuring him. They had been prowling about town since their escape, living by theft. Their arrest, particularly of Revels, who bears a desperately bad character, is a relief from apprehension of robbery and violence.

Fayetteville Semi-Weekly Observer, 20 June 1859.