He was foully dealt with.

by Lisa Y. Henderson

MURDER. — On Sunday morning last, the body of a free colored man, named Michael Knight, was found near Sandy Plain church, in this county, under circumstances that lead to believe that he had been foully dealt with. He was entirely nude, excepting socks upon his feet, and his body was horribly mangled, having been badly beaten with a stick, and his neck dislocated. Coroner A. Nixon held an inquest on Monday, before whom evidence was brought to light pointing to two white men as the perpetrators of this deed. The evidence, however, is wholly circumstantial. We suppress the names of the accused for the present, understanding that warrants are in the hands of the proper officers for their arrest. So far as we can understand there are no extenuating circumstances for the perpetration of this horrible deed.

The Argus, Wadesboro, 16 February 1860.