Fourth Generation Inclusive

CORONER’S INQUEST.

Coroner H.R. Perkin held an inquest yesterday (Sunday) morning, at the Restaurant of Mr Morrell on Front Street, over the body of a free boy named James White who died very suddenly after a fight with another negro named George Holden. From the evidence brought before the Jury it appears that White was in the employ of Mr. Morrell, and that on Saturday evening about 6 ½ o’clock, whilst he was passing a door in the rear of the Restaurant, leading into a side alley, the negro boy Geo. Holden came up and was ordered off by the deceased; some words passed between them, when George struck White, and a scuffle then took place in the alley. They parted, and White returned to the door from whence the fight commenced, (George running off down the alley towards the river,) took his seat on a pair of steps and in a few moments fell forward and died in about fifteen minutes. A small bruised place being observed on the left side, a post mortem examination was made by Dr. A. R. Medway, assisted by several other Surgeons, when it was found that White’s spleen was enlarged to such an extent that when the blow was given by George, the spleen ruptured thereby producing death.

In consideration with above fact, the verdict of the Jury was that the deceased came to his death from blows inflicted by George Holden.

George made his escape immediately after giving the blow, and is still at large. George is a slave, and belongs to Mr. Thos. Holden, of this town. White was a free boy, and is said came from Kittrell’s Springs. It may not be improper to say that there was an old grudge between the two boys, which led to the fight on Saturday night. – Daily Journal, 26^th inst.

North Carolina Argus (Wadesboro), 29 October 1863.