His half-brother — and owner — are free men of color.

by Lisa Y. Henderson

FIFTY DOLLARS REWARD.

RANAWAY from the Subscriber, on the 19th inst., a Negro man named LUKE, about five feet six or eight inches high, dark complected, has a scar on the side of one of his eyes, (which one not recollected, but believed to be the right eye,) stout built, weighs about 175 or 180 pounds.

He was purchased in 1846 from Mr. Josiah E. Bryan of this town. He has relatives in the County of Sampson, among them a half-brother named Sam Boon, — a free man of color, — and may possibly be lurking in that neighborhood, as I am informed he was seen about there a short time since. Possibly he may have obtained free papers, and is endevouring to escape to a free State, as I understand some free persons of color removed from Sampson county last week to Indiana.

A reward of Ten Dollars will be given for his apprehension and delivery to me, if taken in this county; Fifteen Dollars if taken in any other county in this State and lodged in a safe Jail; or Fifty Dollars if taken out of state — so that I get him again.  M.N. LEARY.

Fayetteville, March 29, 1853.

Fayetteville Observer, 7 April 1853.