Fourth Generation Inclusive

Historical Documents of Genealogical Interest to Researchers of North Carolina's Free People of Color

Category: Crime

June 13, 2013

They asked him if he had that gun to shoot Ku-Klux.

Question. I would be glad if you would give us many names as you can recollect of those who have been outraged.

Answer. I have left my best memorandum at the hotel. I will state from memory what I can now recollect. Did I state about Mr. Gillespie being taken out and abused by them and threatened? He is a white man; a gang of disguised men seized him, either the last of March or the first of April, pulled him out of his house, and said that they thought two hundred lashes would make a good conservative of him; that he had been a radical, and had been unpunished for a ling time. There was a colored man we call old issue free negro; that is, he has always been a free negro; he was born free. His name was Jonas Watts; he was whipped by them, and had his gun taken away. They asked if he had that gun to shoot Ku-Klux; he said, No. They took the gun away from him, and said it was a damned good piece they had captured; that is what he says. They told him that it was the way he had been voting that they visited. They visited the house of a colored named T.P. Bradley, committed some insolence about his house and threatened him, but did not whip him.

Testimony of James M. Justice, July 5, 1871, Report of the Joint Select Committee to inquire into the condition of Affairs in the Late Insurrectionary States, North Carolina (1872).

[Sidenote: Justice testified that he had lived in Rutherfordton since 1865 and was born and raised in neighboring Henderson County. He worked as a mechanic and was elected to the NC legislature in 1868. During that time, he was admitted to the North Carolina Bar and worked as an attorney. — LYH]

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June 13, 2013

BOLO: muscular, broad-shouldered, narrow-hipped murderer with cleft chin.

$100 Reward.

A PROCLAMATION.

By His Excellency, WM. A. GRAHAM, Governor of North Carolina.

HAVING been officially informed, that John Brown, a free mulatto, late of the County of Halifax, did on the 11th, instant, in said County, commit murder, by killing one James Smith, of said County, and hath fled from Justice , and escaped probably beyond the limits of this State.

Now to the end that the said John Brown may be arrested and brought to trial, for said offence, I do hereby issue this my Proclamation, offering a reward of One Hundred Dollars, for his apprehension and delivery to the Sheriff of Halifax County, or for his commitment to any Jail in the United States, to answer for the crime aforesaid, provided the same be more than a hundred miles distant from the Court House of Halifax aforesaid.

The said John Brown is represented to be a bright Mulatto, a Blacksmith by trade, about 35 years of age, about, (probably above) 6 feet high, with broad shoulders, but narrow hips, large limbs, particularly his arms and hands, weighs 175 or 180 lbs., has a considerable dent, more than a dimple, in his chin, very free and bold in his speech, has free papers from Northampton County Court, had on when last seen, and usually wears, brown homespun clothes, a green Blanket overcoat, much worn, and a high bell crowned hat. He had recently sold off his property, intending to remove to Indiana or Illinois, has relatives in Danville, Va., and will probably attempt to pass that place in his flight.

Given under my hand and the Great Seal of the State of North Carolina, at the City of Raleigh, this 14th of March, 1848.   WILL: A. GRAHAM

By the Governor: W.W. MORRISON, Private Secretary.

Raleigh Register, 15 March 1848.

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June 10, 2013

A stabbing over work.

MURDER—We learn that a negro man, LAWS, belonging to Mr. FRIES, of this place, stabbed a free negro by the name of MITCHELL, at High Point, causing his death. LAWS is confined in jail. The affair originated in a quarrel about some work they were engaged in.

Peoples Press, Salem, 13 February 1857.

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June 9, 2013

Self-enslavement for profit.

Who was Seller and Who was Sold? Col. Carson Vance lived on Rose’s creek, between Alta Pass and Spruce Pine before and during and after the Civil War. He was a bright, but eccentric man. He was admitted to the bar and practiced law to some extent. But he and a free negro named John Jackson made up a plot at the commencement of the Civil War whereby they were to go together to New Orleans, Vance as master and Jackson as slave. At New Orleans Jackson was to be sold for all the cash he would bring, after which Vance was to disappear. Then Jackson was to prove that he was a “free person of color,” regain his freedom and rejoin Vance on the outskirts of New Orleans. It is said that this scheme worked successfully and that Vance and Jackson divided the proceeds of the sale.

From John Preston Arthur, Western North Carolina: A History from 1730 to 1913 (1914).

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June 8, 2013

The agent of white men in stealing negroes for sale.

Kidnapping. – At Wayne Superior Court last week, the Grand Jury found true bills, for stealing Slaves (with intent to convey away, and sell, and dispose of) against Bryan Sanders, Needham Stevens, John P. Williams, and Micajah Burnett (a free negro.) The Defendants removed their cause to Sampson County, except Burnett, who has escaped to the North, and will probably soon turn lecturer on Abolition, to our tender-hearted friends in that region. We hope his prospects of success and fame, may not be marred by the fact that he has for some months been the agent of white men, in stealing negroes for sale at the South – and has largely shared in the profits. He can doubtless talk very affectingly and feelingly on the horrors of the internal Slave trade, having been extensively engaged in it himself.  Raleigh Register.

Hillsborough Recorder, 18 October 1848.

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June 1, 2013

He was foully dealt with.

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.

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May 22, 2013

For the murder of Archibald Beebee.

MATTHEW N. LEARY, jr., a witness for the prosecution, having been first duly sworn, testified as follows:

Examined by the Counsel for the prosecution.

Q. What is your name? A. Matthew N. Leary, jr.  Q. Where do you reside? A. In Fayetteville. Q. What is your occupation in Fayetteville? A. Saddle and harness maker was previous to the war. Since the war I have added to that a small grocery in the same building. A. Have you been a free man all your life? A. All my life, sir.  Q. Where did you reside in the beginning of the year 1867? A. In Fayetteville. Q. Did you know one Archy Beebee there? A. I did, sir, by sight. I knew him when I saw him. Q. Where is he now? A. Dead. Q. When was he killed? A. On the 11th of February. … [p. 3]

ROBERT SIMMONS, a witness for the prosecution, having been first duly sworn, testified as follows:

What is your name? Robert Simmons. Where do you live? In Fayetteville, sir. What is your occupation there? I keep a grocery there. Was that your occupation at the beginning of the year? Yes, sir. Did you know Archy Beebee? Yes, sir. … [p. 47]

HENRY HAGANS, a witness for the prosecution, having been first duly sworn, testified as follows:

Examined by the Counsel for the prosecution.

Where did you live at the beginning of this year? In Fayetteville. What is your business there? Shoemaker. Whose shop did you work in, the first part of this year? I worked with Mr. Henry Sykes. Is that the one-armed man? Yes, sir. Did you know Archy Beebee? Yes, sir. … [p. 55]

Argument of ED. GRAHAM HAYWOOD:

… Here is Matthew N. Leary, jr., whose character is unassailed, and unassailable, who says – he was standing to the right of the man who fired the pistol, and his rear, about five feet. … Between Leary and the man who fired his pistol, stood Lewis Smith. Square behind [John] Armstrong – almost touching him – and within five feet or six feet of the man who fired the pistol, stood Henry Hagans; a little further to the front than James Douglass, and to his left stood Robert Simmons… [p.347]

Proceedings in the Case of the United States against Duncan G. McRae, William J. Tolar, David Watkins, Samuel Phillips and Thomas Powers, for the Murder of Archibald Beebee at Fayetteville, North Carolina on the 11th Day of February, 1867, together with the Argument of Ed. Graham Haywood, Special Judge Advocate (1867).

In the 1860 census of Fayetteville, Cumberland County: D. Simmons, 40, Robert, 23, Saml., 20, and Mary Simmons, 12.

In the 1860 census of Fayetteville, Cumberland County: Joseph Heggins, 51, laborer, wife Harriett, 31, and children Henry, 13, Duncan, 9, Lavina, 7, Sophia, 5, and Mary, 3.

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May 15, 2013

The criminal docket.

SUPERIOR COURT DECISIONS

The Superior Court of Law and Equity for the Counties of Cumberland and Harnett has been in Session during the present week. Nearly the whole of the Term has been taken up with the Criminal Docket. A part of Tuesday and the whole of Wednesday were devoted to the trial of Rachel Freeman, a free girl of color, on a charge of arson. The jury returned a verdict of guilty. For the State, Mr. Solicitor Strange; for the prisoners, Messrs. William B. Wright and Joseph Baker, Jr.

The next business on the calendar was an application of three prisoners from Bladen, charged with a capital offence, to be admitted to bail. They were represented by John A. Richardson, Esq., whose efforts to obtain bail were ineffectual. The prisoners were remanded.

Jackson Evans was then put on his trial for a homicide on the body of Joseph Williams, both free men of color. A verdict of manslaughter has been returned.

North Carolina Argus, Wadesboro, 16 October 1856.

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May 13, 2013

The fellow went towards Wadesborough.

Ten Dollars Reward.

Ranaway from Darlington Court-House, South Carolina, on Saturday 3rd, December 1814, a man of Colour who calls himself ROBERT BYRD, a black man, aged 20 or 25 years old, who has with him a pass from William Tunstall, Clerk, Pittsylvania County, Virginia – Said Negroe stole, and carried away a chestnut sorrel MARE, about 14 1-2 hands high, with a large star in her forehead and snip on her nose, a natural trotter, rather low in order. I will give the above reward for any person who will apprehend, and confine said fellow in any Joal [sic] so that he may brought to Justice, or deliver him to me, and all reasonable expences to any one who will deliver the said Mare to me – The fellow went towards Wadesborough, N. Carolina. JEREMIAH BROWN. December 6, 1814.

Star, Raleigh, 13 January 1815

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May 5, 2013

Unlawfully did migrate, no. 4.

State of North Carolina, Wilson County   } Court of Pleas & Quarter Sessions October Term 1850

The Jurors for the State aforesaid upon their oath present that Gray Powel a free negro late of the county of Wilson on the 1st day of June AD 1859 at & in the said county unlawfully did migrate into the State of North Carolina contrary to the provisions of the act of the general assembly in such cases made & provided & that the said Gray Powel afterwards to wit up to this time doth yet remain in said State & in the county aforesaid contrary to the form of the Statute in each case made & provided & against the peace & dignity of the State    /s/ B.B. Barnes Solicitor

Slave Records, Wilson County Records, North Carolina State Archives.

In the 1850 census of Stephen Powell, 47, wife Synthia, 36, and children Gray, 9, Queen Anne, 8, Dolly, 7, Crockett, 3, and Noab, 1. [Sidenote: If this is the right Gray Powell, it suggests that he left the state prior to 1859 and tried to return. — LYH]

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