Fourth Generation Inclusive

Historical Documents of Genealogical Interest to Researchers of North Carolina's Free People of Color

Tag: crime

January 18, 2013

Convicted.

The Superior Court for this county is in session – Judge Ellis presiding.  We are happy to be able to say, that there is no capital case before it.

At Sampson Court, last week, Wm. Boon, alias Wm. Hussey, a free mulatto, was convicted of Burglary with intent to commit a Rape.  Solicitor Strange and Hon. J.C. Dobbin for the State; C.G. Wright, Esq. for the prisoner.

Fayetteville Observer, 4 May 1852.

In the 1850 census of Southern Division, Sampson County: Comfort Boon, 50, with Kadar, 22, Ann, 24, Beckey, 23, Elizabeth, 20, Caty, 19, Evaline, 18, William, 15, and Almira Boon, 10; all described as black.

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January 17, 2013

Unlawfully did migrate.

State vs William Mayhoe, Sophy Mayhoe, Theophilus Cyprus, Armen Cyprus, Mary Cyprus and Anthony Seward.  Indictment Missdemeanor.  Witnesses Stephen H. Turner, Austin Newman, H.R. Moss

State of North Carolina, Warren County    } Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions August Term 1858.  The jurors for the State upon their oaths present that William Mayhoe, Sophy Mayhoe, Theophilus Cyprus, Armen Cyprus, Mary Cyprus and Anthony Seward, all free negroes late of the county of Warren, on the first day of June AD 1856, at and in the county aforesaid, unlawfully did migrate into the State of North Carolina and that the said William Mayhoe, Sophy Mayhoe, Theophilus Cyprus, Armen Cyprus, Mary Cyprus and Anthony Seward, from that day up to the day of the finding of this inquisition have continued to remain in the county and State aforesaid Contrary to the form of the Statute in such case made and provided and against the peace and dignity of the State.

Miscellaneous Records, Warren County Records, North Carolina State Archives. 

In the 1850 census of Nutbush, Warren County, Sophia Mayho, 30, is listed in the household of Edward Harris, 38, blacksmith; wife Mary, 35; and children Francis, 9, James, 7, Mary, 5, and John, 2; plus Jesse Gains, 65, blacksmith.

In the 1850 census of Nutbush, Granville County: Theodore Cypress, 36, ditcher, headed a household that included Arma Cypress, 40, and Ann, 19, Robert, 16, William, 15, and Mary Kearsey, 12.

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January 17, 2013

Jail break, no. 5.

Broke Jail. – We learn that Jesse Holley, the yellow fellow convicted at our last Superior Court, of murder and arson, and sentenced to be hung, but in whose case an appeal was taken to the Supreme Court, broke out of the jail of this town last night, and made his escape.  Holley is a most villainous-looking fellow, about 35 years of age, some five feet eight inches high, and rather stout built.  He is rather a light mulatto, with a kind of reddish or sandy hair, as if burned, and a muddy, freckled face.

We believe that a white man, awaiting trial on some charge of felony, made his escape at the same time.  We have not learned any of the particulars. Wilmington Journal.

Fayetteville Observer, 3 June 1852.

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January 12, 2013

Jail break, no. 4.

50 Dollars Reward. Broke the jail of Orange county, on the night of 30th November, 1821, two prisoners, Archibald Brown and Meredith Chavers. – Said Brown was charged with murder, and was sent to said jail from Chatham county.  He resided on Rocky River, in Chatham county, where his family now lives.  He is about 5 feet 9 or 10 inches high, fair complexion, has pimples upon his face and nose, and is addicted to intoxication.  Chavers is a free mulatto, about 6 feet high, and formerly lived on the waters of Back Creek, in Orange county.  The above reward will be paid to any person who will arrest the said Brown in this state, so that I get him again; and a reward of five dollars for the arrest and delivery of the said Chavers to me.  JAMES CLANCY, Jailor.  December 1st, 1821.

Western Carolinian, 25 Dec 1821.

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January 8, 2013

He was last seen on his way to Scuffletown.

$500 REWARD.

I will pay the above reward of Five Hundred Dollars, for the apprehension of Joe. Lee, a free mulatto, who is guilty of the murder of Archibald Blue of Richmond county, N.C., in any jail so that I can get him.  Said Lee committed the murder on the 8th of August inst., 1864.  Said Lee is five feet 8 or 10 inches high, dark complection and straight hair.  When last seen he was on his way to Scuffletown, in Robeson county, where his Father came from.   MALCOM BLUE.  Montrose, N.C., Aug 16.

Fayetteville Observer, 29 August 1864.

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January 7, 2013

Jail break, no. 3.

Sixty Dollars Reward.  The Goal [sic] of the district of Fayetteville, was broken open on the night of the 19th instant, by LITTLEBERRY WILSON, JESSE ROBINSON & JACOB HAMMONDS, 3 of the prisoners who were confined therein on charges of Felony, and who have escaped therefrom.

LITTLEBERRY WILSON is about 27 or 30 years of age, fair hair, inclining to red – about 6 feet 1 inch high – thick set – generally wore a short blue jacket with sleeves, and a Swansdown vest – is an inhabitant of Lenoir county, and was committed for the murder of a man of the name of Argor.

JESSE ROBINSON, is about 24 years of age – dark hair – about 5 feet 6 inches high – thick set – generally wore a short blue coat – was sent from Richmond County – on a charge of horse stealing.

JACOB HAMMONDS is a mulatto man about 25 years of age – about 5 feet 7 inches high, tolerably thick set – dressed in homespun, having also a blue cloth coat – was sent from Robeson County, charged with horse stealing.

The above reward will be paid for apprehending the aforesaid Felons, and delivering them to the subscriber in Fayetteville, or securing them in any goal in the United States – or the sum of TWENTY DOLLARS for either of them.  GEORGE K. BARGE, Gaoler. Fayetteville, N.C. April 20th, 1803.

Wilmington Gazette, 5 May 1803.

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December 27, 2012

Jail break.

THREE HUNDRED DOLLARS REWARD.  BROKE JAIL ON THE NIGHT OF THE 8TH OF May, the following negroes:

SOLOMON, the property of John Lockhart, deceased – He is about five feet eight inches high, black, no marks on his person recollected, aged 35 years.

WILLIS, the property of Capt. J.W. Latta, about six feet high, slender built, black, aged about 27 years.

ALEX HARRIS, a free boy, about five feet five inches high, mulatto, has been living about Raleigh.

Solomon was convicted for the murder of John Lockhart, and was detained for a new trial.  I will give for his apprehension two hundred dollars, and fifty dollars each for the two others, or their confinement in any jail so that I can get them.  H.B. GUTHRIE, Sheriff.  Hillsborough, N.C., May 22, 1863.

Weekly Standard, Raleigh, 27 May 1863.

 

$500 REWARD.  ESCAPED FROM THE JAIL OF GRANVILLE County, in Oxford, on the night of the 27th instant, BALDY KERSEY, a free negro, very bright color, and hair nearly straight, stout made, and about five feet eight inches high, about 45 years old, impudent appearance and quick speech.

Also, JOEL, a slave of T.B. VENABLE. Joel is a dark mulatto, about 5 feet 10 or 11 inches high, and rather spare built, though strong and likely, he is about 35 years of age.

Kersey was sentenced at September term of Granville Superior Court to six months imprisonment, and there are still pending against him five indictments for larceny.

Joel was committed for house breaking and an attempt to commit rape.

I will give the above reward for the apprehension and confinement of both, so that I get them again, or $200 for either.  The belief is that they are making towards the Eastern part of the State.  I wil give $500 for the apprehension and delivery, with evidence sufficient to convict those or anyone of those who assisted from the outside and broke the jail so as to release said prisoners.  W.A. PHILPOTT, Sheriff.  October 6, 1864.

Weekly Standard, Raleigh, 26 October 1864.

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December 25, 2012

On the criminal docket.

The Fall term of Cumberland Superior Court of Law commenced its Session yesterday, that Hon. John L. Bailey, presiding.  We learn that owing to the number of cases on the State docket, several of which are for capital felonies, an Extra term for the trial of civil cases is ordered to be held on the second Monday in February next.  To-day, the trial of Daniel and James Butler, for the killing of Thomas F. Richardson, in Sept. 1850, will take place – the Grand Jury found a bill against them for manslaughter only. To-morrow and the next day will be probably occupied in the trial of Richard Jackson for the killing of James Barksdale, and Dave Jones, a free mulatto, for a the murder of a white woman in Campbellton in August last.

Fayetteville Observer, 11 November 1851.

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December 23, 2012

Horse-stealing, redux.

STOLEN from the subscriber at Wake Court House, on Wednesday evening last, a bright bay HORSE, 4 feet 11 inches high, with remarkable small feet, canters and trots well, and is very spirited, several saddle spots on his back.  The above horse was stolen by a free mulatto man, of the name of THOMAS BOWSER, a blacksmith by trade, who formerly worked in Fayetteville, very ingenious at his business, a bushy head, and very dark complexion, can read and write well: It is suspected he is gone to Hillsborough.

Any person apprehending the thief, and recovering the horse, by leaving him with the subscriber, at Col. J. Lane’s at Wake Court-House, shall receive the above reward.  PETER BIRD.

Fayetteville Gazette, 11 Dec 1792.

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December 17, 2012

Carrying, conveying and concealing in order that he might escape.

State v. Alfred Woodly, 47 NC 276 (1855).

This was an indictment of Alfred Woodly and Richard Wynns, free persons of color, for carrying, conveying and concealing a slave in order that he might escape.  Woodly and Wynns were accused of carrying Anthony, a slave and the property of Tristram L. Skinner, executor of Joshua Skinner, deceased, out of the state on 13 January 1855.  The appeal in the case alleged a number of insufficiencies in the indictment, and the Supreme Court ordered a new trial in Bertie Superior Court.

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